I’m always on the lookout at auction for works by African American artists whom I’ve never heard of before. And I’ve been lucky to have picked up a few pieces from time to time.
It’s always a joy to discover them. But I wasn’t much overjoyed to read a story in one of my local newspapers about the family of black landscape artist Louis B. Sloan, whose death apparently sparked a mad dash to snatch up his artwork for themselves.
Sloan died on the way out to paint, at age 75 in October 2008. Family members – nieces, nephews and others – went to his home, rifled through his stuff and grabbed artwork, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. More than 200 landscape paintings are gone, along with self-portraits, sketchbooks, a Japanese silkscreen and his brushes, oil paints and palettes.
Who takes an artist’s tools? I’ve seen those things spread out in boxes over auction tables for bidders, along with paintings that the family members didn’t want. And like Sloan, some of these were named artists.
Sloan must be turning over in his grave. Some family members believe that he left a will, but no one can seem to find it. One family member told the reporter that other family members took it. Now, three family groups and Sloan’s estate are at war in Orphans Court.
Sloan told friends that he wanted his art donated to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he studied and then taught for 35 years. The academy held a memorial and exhibition of his works soon after his death.
A judge has declared his final work – called “Spirit” – stolen, ensuring that no one can sell it legitimately. The piece was listed at $20,000 when it exhibited at a local gallery in 2008 before Sloan’s death. But some unscrupulous seller could easily find a private buyer.
As a young man, Louis Sloan studied at the academy, and one of his instructors was the noted artist Julius Bloch. Sloan taught still life, landscape and portrait painting there from 1962 (he was the academy’s first African American faculty member) to 1997. He was also a conservator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Sloan exhibited at the Pyramid Club, a cultural and social organization for black professional men that held an art exhibit for more than 20 years starting in the 1940s. His paintings are in the museum, the academy, the Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia and other private collections.
Alderfer Auction and Appraisal in Hatfield, PA, plans to auction about 10 of Sloan’s works on June 11. I’ll be there.
Meanwhile, here’s a multimedia slideshow of his paintings that accompanied the news story.
In 2009, Swann Auction Galleries in New York sold Sloan’s oil-on-canvas “Self Portrait” (1956) for $16,000. Photo is from Swann Galleries website.
In January, Pook & Pook Auctioneers in Downingtown, PA, sold two pieces from 1965: “Still Life,” which sold for $3,510, and “Floral Landscape,” which sold for $5,148.
Here are others of his works:
Backyards (1955), a painting of his West Philadelphia neighborhood while he was a student at the Pennsylvania Academy. The painting was a gift to the academy by a patron.
Frost Valley in the Catskills (1995). Photo of the painting is at top. It’s from the Pennsylvania Academy website.
I have in my pocession some of sloan early art work from where he was still in art school all of then signed some of them graded
I knew Mr. Sloan through my father. They both went to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. I remember visiting Mr. Sloan there as a child. My dad gave Mr. Sloan one of his paintings and that came up missing after Mr. Sloan passed away.
Thank you for your interest in my uncles art work, I just want to start off by echoing what Shakira said. Not everything you read in the papers is true… I would hope people realize that by now, not all of the family is fighting over the art work. There wasn’t a mad dash to clear the house out like you stated. While some of these things did happen I find it a little insensitive to bash an entire family and his family name base off what you read in a newspaper. Lived in the same house as my uncle Louie his late sister who was my grandmother along with her husband and brother Jonny. You could never understand how much his work means to most of us and how proud we are. I spent almost every weekend of my life in that house growing up. Louis B Sloan is not turning over in his grave. His looking down with a smile on his face happy to see people appreciate the beautiful work he left here on earth.
As a boy I grew up in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia. our (family) shopped at Morrela’s grocery store. That is where I first met Louis. Louis was a few years older than myself. He and my brother were friends. Louis took me under his wing and taught me much. He painted the windows of the store, showing me how to do this. He would take the drawings from cigarette gift cartons. Thanks to Louis I continued in the art field. I work as a designer now, but continue using the knowledge Louis instilled in me. I was saddened when I heard of his passing long after that time. I just wanted to let people know the impact he had on my life and those that knew him (during) his formative years.
Thank you for this opportunity.
Richard Quinn
(Joe Quinn’slittle brother)
This posting is relatively true, but has a few things that aren’t mentioned. This family is a very nice family and no, the whole family is not fighting over his paintings. most of the paintings were taken and are stored in a safer place than his old home and other places where he had kept them. they were moved mostly in order to keep them safe from the auctioneers and numerous other people. Although certain other family members have taken and sold his paintings off the whole family is not all about the money. I’m pretty sure Mr. Louis isn’t turning in his grave because his family loves him and was trying keep his things safe.
Thanks for your information concerning this artist. I’d never heard of him previously. I hope the situation settles down with his family and estate. They should understand that working together for the good health of the estate would serve them best financially. It would also contribute to the artist’s legacy in the short run. He seemed a very good traditional artist and deserves much respect.
My best to you,
Carl
Thanks, Carl. You’re right. It’s very sad to see this happening to the memory of someone who was obviously a good artist. Sherry