Fralin Catalog (6-21-23) - Flipbook - Page 19
We fell in love with certain artists during our early collecting
experiences for Ann and the Museum, and this guided our selections
for our personal collection. We have collected about ten painters
that fall into the category of American Impressionists. Overall, we
have bought artists that painted during the mid-1800s to the mid1900s and have purchased seven of the eight artists from the group
known as The Eight, noted for defying the strict conventions of the
National Academy of Design by mounting their own show in 1908 at
Macbeth Gallery in New York. We love the gritty, urban New York
street scenes with the darker palettes and heavy brushstrokes that are
characteristic of this group. It may not be obvious today, but Henri,
Glackens, Sloan, Shinn, Luks, and their friend Bellows were truly
rebels of their day.
It is difficult to select an acquisition that is more memorable than any
other, although there are standouts as you will see in the collection.
We have found that the most memorable acquisition and the painting
we most admire tends to always be the last one we purchased, which
is probably what keeps us moving forward and continuing to collect.
All the works in the collection are meaningful to us in one way or
another. We made an effort to ensure that all the paintings are in
good condition and are good representations of an artist’s work. We
gathered the pieces in the collection first and foremost for our own
pleasure and enjoyment, but with the idea that they would one day
become teaching tools for future generations of students interested
in American art. Our tastes have definitely broadened over time.
Early on, we may not have considered paintings by artists like Milton
Avery, Stuart Davis, John Marin, and Fairfield Porter, but over the
years our understanding of American art has expanded, which has
influenced our acquisitions.
Our advice to aspiring collectors would be to get good advice from
experts and to purchase art that you love, that you want to look at
every day, and that will continue to excite you. We would further
advise collectors to set a price that they are willing to pay and never
exceed it. One can definitely get caught up in the moment and go
beyond intentions, which played into our decision to give Debra
Force the paddle at all auctions! If you miss out on one purchase,
there will always be another one, another sale, another opportunity.
We hope you enjoy the art we have chosen over these many years
and that something in each of them will speak to you the way that it
has to us.
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