{"id":159,"date":"2020-04-30T14:32:31","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T18:32:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/?page_id=159"},"modified":"2020-05-06T15:31:35","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T19:31:35","slug":"american-art-association","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/gallery-bios\/american-art-association\/","title":{"rendered":"American Art Association"},"content":{"rendered":"

Active Dates: <\/b>1883-1938<\/span><\/p>\n

Gallerists:<\/b> James Sutton, Austin Robertson, Thomas Kirby (auctioneer)<\/span><\/p>\n

Location:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

1883-1900: Kurtz Gallery Building, 6 & 7 East 23<\/span>rd<\/span> Street, New York1<\/a><\/sup>Emil Carlsen Archives, \u201cAmerican Art Association\u201d (webpage), Emil Carlsen Archives, accessed April 14th, 2020, http:\/\/emilcarlsen.org\/portfolio\/american-art-association-1883-1964\/<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1885: Auctions held in Chickering hall auditorium, Fifth Avenue and 18<\/span>th<\/span> Street<\/span><\/p>\n

1900-1922: New Plaza Hotel at 5<\/span>th<\/span> Avenue and 18<\/span>th<\/span> Street<\/span><\/p>\n

1922-1937: 30 East 57<\/span>th<\/span> Street\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1929-1937: American Art Association-Anderson Galleries opens additional building on <\/span>30 E 57<\/span>th<\/span> St.<\/span><\/p>\n

1938-1964: Under Parke-Bernet Galleries Ownership2<\/a><\/sup>All locations and dates from \u201cAmerican Art Association,\u201d National Gallery of Art,\u00a0 Accessed April 20th, 2020, https:\/\/www.nga.gov\/collection\/provenance-info.8515.html?artobj_ownerId=8515&artobj_vbnationality=American&sortOrder=DEFAULT&pageNumber=1&lastFacet=artobj_vbnationality#works<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Specialty:<\/b> American and European art. First American auction house. Auction specialties in <\/span>estate sales, Asian decorative arts, furniture, American & European paintings.3<\/a><\/sup>\u201cExhibition and Artwork 1897-1898: American Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk 1885-1922; Box 14 Folder 45,\u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Accessed April 20th, 2020, https:\/\/www.aaa.si.edu\/collections\/american-art-association-records-6973\/series-7\/box-14-folder-45<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Gallery History<\/b><\/p>\n

James Sutton, Austin Robertson, and Thomas Kirby formed the American Art Association in 1883.\u00a0 The association included an art gallery and auction house. Prior to founding, Sutton and Robertson had established the American Art Gallery in 1879 and Kirby worked professionally as an auctioneer for his own company<\/span>.4<\/a><\/sup>\u201cAmerican Art Association Records,\u201d The Frick Collection\/Frick Art Reference Library Archives, Accessed April 20th, 2020, https:\/\/www.frick.org\/sites\/default\/files\/FindingAids\/AmericanArtAssociation.html<\/a><\/span> The American Art Association initially leased space for its gallery shows in the Kurtz Gallery building on East 23<\/span>rd<\/span> Street, facing Madison Square Gardens.5<\/a><\/sup> Emil Carlsen Archives, \u201cAmerican Art Association.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0 Kirby began auctioneering in the Chickering Hall auditorium on Fifth avenue and 18<\/span>th<\/span> street.6<\/a><\/sup>\u201cAmerican Art Association,\u201d National Gallery of Art, Accessed April 20th, 2020, https:\/\/www.nga.gov\/collection\/provenance-info.8515.html?artobj_ownerId=8515&artobj_vbnationality=American&sortOrder=DEFAULT&pageNumber=1&lastFacet=artobj_vbnationality#works<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The American Art Association hosted many prominent shows that relied on strong relationships with established New York dealers, such as Knoedler, Schaus, Cottier, and Tooth, among others.7<\/a><\/sup>\u201cIllustrated catalogue of master works of the early English, Dutch, French and Flemish schools…\u201d Getty Research Institute Internet Archive, Accessed April 20th, 2020, https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/illustratedmaster00amer\/page\/n11\/mode\/2up<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0 In its first year of opening, the American Art Association exhibited a successful show of famous American Thomas B Clark\u2019s collection in support of the National Academy of Design.8<\/a><\/sup> \u201cAmerican Art Association,\u201d National Gallery of Art. <\/span> <\/span> Shows like these and the auction business boosted the association\u2019s reputation, especially as a promoter of American art, in New York for decades. Kirby was known to be a skilled and insightful auctioneer. The association executed its first successful auction in 1885 when Kirby struck an important deal with bankrupt businessman George Seney.9<\/a><\/sup>\u201cAmerican Art Association,\u201d National Gallery of Art. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The American Art Association moved to a building on 30 E 57<\/span>th<\/span> Street in 1922.10<\/a><\/sup>\u201cAmerican Art Association Building in New York City, 1922: American Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk 1885-1922,\u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Accessed April 20th, 2020, https:\/\/www.aaa.si.edu\/collections\/american-art-association-records-6973<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0 Soon after, Kirby sold the association to Cortlandt Bishop.\u00a0 In 1929, the American Art Association joined with the Anderson Auction company and later became Parke-Bernet Galleries in 1938. Sotheby\u2019s bought Parke-Bernet in 1964.11<\/a><\/sup>\u201cAmerican Art Association Records,\u201d The Frick Collection\/Frick Art Reference Library Archives.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Illustrations<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\u201cHerbert G Squire Sale 1912. American Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk 1885-1922; Box 2 Folder 45. \u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Accessed April 20th, 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
\u201cExhibition and Artwork 1897-1898: American Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk 1885-1922; Box 14 Folder 45:\u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
\u201cAmerican Art Association Building in New York City, 1922: American Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk 1885-1922.\u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Date Written:<\/b> April 20<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Contributors:<\/b> CT<\/span><\/p>\n

American Art Association Gallery Bio PDF<\/a><\/p>\n

Primary Sources<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Art Association.\u201d National Gallery of Art.\u00a0 Accessed April 20<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020.\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/www.nga.gov\/collection\/provenance-info.8515.html?artobj_ownerId=8515&artobj_vbnationality=American&sortOrder=DEFAULT&pageNumber=1&lastFacet=artobj_vbnationality#works<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Art Association\u201d New York Times. November 16<\/span>th<\/span>, 1884. <\/span>https:\/\/timesmachine.nytimes.com\/timesmachine\/1884\/11\/16\/106166166.html?pageNumber=4<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Art Association Building in New York City, 1922: American Art Association records,\u00a0<\/span>circa 1853-1929, bulk 1885-1922.\u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Accessed April 20th, 2020. <\/span>https:\/\/www.aaa.si.edu\/collections\/american-art-association-records-6973<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Art Association Records.\u201d The Frick Collection\/Frick Art Reference Library\u00a0<\/span>Archives.\u00a0 Accessed April 20<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020. <\/span>https:\/\/www.frick.org\/sites\/default\/files\/FindingAids\/AmericanArtAssociation.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk 1885-1922.\u201d Archives of American\u00a0<\/span>Art, Smithsonian Institution.\u00a0 Accessed April 20<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>https:\/\/www.aaa.si.edu\/collections\/american-art-association-records-6973\/historical-note<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cExhibition and Artwork 1897-1898: American Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk\u00a0<\/span>1885-1922; Box 14 Folder 45:\u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Accessed April 20<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020. <\/span>https:\/\/www.aaa.si.edu\/collections\/american-art-association-records-6973\/series-7\/box-14-folder-45<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHerbert G Squire Sale 1912. American Art Association records, circa 1853-1929, bulk\u00a0<\/span>1885-1922; Box 2 Folder 45. \u201d Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Accessed April 20<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020. <\/span>https:\/\/www.aaa.si.edu\/collections\/american-art-association-records-6973\/subseries-2-1\/box-2-folder-45<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIllustrated catalogue of master works of the early English, Dutch, French and Flemish schools :\u00a0<\/span>belonging to Eugene Fischhof, Paris and T.J. Blakslee, New York : to be sold at absolute public sale at Chickering Hall on the evenings of Friday and Saturday March 9th and 10th at 8 o’clock.\u201d Getty Research Institute Internet Archive. Accessed April 20<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020. <\/span>https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/illustratedmaster00amer\/page\/n11\/mode\/2up<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Secondary Sources<\/b><\/p>\n

Emil Carlsen Archives. \u201cAmerican Art Association.\u201d Emil Carlsen Archives. Accessed April\u00a0<\/span>14<\/span>th<\/span>, 2020. <\/span>http:\/\/emilcarlsen.org\/portfolio\/american-art-association-1883-1964\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Active Dates: 1883-1938 Gallerists: James Sutton, Austin Robertson, Thomas Kirby (auctioneer) Location:\u00a0 1883-1900: Kurtz Gallery Building, 6 & 7 East 23rd Street, New York 1885: Auctions held in Chickering hall auditorium, Fifth Avenue and 18th Street 1900-1922: New Plaza Hotel at 5th Avenue and 18th Street 1922-1937: 30 East 57th Street\u00a0 1929-1937: American Art Association-Anderson […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1063,"featured_media":161,"parent":40,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-159","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1063"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/159\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.bowdoin.edu\/art-history-3570-spring-2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}