I was thrilled to be invited to give a talk at the first day of this year’s Boston International Fine Art Show (BIFAS) at the historic Cyclorama Building in the Back Bay. I gave a talk titled What Has Your Gallery Done For You Lately? about the complexities of the modern artist-gallery relationship.
BIFAS is presented in the historic Cyclorama Building at the Boston Center for The Arts, a stunning backdrop for booths containing work from a range of time periods.
After my lecture, I had a chance to visit the Show and explore some of the great booths representing a wide range of galleries. BIFAS is a diverse and approachably scaled art fair that gives visitors of all backgrounds access to galleries presenting exciting work, including some truly museum-quality pieces. I enjoyed much of the Show, but wanted to highlight a few of my favorite presentations and objects throughout the Show, which continues through Sunday, October 27.
A selection of work by John Wilson in Martha Richardson’s booth.
Martha Richardson Fine Art
Martha Richardson Fine Art is located at 38 Newbury Street and handles American and European work in a variety of media, primarily from the Modern period. I particularly enjoyed a section of Martha’s booth dedicated to works by John Wilson (1922 - 2015), a great Roxbury-born artist. In particular, Wilson’s powerful depictions of African-American figures which were given pride of place in Richardson’s booth caught my eye and drew me in.
Learn more about Martha Richardson at martharichardsonfineart.com.
A mini salon style hanging of drawings in Jasmine Doussiere’s booth.
Jasmine Doussiere’s Silver Art by D and R
Jasmine and her husband are dealers based in Marseilles and New York who show an array of drawings as well as fine French silver at shows throughout the East Coast, from Philadelphia and Baltimore, to Newport, Boston, and New York. I love drawings and couldn’t help but look closely at her selection of works on paper. They were elegantly exhibited and the price points were quite affordable considering their quality.
Learn more about Jasmine at silverartbydandr.com.
A lovely and dramatic Ralph Blakelock offered by Questroyal Fine Art.
Questroyal Fine Art
Questroyal Gallery is an established dealer of important American paintings primarily from the Hudson River School. They also work with paintings dating into the twentieth century. Their booth was well stocked with pieces of the quality you would expect from such an institution. I was especially enamoured with paintings by Ralph Blakelock, Guy Wiggins, Fairfield Porter, Henry Martin Gasser, and James Beckwith. These pieces from various periods show off the skills and interests of talented American artists.
Learn more about Questroyal at questroyalfineart.com.
A display of work by Winslow Homer presented by Avery Galleries.
Avery Galleries
Avery Galleries was founded by collector Richard Rossello in 2001 and, like Questroyal, deals in work by important American artists. Based in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Avery had a selection of enticing pieces by names any art lover would recognize. My favorite spot in their booth was a corner dedicated to prints, drawings, and one very fine painting by Winslow Homer, one of the most important American artists of the nineteenth century.
Learn more about Avery Galleries at averygalleries.com.
Pre-nineteenth century items on offer from Christine Magne Antiquaire.
Christine Magne Antiquaire
Like Avery Galleries, Christine Magne Antiquaire is based in Pennsylvania, with a showroom in a converted industrial space in Philadelphia. Her booth was full of a variety of European work from Old Master to Tonalist painting. She deals primarily in works of European fine and decorative arts from prior to the nineteenth century, and her space offered a well curated selection of her unique inventory.
Learn more about Christine at franceantique.com.
A beautifully simple Jean Dufy offered by Trinity House Paintings.
Trinity House Paintings
Trinity House Paintings was founded in 2006 by Steven Beale and now has multiple locations in the United Kingdom and the United States. Their booth was full of the types of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works which they deal regularly. But I was particularly drawn in by a simple line drawing by the French artist Jean Dufy from 1924. It’s minimalism speaks to a tendency to more refined tastes among Millenial collectors.
Learn more about Trinity House Paintings at trinityhousepaintings.com.
A selection of 1920’s and 30’s prints from Fusco Four Modern.
Fusco Four Modern
In addition to being the organizers behind the Boston International Fine Art Show, Tony Fusco and Robert Four have been collecting works of art for decades. One specific passion has been fine prints from the 1920’s and 30’s, an interest I also share. Their booth had a wonderful group of prints by Rockwell Kent, as well as a selection of works on paper by Vera Andrus, whose estate they handle and whose catalogue raissone they are in the final stages of completing. One standout work was Carl Hoeckner’s Jazz Age of 1935, a print also held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago which depicts the feverish striptease of a burlesque performer.
Learn more about Fusco Four Modern at fuscofourmodern.com.
Visit BIFAS
The Show continues through Sunday, October 27. BIFAS is open to the public Saturday 11-8 and Sunday 11-5. For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit fineartboston.com.