Paintings in Gray’s auction celebrate great outdoors July 20

Lot 11 – Arthur Merton Hazard (1872 1930), ‘Mountain Landscape,’ oil, 1925. Gray’s image

CLEVELAND – The intense light of the American West has always been an inspiration for artists. Gray’s July 20 auction opens with a collection of paintings depicting the grandeur of the Western scenery.

Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Lot 11 is by Arthur Merton Hazard (1872–1930) a native New Englander who moved out west in 1923. Hazard was a gifted portrait and landscape artist. His mountain landscape (above) depicts The Santa Ynez Mountains, which are featured in a number of Hazard’s landscapes.

Abel Warshawsky’s (1883–1962) oil, Shepherd with Flock, lot 13, is another vibrant Californian landscape. Known for his realist portraits and his shimmering Impressionist landscapes, Warshawsky was a Cleveland School graduate. He moved to the Monterey Peninsula in California and was active in the Carmel Art Association after spending the first 30 years of his career in France.

Lot 13 – Abel Warshawsky, (1883-1962), ‘Shepherd with Flock,’ oil. Gray’s image

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, (American, 1834–1903), the celebrated portraitist, was also a consummate etcher. Whistler’s lively etching of San Biagio, (below), has a $10,000-$15,000 estimate.

Lot 61 – James Abbott McNeill Whistler, ‘San Biagio,’ etching, 1879 – 1880. Gray’s image

Frank Weston Benson, the celebrated portrait, sporting and landscape artist, decided to try watercolor painting 30 years into his career. Lot 68 is a study for Twilight, Benson’s oil that sold at Christie’s in 2007. Benson captures the quiet of the evening on the water in this sublime watercolor (below), which is estimated at $12,000-$15,000.

Lot 68 – Frank Weston Benson (1862- 1951), ‘Study for Twilight,’ watercolor, 1929. Gray’s image

The auction includes two eagle sculptures by Chester Fields (American, b. 1945).

The outdoors theme continues into the furniture selections up for auction and include lot 324 a suite of antique cast-iron patio furniture by Robert Wood of Philadelphia.

A Gray’s auction would not be complete without a fine collection of jewelry and decorations.

For details contact Serena Harragin at Gray’s at 216-226-3300.

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.