Washington Post article about the sale (Thanks, Martha)
Previously on GJ: More about the painting and how it was created
Friday, December 7, 2012
Attic Scene Auctioned
Washington Post article about the sale (Thanks, Martha)
Previously on GJ: More about the painting and how it was created
Congrats! I hope there's not too much of a difference between that and the price they paid you for the original commission ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff
Phil, thanks! I'm afraid there was a very large difference, and we didn't make any money from the sale. But I'm happy that Nat Geo chose to present that painting from the 11.5 million pieces in their collection.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this isn't the forum for this discussion, but does it annoy you that there isn't even the token droit de suite that European nations have here in the United States? After all, if a painting is generating value, should the artist share in that?
ReplyDeleteThat is a well deserved message on how you are valued as an artist.
ReplyDeleteI think it is just wonderful.
Now you are going have to hold your own auctions!
Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Fantastic!!! Love the painting!!! What a GAS!!! Congrats!!! - mp
ReplyDelete(Maybe you should have sold only the one time use of it to Nat Geo?)
I had no idea artists had such rights. I'm all for bringing this law back everywhere.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droit_de_suite
The California Resale Royalty Act, (Civil Code section 986),[4] was struck down as unconstitutional on May 17, 2012 because it violated the US Constitution Interstate Commerce clause, ending a 35 year run that entitled artists to a royalty payment upon the resale of their works of art under certain circumstances. The ruling by Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen of U.S. District Court Judge, Central District of California, is pending appeal in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Congratulations! It certainly reflects well on your work and we all appreciate your efforts both at the easel and in teaching and communicating.
ReplyDeleteCongrats indeed! Great work!
ReplyDeleteOh drat! I was just looking at this one last night and thinking about how badly I wanted it. One of my favorite works.
ReplyDeleteCongrats James! You fully deserve it! This gives most of us hope who want to work in traditional media in this age of digital and pop/commercial art craze.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, James. $50K, a verifiable price at a prestigious auction house like Christie's, is quite an accomplishment for a living realist painter.
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of a shame you couldn't get some money from their good fortune, but at least it is getting you some publicity I suppose. You must be proud regardless.
ReplyDeleteOh it's a shame alright. Just like Einstien said. “The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”
ReplyDeleteThose profiteers with no tangible skills comparable to Mr. Gurney's genius are the same who oppose the Droit De Suite. And in turn renamed the Estate Tax the Death Tax so they could again collect without actually doing anything.
Yes well you have to keep in mind that he agreed to the price of the commission at that time. What is interesting is that he was not nearly as well known back then. The high price the piece sold for is a testament of two things: 1. that it was a job well done. 2. that Mr. Gurney's become much more known, and popular as a professional artist since that time.
ReplyDeleteWow, I forgot you did this piece and at first glance thought it was a Norman Rockwell. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThe Iron Law of Oligarchy
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTNKskplRFA&list=UUY8x1K2FMBw-jm-WCPbcHEg&index=10&feature=plcp
A hundred years ago a German sociologist, Robert Michael's came up with "The Iron Law of Oligarchy", which said that democracy will always devolve into oligarchies and plutocracies ruled by the few and ruled by the rich, unless the process is interrupted by a revolution.
In America we've broken up these oligarchies by periodic revolutions. The revolution of 1776, the Civil War, the New Deal, every one about 80 years apart. And it's been 80 years since the New Deal started.
This is in a very real way oligarchy. IT'S TIME FOR A REVOLUTION.
Abraham Lincoln, December, 1847
"[T]he habits of our whole species fall into three great classes - useful labour, useless labour and idleness. Of these the first only is meritorious; and to it all the products of labour rightfully belong; but the two latter, while they exist, are heavy pensioners upon the first, robbing it of a large portion of its just rights."
He went on the say that government should drive useless labor out of existence. Mitt Romney on the other hand wants to defend the useless labor income of the Paris Hiltons of the world who make their livings sitting around the pool waiting for the dividend check to arrive and then pay a fraction of the income tax that working people must pay.
I love this painting. Can I purchase the postcard or poster of this? As editor of NatGeo Magazine Japan Edition, I really love to have one.
ReplyDeleteShigeHana I'm sorry that I don't have anymore postcards of the attic scene image and am not aware of a poster version of it.
ReplyDelete