As international and domestic collectors continue to propel the wildlife art market, artist Stanley Meltzoff has been garnering increased attention. Meltzoff (1917-2006) has long been known as the world’s premier painter of saltwater gamefish. Private collectors and museums specializing in sporting art have sought his paintings for years, and one recent gallery sale pierced the all-important six-figure threshold. Now the fine art auction market has taken notice with an upcoming offering of two rare Meltzoff originals from the estate.
In its eight year history, the Jackson Hole Art Auction has built a sizable following for its top-quality offerings. Frequent have been their sales in the five- and six figure range. In their upcoming auction on September 13th, the Jackson Hole Art Auction is offering two Meltzoff paintings in recognition of the artist’s reemergence as a major force eight years after his death. Neither has ever been offered in a public sale, and interest is expected to be unprecedented.
The first painting is “Blue Marlin Striking at the Baits,” a mesmerizing scene of a giant blue marlin emerging from the murk as it attacks a rigged ballyhoo. Painted in 1976, the picture appeared in Sports Illustrated later that year and remains an incredibly powerful image of that brief moment in big-game fishing between nothing and everything.
The second piece is one of Meltzoff’s rare hunting scenes, a pastoral image known as “Autumn Hunters.” In it, an orange-clad hunter is the focus of a scene cloaked in fall. The hunter is alert with shotgun poised. His dog is about to go on point. There is upland game ahead.
Both paintings capture the essence of hunting and fishing. The natural beauty of the outdoors and the anticipation of a climactic moment infuse the images and will cause even the most casual sportsman to look and then look again. Neither painting will sell cheap – pre-sale estimates are in the mid-five figure range – but both are magnificent examples of sporting art elevated to its highest form.
You’ll find more on Meltzoff’s remarkable image library through the web, or visit http://www.silverfishpress.com/ for an authoritative overview. For more on the upcoming auction, visit http://www.jacksonholeartauction.com/