New York—Swann Galleries will present a selection of 111 works by artists expanding the boundaries of abstraction, in a variety of mediums, throughout the mid-century and post-war period in a Thursday, December 2 sale of Modern & Post-War Art.

            Abstract Expressionism is featured prominently in the sale, with a 1966 tempera-and-ink mixed media work by Robert Motherwell at the top of the offerings ($25,000-35,000); two acrylic-on-paper works by Norman Bluhm will include Steel Grass, 1964 ($12,000-18,000), and a work in lavender from 1967 ($10,000-15,000); and abstract landscapes by Hans Hofmann, Jehudith Sobel and Judith Rothschild. Cubism and geometric abstraction is available with works by Jose de Creeft, Karl Knaths, James Daugherty, Rolph Scarlett, John von Wicht and Louis Schanker. 

            Color field artists include Sam Gilliam, with a run of 1970s watercolors reminiscent of his larger drape paintings ($10,000-15,000, apiece); Jack Roth is available with three mid-1970s acrylic-on-canvases: Benchmark, 1967 ($5,000-7,000), Burrow’s World, 1975 ($5,000-7,000), and an untitled work from 1976 ($4,000-6,000); and Cleve Gray with Horus, (Perne Series), a 1979 acrylic-on-canvas ($8,000-12,000).   

            A strong showing of avante-garde sculpture from mid-century artists will include Alexander Archipenko’s 1967 bronze Walking ($20,000-30,000). Additional highlights feature bronze sculptures with Henry Moore’s Mother with Child on Knee, 1982 ($15,000-20,000); Sir Jacob Epstein’s Romilly John, conceived in 1907 ($15,000-20,000); and Louise Bourgeois’s Give or Take III, (How Do You Feel This Morning?), 1990 ($15,000-20,000). Work by Dorothy Dehner, David Hayer, Albert Wein also feature.

            Intimate takes on interior scenes, portraits and moody landscapes are featured throughout the auction.  Highlights include Max Lieberman’s Interior, gouache and watercolor ($6,000-8,000); Benny Andrews’s Seamstress, oil on canvas, 1968 ($10,000-15,000); Wolf Kahn’s Tree, pastel on paper, 1968 ($2,500-3,500), and Trees, pastel on paper, 1968 ($3,000-5,000); and Edmund Lewandowski’s photorealistic gouache and watercolor Life Boat Station #4, 1991 ($4,000-6,000). Also of note are portraits by Joseph Stella, Helen Stein, EE Cummings and Béa Kadar.

Exhibition hours are 12 p.m to 5 p.m. on weekdays from November 29 through December 1. Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be scheduled directly with a specialist. Swann Galleries staff will prepare condition reports and provide additional photographs of material on request. Advance order bids can be placed with a specialist for the sale or on Swann’s website, and phone bidding will be available. Live online bidding platforms will be the Swann Galleries App, Invaluable, Live Auctioneers and Artsy. The complete catalogue and bidding information is available at www.swanngalleries.com and on the Swann Galleries App.