In this ongoing series for Fine Art Today, we take a longer look at the history and features of a soon-to-be-available artwork of note. This week: Clark Hulings, “Old Town.”
Without a doubt, artist Clark Hulings (1922-2011) is considered one of the leading American realist painters of the 20th century. He spent much of his esteemed career travelling the world in search of the perfect subjects, and collectors — both public and private — adore the master’s ability to capture timeless beauty through momentary human gesture, texture, light, shadow, and atmosphere.
Although Hulings was born in Florida and spent his adolescence in New Jersey, New York, Louisiana, and Europe, he would eventually settle in Santa Fe in 1972 — a place that not only captured his creative attention, but his heart as well. Via the artist’s webpage, “Clark Hulings traveled the world looking for rural and urban landscapes and genre scenes that became the subjects of paintings reflecting the vibrancy of the human spirit. Admired for his genius in manipulating the formal elements, he searched for beauty in places where others might only find misery. In the world of street people he saw compassion and self-respect. In urban alleyways he envisioned sunlit corridors of family activity. Among rustic farmers he discovered people whose lives were synchronized with cycles of the seasons and the animals they care for.”
For collectors seeking to own an original from this great American painter, the opportunity that awaits at Altermann Galleries & Auctioneers on August 12 and 13 is once-in-a-lifetime. “Old Town” is not only a timeless and gorgeous painting of Cerrillos, New Mexico, but was regarded by Hulings himself as his finest creation. “This statement is corroborated by well-known collector Jerry Freeman who was a close friend of Bob Eagle and Hulings,” Altermann reports. In a soft, diagonal composition, a single figure and his dog have just emerged from the local general store with the day’s groceries. Snow has melted and pooled in the troughs of an old unpaved street — providing the artist with a perfect opportunity to display his keen eye for light, color, and reflection.
“Old Town” headlines Altermann’s August 2016 sale on August 12 and 13 with estimates between $70,000 and $90,000. To view the full catalogue, visit Altermann Galleries & Auctioneers.
This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.
Featured Lot: Clark Hulings, “Old Town”
