Georgia O’Keeffe’s Study for “Red Amaryllis” Available With 500 Gallery

Massachusetts-based auction house 500 Gallery will soon present its early September sale of antique and modern paintings. Among the top lots is a 1937 oil painting of a red amaryllis flower attributed to Georgia O’Keeffe. This subdued painting is possibly a study for another work with the same subject, also produced in 1937. The piece zooms into the tiny but vibrant flower, divorcing the viewer from reality and imbuing the subject with an imposing presence. A smaller and final version of Red Amaryllis resides in the collection of the Terra Foundation for American Art. Also notable is an oil on board painting attributed to Thomas Hart Benton. A leader of the American Regionalist art movement, Benton sought to capture the everyday lives of working people in the Midwest. The available work depicts three Black American workers chopping cotton in a field. 

Beyond American artworks, this auction includes several lots from European sources. This includes a portfolio of German posters from the early 20th century. Together, they show a story of a life unfolding. Bidders can also consider oil studies in the manner of Pablo Picasso, as well as works in the styles of Rufino Tamayo, Sanyu, Jean Cocteau, and Dr. Seuss. The catalog takes in the breadth of Western art history, including stoic English portraits, Op Art prints, Modernist experiments, and contemporary artworks. View the complete catalog of this and other online auctions by visiting Bidsquare.