A figural oil painting by the acclaimed Indian artist B. Prabha (1933-2001) and an aristocratic portrait painting by Francis Cotes (U.K., 1726-1770) are expected headliners in an online-only Fine & Decorative Art auction slated for Monday, August 1st, by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers, starting at 6 pm Eastern time. Internet bidding will be on multiple platforms.
The 36 inch by 48 inch (sight, less frame) oil on canvas by B. Prabha depicts two blue skin women beside a third dressed in green and yellow. The work is signed and dated (“82”) and carries a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-$30,000. It is one of two paintings by B. Prabha in the sale. The other, depicting two women carrying fishing baskets, should realize $15,000-$25,000.
Paintings by B. Prabha have been offered before by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers. In November 2021, a work titled Indian Women Painting sold for $38,750 against an estimate of $15,000-$20,000. B. Prabha entered the fine art world when very few Indian women were involved professionally. She worked on more than 50 exhibitions, both inside and outside of India.
The oil on canvas portrait painting by Francis Cotes depicts an aristocratic woman with dark hair, dressed in white with pearl and gold accents. A plaque affixed to the 36 inch by 31 inch frame is marked, “Mrs. Elizabeth Mannering / F. Cotes 1726-1770”. The work has a canvas area of 30 ¼ inches by 25 ¼ inches. It’s expected to bring $5,000-$10,000.
Cotes trained with the portrait painter George Knapton. His early works were often in pencil and pastel, but during the 1760’s Cotes began to follow Reynold’s portrait style. Cotes helped found the Society of Artists and became its director and was later invited to be one of the Royal Academy’s first members. His work can be found in many galleries.
“This auction offers a great selection of 19th and early 20th century American art,” said Kevin Bruneau, the president of Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers and an auctioneer. The Anthony Thieme and Charles Cahoon are my favorites for sure.”
The oil on canvas by Anthony Thieme (Mass./Calif.,1888-1954), titled Buggy Ride, is an Impressionist depiction of a man in a buggy travelling down a dirt path lined by birch trees and autumnal foliage as birds fly about. The 30 inch by 36 inch painting (sight, less frame) is signed “A Thieme” lower left and carries a pre-sale estimate of $2,000-$3,000.
The oil on board work by Charles Drew Cahoon (Mass., 1861-1951) is an Impressionist depiction of a windswept sand dune framing a distant ocean. The 12 inch by 16 inch painting (sight, less frame) is signed lower right and there’s a plaque affixed to the frame marked, “Charles Drew Cahoon 1861-1951”. The work has an estimate of $1,000-$1,500.
A preview is available by appointment the week of and day of sale, with doors opening at 9 am Eastern time. The preview will be held in the Cranston, Rhode Island gallery, located at 63 Fourth Avenue. The auction will begin at 6 pm EST. Bidding is available via absentee bidding, telephone or Internet, with a 20% buyer’s premium (or 18% with cash, check or wire transfer).
Internet bidding will be facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com, Bidsquare.com, bidLIVE.Bruneauandco.com and the mobile app “Bruneau & Co.” on iTunes or GooglePlay.
Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions, with commissions as low as zero percent. Now would be a perfect time to clean out your attic. To contact Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers about consigning a single piece or an entire collection, you may send an e-mail to [email protected]. Or, you can phone them at 401-533-9980.
To learn more about Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers and the 337-lot, online-only Fine & Decorative Art auction scheduled for Monday, August 1st at 6 pm Eastern, visit www.bruneauandco.com