An oil on canvas by the American Impressionist who made the egret his subject — consigned to our November sale, and the most significant American painting this house has brought to market.
Frank Weston Benson (1862–1951) American · oil on canvas · signed lower left
A single egret stands in still water. Lily pads break the surface, the far bank is worked in short strokes of green and gold, and the bird’s reflection runs down through the dark of the pond. It is signed lower left and retains what appears to be its original carved frame.
This is the Benson that collectors want. He painted his daughters in the sun on North Haven and those pictures made his name — but it is the wildfowl he returned to for forty years, and the wildfowl that carry the market. He wanted to be a bird illustrator before he ever wanted to be a portraitist.
Full catalogue details — title, date, dimensions, provenance and estimate — will be published with the November catalogue. If you would like to be notified the moment it goes live, or to request a condition report, get in touch.
The sale runs both days at our gallery at 522 South Pineapple Avenue in downtown Sarasota. Bid in the room, by phone, by absentee bid, or live online. Phone lines for a lot of this level fill early — register in advance.