Modern and Contemporary Art

The consistent successes of Freeman’s Modern & Contemporary Art department reflect our commitment to bringing cutting-edge and fresh-to-market works to auction, as well as the dynamic expertise of our specialist team.

The department’s focus includes modernist icons Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Marc Chagall; midcentury Abstract Expressionists Helen Frankenthaler, Richard Pousette-Dart, and Hans Hofmann; Pop artists Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Tom Wesselmann; contemporary painters from Sam Gilliam and March Avery to Elizabeth Osborne and Thomas Chimes; and sculpture luminaries Barbara Hepworth, Alexander Calder, and Henry Moore, among many others.

Freeman’s twice-annual Modern & Contemporary Art auctions—in May and November—span the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, presenting important works that have often been hidden for years in private collections. The department’s presentation of single-owner collections is a particular area of excellence; recent successes include the 2021 $2.1M sale of a selection of sculpture by François-Xavier Lalanne from a prominent Washington, D.C. family, the 2020 $948,000 sale of The Collection of Dr. Henry and Mrs. Fanny Levine, and the 2019 white-glove $1.2M sale of Pop Prints from the Collection of Robert J. Morrison.

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Records and Results

68 - Ellsworth Kelly (American, 1923-2015)

Ellsworth Kelly (American, 1923-2015)
Lemon Branch [4]
Sold for $181,250
Estimated at $60,000 - $100,000

4 - Willem de Kooning (American/Dutch, 1904-1997)

Willem de Kooning (American/Dutch, 1904-1997)
Head #3
Sold for $286,000
Estimated at $250,000 - $400,000

Jasper Johns (American, b. 1930)
Target
Sold for $71,875
Estimated at $40,000 - $60,000

ANDY WARHOL (AMERICAN 1928-1987)
"R.C. GORMAN"
Sold for $185,000
Estimated at $80,000 - $120,000

Sam Gilliam (American, b. 1933)
Idylls I
Sold for $370,000
Estimated at $50,000 - $80,000

44 - Zao Wou-Ki (Chinese/French, 1920-2013)

Zao Wou-Ki (Chinese/French, 1920-2013)
15.04.80 - Triptyque
Sold for $862,000
Estimated at $600,000 - $800,000

35 - Carlos Cruz-Diez (Venezuelan, 1923-2019)

Carlos Cruz-Diez (Venezuelan, 1923-2019)
Physichromie no. 494
Sold for $250,000
Estimated at $150,000 - $250,000

56 - Claes Oldenburg (American, b. 1929)

Claes Oldenburg (American, b. 1929)
Model for Clothespin
Sold for $377,000
Estimated at $250,000 - $350,000

57 - Romare Bearden (American, 1911-1988)

Romare Bearden (American, 1911-1988)
Constellation of the Archer
Sold for $112,500
Estimated at $100,000 - $150,000

26 - Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997)

Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997)
Sweet Dreams, Baby! from 11 Pop Artists, Volume III
Sold for $143,750
Estimated at $60,000 - $100,000

103 - Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976)

Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976)
The Red Bull
Sold for $530,500
Estimated at $250,000 - $400,000

41 - Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976)

Alexander Calder (American, 1898-1976)
Spinnaker
Sold for $100,800
Estimated at $40,000 - $60,000

ANDY WARHOL (AMERICAN, 1928-1987)
"MARILYN MONROE (MARILYN)"
Sold for $231,750
Estimated at $150,000 - $250,000

Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987)
Chanel from Ads
Sold for $175,000
Estimated at $120,000 - $180,000

14 - Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956)

Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956)
Pennsylvania Landscape
Sold for $87,500
Estimated at $60,000 - $100,000

93 - ALEXANDER CALDER (AMERICAN, 1898-1976)

ALEXANDER CALDER (AMERICAN, 1898-1976)
"DESCENDING DISCS"
Sold for $110,500
Estimated at $80,000 - $120,000

Karel Appel (Dutch, 1921-2006)
Big Boy Blue
Sold for $75,000
Estimated at $50,000 - $80,000

117 - ALEXANDER CALDER (AMERICAN, 1898-1976)

ALEXANDER CALDER (AMERICAN, 1898-1976)
"BALLOONS AND CATTAILS"
Sold for $92,500
Estimated at $30,000 - $50,000

18 - Clyfford Still (American, 1904-1980)

Clyfford Still (American, 1904-1980)
PH-491
Sold for $406,000
Estimated at $50,000 - $80,000

Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973)
Portrait de Jacqueline au Chapeau de Paille (Tête de Femme)
Sold for $112,500
Estimated at $50,000 - $80,000

63 - Tom Wesselmann (American, 1931-2004)

Tom Wesselmann (American, 1931-2004)
Face #1
Sold for $958,000
Estimated at $600,000 - $800,000

10 - Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928-2011)

Helen Frankenthaler (American, 1928-2011)
Cinquecento
Sold for $598,000
Estimated at $300,000 - $500,000

452 - Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997)

Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997)
Water Lilies with Willows
Sold for $617,000
Estimated at $250,000 - $350,000

60 - ALEXANDER CALDER (AMERICAN, 1898-1976)

ALEXANDER CALDER (AMERICAN, 1898-1976)
"JUGGLER'S DREAM"
Sold for $87,500
Estimated at $30,000 - $50,000

23 - Barbara Hepworth (British, 1903-1975)

Barbara Hepworth (British, 1903-1975)
Torso II (Torcello)
Sold for $642,600
Estimated at $150,000 - $250,000

The Collection of Robert J. Morrison

October 30, 2019

Freeman’s was honored to present works from the estate of distinguished Philadelphia collector and philanthropist Robert J. Morrison in a single-owner sale that celebrated his passionate connoisseurship. Comprised primarily of works by Pop art luminaries Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, the Collection also included prints and multiples by Wayne Thiebaud, Ed Ruscha, Claes Oldenburg, Tom Wesselmann, Jim Dine and others. The sale was accompanied by a catalogue of thoroughly researched essays and personal tributes, as well as an expertly hung exhibition that drew large crowds of notable collectors from our area and beyond. As a result of the bespoke marketing approach taken by Freeman’s, the auction was 100% sold and it more than doubled its pre-sale estimate. The packed saleroom and exceptional results were a testament to Morrison’s legacy and affirmed Freeman’s expertise in presenting such collections for sale.

Sell-Through Rate: 100%

Pre-sale low Estimate: $668,000

result: $1.5M

18 Works from the Bachman Collection

June 4, 2018

On June 4, 2018, Freeman’s offered 18 Works from the Bachman Collection - a thoughtfully curated group of paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the Boca Raton Estate of Gilbert and Lee Bachman. Freeman’s successfully spotlit and devoted due attention to each work through highly targeted marketing and personal outreach, a custom-designed catalogue, and an exhibition with dramatic lighting. The single-owner sale ultimately totaled more than $2,100,000 and attracted considerable international attention, with buyers from Norway, Switzerland, Greece, France, and Italy, as well as from across the United States. Strong prices were achieved for major works by Helen Frankenthaler, Hans Hofmann, Willem de Kooning, and Fernando Botero, among others.