Agnes Pelton (1881-1961), “Flowering,” 1929. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower right: Agnes Pelton; signed again (twice), titled, and inscribed “Water Mill Long Island N.Y. $200″ all in pencil on the verso of the upper and side stretcher bars, 24″ H x 19” W est. $300,000-500,000.
Photo – courtesy of John Moran Auctioneers ©
The word is out! Collectors are already buzzing about Moran’s upcoming Art + Design sale, which will feature a recently discovered, fresh-to-market painting by the American Modernist, Agnes Pelton. Only a handful of canvases from Pelton’s highly coveted ‘transcendental desert’ period have surfaced in the market over the last 50 years, making this an extraordinary event.
Agnes Pelton, born in 1881, was a trailblazing artist who skillfully merged spiritual and abstract elements in her works. Throughout her life, she delved deep into mystical symbolism and abstraction. Created in 1929 at the height of her career, “Flowering” stands as a stunning example of her transcendentalist style. Estimated to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000, this oil painting measures 24 inches high by 19 inches wide and is presented in its original Pelton-designed silver-grey frame. “Flowering” was well-exhibited in its day, making appearances at prestigious venues such as the Montross Gallery in New York City in 1929, the Plainfield Public Library in New Jersey in 1931, the Ogunquit Art Center in Maine, the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, Massachusetts, and the 1932 Annual Exhibit at the Society of Modern Artists in Brooklyn, New York.
Pelton moved to California after visiting the state in the late 1920s. A devoted student of Theosophy, she found her new home in the desert town of Cathedral City, where the serene environment provided deep inspiration and spiritual ecstasy. The relative isolation of the desert allowed Pelton to develop her unique style, setting her apart from her contemporaries. Over time, she became one of the most influential and inspirational female painters of the last century. Her acclaimed retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 2020 solidified her reputation, elevating her status to that of Georgia O’Keeffe.
“Flowering” boasts a rich provenance, having passed from the artist to her friends and neighbors, Matille Prigge “Billie” Seaman, and then to Josephine Morse True, both of Cathedral City, California. True later moved to San Diego, California, where she sold the painting to Mrs. Anne-Marie Boyce in the 1990s. Unseen by the public for nearly a century, “Flowering” was rediscovered by Moran’s during a routine estate consignment walk-through.
This highly anticipated sale is set to captivate collectors and art enthusiasts alike, presenting a rare opportunity to acquire a masterpiece from Agnes Pelton’s transcendental desert period.
