The Race Is to the Swift
66 cms x 106.7 cms (26 ins x 42 ins)
Signed and dated 1988 and on verso signed, titled on a label and dated
made in 1988
Lot offered for sale by Heffel, Vancouver at the auction event "Important Wildlife Art from a Distinguished Collector (2nd session)" held on Thu, Jun 27, 2024.
Lot 114
Lot 114
Estimate: CAD $75,000 - $100,000
Realised: CAD $193,250
Realised: CAD $193,250
Lot description - from the online catalogue*
Provenance:
Private Collection, Ontario
Notes:
A pre-eminent American wildlife artist, Robert F. Kuhn began to observe and draw animals while visiting the Buffalo Zoo as a boy. In his late teens he studied design, anatomy and life drawing at the renowned Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He was mentored by Paul Bransom, a leading animal illustrator of the day, known for his work on Jack London’s 1903 adventure novel Call of the Wild.
This was the golden age of illustration, when magazine editors relied on illustrators to bring stories to life and entice readers with compelling cover art. In the decades after World War II, Kuhn became well known for his wildlife illustrations, which appeared in many publications, among them Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Sports Afield. He had the opportunity to travel to Alaska and on safari to Africa. Enthralled by the African continent’s vast landscapes and big game animals, he journeyed there multiple times.
At the age of 50, Kuhn turned to easel painting exclusively, blending his keen observations of nature with the techniques of contemporary colour-field artists to break new ground in wildlife painting. After moving from Connecticut to Arizona in 1996, he belonged to a small group of artists known as the Tucson Seven. Known for its precise and yet poetic style, his art has been exhibited by key galleries and museums, among them the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Society of Illustrators, in New York City. Kuhn’s paintings can also be found in public collections, including the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
Private Collection, Ontario
Notes:
A pre-eminent American wildlife artist, Robert F. Kuhn began to observe and draw animals while visiting the Buffalo Zoo as a boy. In his late teens he studied design, anatomy and life drawing at the renowned Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He was mentored by Paul Bransom, a leading animal illustrator of the day, known for his work on Jack London’s 1903 adventure novel Call of the Wild.
This was the golden age of illustration, when magazine editors relied on illustrators to bring stories to life and entice readers with compelling cover art. In the decades after World War II, Kuhn became well known for his wildlife illustrations, which appeared in many publications, among them Field & Stream, Outdoor Life and Sports Afield. He had the opportunity to travel to Alaska and on safari to Africa. Enthralled by the African continent’s vast landscapes and big game animals, he journeyed there multiple times.
At the age of 50, Kuhn turned to easel painting exclusively, blending his keen observations of nature with the techniques of contemporary colour-field artists to break new ground in wildlife painting. After moving from Connecticut to Arizona in 1996, he belonged to a small group of artists known as the Tucson Seven. Known for its precise and yet poetic style, his art has been exhibited by key galleries and museums, among them the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Society of Illustrators, in New York City. Kuhn’s paintings can also be found in public collections, including the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
Most realised prices include the Buyer's Premium of 18-25%, but not the HST/GST Tax.
(*) Text and/or Image might be subject matter of Copyright. Check with Heffel auction house for permission to use.
(*) Text and/or Image might be subject matter of Copyright. Check with Heffel auction house for permission to use.