For more than fifty years, Spanierman Gallery cultivated a reputation as one of the country’s preeminent galleries dedicated to American Art. Founded by Ira Spanierman in 1961, the gallery initially offered a wide selection of material, including silver, arms and armor, Old Master, European and American art. Over time, Spanierman chose to focus exclusively on American art, a move that would establish the gallery as a tour-de-force in the field. Well-known for his outstanding ‘eye’ and dedication to connoisseurship, Spanierman was trusted by institutions and private collectors alike. The gallery was known to have sold to hundreds of museums across the United States and abroad while fostering the development of some of the country’s most prestigious private collections.
In addition to its reputation as a dealer, Spanierman Gallery was esteemed in the industry for its dedication and support of art scholarship. As a young man starting off in the business, Ira Spanierman recalled researching and identifying paintings through tedious research at the Frick Art Reference Library. These hours of study left an indelible mark on Spanierman who would go on to publish catalogue raisonnés for artists such as Theodore Robinson, John Henry Twachtman, Willard Metcalf, and co-sponsor the catalogue on the work of Winslow Homer.
When Spanierman Gallery closed in 2014 an impressive inventory remained. We are pleased to be offering a selection of these works in our upcoming auctions. Paintings and sculpture by artists such as John Haberle, Childe Hassam, Walter Schofield, Ibram Lassaw, Theodoros Stamos, George Segal and Patrick Procter among others, will be offered over two days. The sales also features work from a few of the estates acquired by the gallery, such as: Burgoyne Diller, Gershon Benjamin, Hayley Lever, Charles Warren Eaton, Sears Gallagher and Abraham Bogdanove.
William Trost Richards 1833–1905
William Trost Richards (1833-1905) was an American landscape painter and one of the prominent figures of the Hudson River School, a 19th-century American art movement known for its romanticized depictions of the American landscape.
Born in Philadelphia in 1833, Richards displayed an early aptitude for art and received his formal training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts under the guidance of Thomas Doughty and Paul Weber. He also studied in Europe, where he was influenced by the works of the Old Masters and the Pre-Raphaelites.
Richards' artistic career was marked by his mastery of detailed, luminous landscapes. He was a prolific painter, creating exquisite renderings of various locations, including the American Northeast, the Adirondacks, the White Mountains, and the coastlines of New England. He was particularly known for his seascapes, where he captured the ever-changing moods of the ocean with great precision.
Richards' work gained recognition both in the United States and abroad. He exhibited at prominent art institutions such as the National Academy of Design and the Royal Academy in London, where he was celebrated for his dedication to capturing the natural beauty of the American wilderness.
Today, his paintings are cherished for their historical and aesthetic significance and remain in the collections of major museums and art enthusiasts, contributing to the lasting legacy of the Hudson River School.
Auction Results William Trost Richards
