NEW YORK—A slim catalogue of just over 100 paintings of California, Western and American paintings, drawings and sculpture fetched a strong $4.4 million at Christie’s Los Angeles on April 27. The top lot by far was Indian Girl with Sunflowers, by Taos artist Nicolai Fechin (1881-1955), which realized $1.1 million, well above the $250,000/350,000 estimate. The work was consigned by an unnamed “Western museum to benefit the acquisitions fund,” Christie’s said.
The next-highest price was $800,000, given for La Grosse Pierre, Giverny (estimate: $700,000/900,000) by 19th-century American Impressionist painter Guy Rose (1867-1925).
According to the Christie’s catalogue, Rose, “arguably the most significant California painter who worked in the plein air tradition . . . worked in France in the company of Monet and produced a wonderful body of work there, including La Grosse Pierre.”