Photos by e-m 5-24

2c buck

Fine art offerings include William K. Buck’s painting “Bayou Study,” 1831.

1c armoire

A rare and important inlay Louisiana armoire will be offered ($80,120,000).

MUST RUN 6-1

SOUTHERN PAINTINGS AUCTION AT MATTHEW CLAYTON BROWN JUNE 3 w2/cuts

avv/gs set 5-23 #701051

NEW ORLEANS, LA. — Matthew Clayton Brown will auction fine southern paintings, decorative art and memorabilia, including contemporary art and decorations from the collection of Sunny Norman, and works by Rauschenberg, Oldenburg, Friedeberg, Kohlmeyer at Contemporary Arts Center on Sunday, June 3, at 11 am.

An insatiable and devoted collector, Norman acquired works she loved from a variety of disciplines. Prints by internationally known names such as Robert Rauschenberg and Claes Oldenburg; sculpture by Jean Arp, Lynda Benglis and Ida Kohlmeyer; furniture by Pedro Friedeberg, Piero Fornasetti and Mario Villa; photographs by Brett Weston and Clarence John Laughlin; paintings by John T. Scott and Dixie Friend Gay; and the only known set of hand painted side tables by Ida Kohlmeyer will be included.

One of the most well crafted pieces of early Nineteenth Century Louisiana furniture, a rare and important inlay armoire has been in a private collection for more than 30 years ($80/120,000) and will be offered. This piece of furniture was included in the seminal 1972 exhibition of the Louisiana State Museum, “Early Furniture of Louisiana, 1750–1830.”

Clarisse Galatoire Gooch, of the famous New Orleans restaurant family, devoted much of her time studying and pursuing fine pieces of silver. More than 30 lots of silver from her collection will be offered, including many examples by British, Philadelphia and New Orleans makers. Gooch’s collection was shown in part of 1996 at Longue Vue House and Gardens’ “Silver Embellishments” exhibition.

A fine painting by William H. Buck, “Bayou Study,” 1881, will also be offered. A student of Richard Clague, Buck is considered one of the premier Louisiana artists of the Nineteenth Century, capturing the South in the manner of the French Barbizon artists. In the present work, a lone bird rests in the middle ground of serene swamp scene ($80/120,000).

The Contemporary Arts Center is at 900 Camp Street. Preview will be May 30–June 2 from 11 am to 6 pm daily. For information, 504-522-5058 or www.mclaytonbrown.com.