Sargent Claude Johnson Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Sargent Claude Johnson Art Value Price Guide

May. 16, 2026
Sargent Claude Johnson, 1888-1967, untitled
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Sargent Claude Johnson 1888-1967 untitled 1941 glazed terracotta on recent wood base 7 x 5 x 2.75 inches signed and dated Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 176; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art , Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 30-31.
Black Art Auction
Jul. 03, 2025
Sargent Claude Johnson, American/California 1888-1967, “Still Life with Guitar”, mixed media on paper, 12 x 18 in. (30.5 x 45.7 cm.), Frame: 20 1/2 x 25 1/2 x 1 in. (52.1 x 64.8 x 2.5 cm.)
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Sargent Claude Johnson American/California, 1888-1967 "Still Life with Guitar" mixed media on paper signed lower right and en verso, framed.
Neal Auction Company
Jun. 14, 2025
Sargent Claude Johnson, 1888-1967, Head of a Woman, untitled
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Sargent Claude Johnson 1888-1967 Head of a Woman, untitled c. 1938 terra cotta sculpture with a green-black glaze 5-1/2 inches (h) not including base signed, "Sargent Johnson" along rear bottom edge Provenance: The Phillip L. and Toby Flax Collection, San Francisco, CA Clars Auction Gallery Private collection, Toronto, Ontario
Black Art Auction
Oct. 03, 2024
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Singing Saints.
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Singing Saints. Lithograph on wove paper, 1940. 305x235 mm; 12x9¼ inches, ¾- to 1¼ margins. Signed, titled and numbered 140/150 in pencil, lower margin. Impressions of this important print can be found in the collections of the National Gallery, the Corcoran Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Swann Auction Galleries
Oct. 03, 2024
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Profile Design).
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Profile Design). Glazed ceramic tile, circa 1936-38. 153x153x6 mm; 6x6x¼ inches. Signed in the glaze, lower right. Provenance: estate of Anthony Cromwell Hill, Cambridge, MA; private collection, Massachusetts. This distinctive design epitomizes Sargent Johnson's unique vision combining modern design with forms from African art in the late 1930s. Johnson used the same Gladding "Hermosa" brand tile for his large-scale tile mosaic at the San Francisco Aquatic Park, a joint project of Federal Art Project of the WPA and the City of San Francisco. Begun in 1936, it opened in 1939; today it is known as the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. Johnson also drew a similar abstracted profile in his 1938 lithograph Lenox Avenue; the profile appears again on an enameled steel tile of his from 1950.
Swann Auction Galleries
Sep. 14, 2024
Sargent Claude Johnson, 1888-1967, Head of a Woman, untitled
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Sargent Claude Johnson 1888-1967 Head of a Woman, untitled c. 1938 terra cotta sculpture with a green-black glaze 5-1/2 inches (h) not including base signed, "Sargent Johnson" along rear bottom edge Provenance: The Phillip L. and Toby Flax Collection, San Francisco, CA Clars Auction Gallery Private collection, Toronto, Ontario
Black Art Auction
Sep. 14, 2024
Sargent Claude Johnson, 1888-1967, untitled
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Sargent Claude Johnson 1888-1967 untitled 1941 glazed terracotta on recent wood base 7 x 5 x 2.75 inches signed and dated Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 176; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art , Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 30-31.
Black Art Auction
Dec. 02, 2023
Sargent Claude Johnson, 1888-1967, Head of a Woman, untitled
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Sargent Claude Johnson 1888-1967 Head of a Woman, untitled c. 1938 terra cotta sculpture with a green-black glaze 5-1/2 inches (h) not including base signed, "Sargent Johnson" along rear bottom edge Provenance: The Phillip L. and Toby Flax Collection, San Francisco, CA Clars Auction Gallery Private collection, Toronto, Ontario
Black Art Auction
Dec. 02, 2023
Sargent Claude Johnson, 1888-1967, Head of a Boy
Est: $20,000 - $30,000
Sargent Claude Johnson 1888-1967 Head of a Boy 1940-1950 terra cotta sculpture 7 x 3-1/2 inches (sculpture) base only: 5-3/4 x 5 x 3-1/2 inches slightly recessed into a dark wooden base signed along bottom edge of the sculpture Provenance: private collection, Toronto
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
Sargent Claude Johnson, 1888-1967, Head of a Woman, untitled
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Sargent Claude Johnson 1888-1967 Head of a Woman, untitled c. 1938 terra cotta sculpture with a green-black glaze 5-1/2 inches (h) not including base signed, "Sargent Johnson" along rear bottom edge Provenance: The Phillip L. and Toby Flax Collection, San Francisco, CA Clars Auction Gallery Private collection, Toronto, Ontario
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, untitled, Acrobat
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 untitled, Acrobat c. 1940s glazed terra cotta 3 1/2 x 6 x 1 3/4 inches signed in interior Provenance: Arthur C. Painter, a friend of the artist, who worked with Johnson in the WPA in San Francisco. Thence by descent to Painter's granddaughter, Noel LaChance.
Black Art Auction
May. 10, 2022
Sargent Claude Johnson (American, 1888-1967) Head of a Woman, circa 1938 Glazed
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
Sargent Claude Johnson (American, 1888-1967) Head of a Woman, circa 1938 Glazed terracotta 5-1/2 inches (14.0 cm) high on a 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) high painted wood base Inscribed on back of head: Sargent Johnson Black Art of a Distinguished Collector PROVENANCE: Phillip L. and Toby Flax Collection, San Francisco, California; Sale: Clars Auction Gallery, Oakland, California, September 15, 2019, lot 7514; Acquired by the present owner from the above. "It is the pure American Negro I am concerned with, aiming to show the natural beauty and dignity in that characteristic lip and that characteristic hair, bearing and manner; and I wish to show that beauty not so much to the white man as to the Negro himself." — Sargent Johnson Sargent Claude Johnson was an American artist of African descent who worked in various media including painting, sculpture, ceramics, and printmaking. His primary medium was sculpture. Johnson studied at the Worcester Art School in Massachusetts and moved to San Francisco in 1915 to study painting, drawing and sculpture. He attended A.W Best School of Art and the California School of Fine Arts. During this time, he studied under sculptors Ralph Stackpole and Beniamino Bufano. As a student, Johnson earned two first place prizes studying at the California School of Fine Arts in 1921 and 1922. In 1925, Johnson attracted the attention of the Harmon Foundation, an organization that provided awards to African Americans for distinguished achievement in business, education, fine arts, literature, music, race relations, religious service, and science to stimulate creative achievement during the Harlem Renaissance (1919-1930). Johnson won many awards for his work and was included in their exhibitions. Johnson spent his career in the Bay area and became the first African American artist on the West Coast to receive a national reputation. Like many of his contemporaries, he studied African art and drew inspiration from his life and community including African American music, art, and literature. In the 1930s he worked with the Federal Arts Project on public projects for the New Deal, where he expanded his range of subjects and style, including abstraction. In the 1940s he traveled to Mexico and was equally influenced by Mexican muralism. Johnson embraced his cultural identity, and it was reflected in his work. He made a bold choice to reflect African beauty in his sculptures. He states, "It is the pure American Negro I am concerned with, aiming to show the natural beauty and dignity in that characteristic lip and characteristic hair... I wish to show that beauty not so much to the white man as to the Negro himself." Sargent Johnson elegantly portrays the descendant beauty of Kings and Queens in "Head of a Woman," with its distinctly African features which evoke Benin Bronzes. -Halima Taha, writer, arts & cultural strategist, and author of Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas © Halima Taha/Tahathinks 2021 HID01801242017
Heritage Auctions
Mar. 31, 2022
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Divine Love.
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Divine Love. Etching on cream wove paper, circa 1930. 152x114 mm; 6x4 1/2 inches, wide margins. Signed, titled and dated "33" in pencil, lower margin. Another impression dated 1930 is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Illustrated: Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins, San Francisco Museum of Art, Sargent Johnson: African American Modernist, plate 7, p. 48 (another impression printed in brown from a 1935 printing). This scarce print is a beautiful example of Sargent Johnson's interest in both Modernism and African sculpture. While working on a small scale, Johnson's imagery elevated the depiction of African American women in fine art to a new level in the 1930s.
Swann Auction Galleries
Dec. 04, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Singing Saints
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Singing Saints 1940 lithograph on cream wove paper 12 x 9 1/4 inches signed, titled and numbered 1/150 Provenance: the artist to Arthur C. Painter to his granddaughter. Arthur Painter was a friend and colleague of Johnson's. He was a writer and art promoter for the W.P.A. in San Francisco. This exact print was featured in an article for the San Francisco Chronicle in March, 1940, and was the first pull of the edition.
Black Art Auction
Dec. 04, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, untitled, Beaver
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 untitled, Beaver c. 1940s glazed terra cotta 2 1/4 x 1 1/4 inches x 1 1/2 (h) fully signed in interior Provenance: Arthur C. Painter, a friend of the artist, who worked with Johnson in the WPA in San Francisco. Thence by descent to Painter's granddaughter, Noel LaChance.
Black Art Auction
Dec. 04, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, untitled, Acrobat
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 untitled, Acrobat c. 1940s glazed terra cotta 3 1/2 x 6 x 1 3/4 inches signed in interior Provenance: Arthur C. Painter, a friend of the artist, who worked with Johnson in the WPA in San Francisco. Thence by descent to Painter's granddaughter, Noel LaChance.
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Jesus Raising Lazarus From the Dead
Est: $6,500 - $8,500
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Jesus Raising Lazarus From the Dead 1963 terracotta bas relief 4.5 x 4.25 x 2 inches inscribed "To Paul & Irma Desch from Sargent Johnson 1963"
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Misery, glazed terracotta on a newly made wood base, 7 x 5 x 2.75 inches
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Misery glazed terracotta on a newly made wood base 1941 signed and dated Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 176; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art , Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 30-31.
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Plow Horses by a Grove of Trees
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Plow Horses by a Grove of Trees c. 1940 oil on board 23 x 17.5 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, X=Y
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 X=Y 1968 bronze 9 x 2 x 2 inches, mounted on a black contemporary base (6 1/2 square x 2 1/2h inches) signed "Sargent Johnson" Provenance: the artist to Paul and Irma Desch to Melvin Holmes. Illustrated: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Thom Pegg, 2018, p.47 Sargent Johnson: Works in The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Thom Pegg (2019), p. 50-51. Exhibited: The Sargent Johnson Retrospective, Oakland Museum, 1971. Museum of African Diaspora, San Francisco, CA. It was part of an exhibition Collected: Stories of Acquisition and Reclamation (October 7, 2011-March 4, 2012).
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Untitled
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Untitled 1950 ceramic 2.25 x 3 x 2 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Mother and Child
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Mother and Child c. 1950 black Oaxacan clay 9.75 x 3.75 x 1.5 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Seduction
Est: $12,000 - $18,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Seduction alternative title 'Two Lions' c. 1950 enamel on steel 11.5 x 13.5 inches label verso signed
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Untitled (Standing Woman)
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Untitled (Standing Woman) 1958 bronze 9 x 2 x 2 inches
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Girl With Braids
Est: $6,500 - $8,500
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Girl With Braids c. 1950 black Oaxacan clay 8.5 x 2 x 2 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Singing Saints
Est: $30,000 - $50,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Singing Saints 1967 enamel on steel 31.5 x 25 inches signed and dated
Black Art Auction
May. 20, 2021
Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Hippopotamus 6 1/2in high (16.5cm high), on a 2in high (5.1cm high) semi-gloss rosewood base (Modeled in 1939.)
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Hippopotamus glazed ceramic 6 1/2in high (16.5cm high), on a 2in high (5.1cm high) semi-gloss rosewood base Modeled in 1939. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Bonhams
Feb. 06, 2021
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, X=Y
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 X=Y 1968 bronze 9 x 2 x 2 inches, mounted on a black contemporary base (6 1/2 square x 2 1/2h inches) signed "Sargent Johnson" Provenance: the artist to Paul and Irma Desch to Melvin Holmes. Illustrated: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Thom Pegg, 2018, p.47 Sargent Johnson: Works in The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Thom Pegg (2019), p. 50-51. Exhibited: The Sargent Johnson Retrospective, Oakland Museum, 1971. Museum of African Diaspora, San Francisco, CA. It was part of an exhibition Collected: Stories of Acquisition and Reclamation (October 7, 2011-March 4, 2012).
Black Art Auction
Dec. 10, 2020
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Sammy).
Est: $50,000 - $75,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Sammy). Painted terra cotta, circa 1928. Approximately 210x159x133 mm; 8 1/4x6 1/4x5 1/4 inches. Incised signature, in the interior, above the base edge. Provenance: private collection, Pennsylvania. This charming portrait in terra cotta is a significant and very scarce example of Sargent Johnson's early modernist sculpture. Sargent Johnson made a small number of similar stylized heads, portraits of young children, in the late 1920s and early 1930s but only a few surviving works are known today. This work is closely related to the very similar Sammy, illustrated on the cover of the catalogue for the 1928 Harmon Foundation exhibition Exhibit of Fine Art, Productions of American Negro Artists. Sammy is described as "black porcelain" and appears to have a glaze - it won the Foundation's Otto H. Kahn prize of $250. Johnson exhibited six of his artworks in this exhibition, the first of the Harmon Foundation's exhibitions of African-American art. Johnson's heads have stylized forms, seen here in the modelling of the facial features, the brow of the hair and shape of the head --qualities that exemplify Johnson's aesthetic interests in both modernism and African sculpture. Johnson took a particular interest in elevating the strength and dignity of African-American women and children in his sculpture, infusing his small works with a commanding presence. Other notable terra cotta heads of children by Johnson's include Chester, 1931, and Negro Woman, 1934, both in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Bowles fig. 4. p. 150; LeFalle-Collins/Wilson ill. 12, cat. no. 11.
Swann Auction Galleries
Dec. 03, 2020
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967, AMERICAN) The Knot and the Noose.
Est: $30,000 - $40,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967, AMERICAN) The Knot and the Noose. Terracotta, mounted on a wooden base, circa 1948. 432x229x76 mm; 17x9x3 inches. Incised signature, lower right recto. Provenance: private New York collection. Illustrated: LeFalle-Collins, Lizzetta, San Francisco Museum of Art, Sargent Johnson African American Modernist, page 66, plate 25, illus. in color, (a different terracotta casting of the same form) 1998.
Swann Auction Galleries
Nov. 24, 2020
Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Primitive Head 5 1/2in high (14cm high) on a 2 3/8in high (6cm high) wooden base (Modeled in 1945.)
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Primitive Head Oaxacan clay 5 1/2in high (14cm high) on a 2 3/8in high (6cm high) wooden base Modeled in 1945. For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Bonhams
Nov. 14, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Metal and enamel decorative wall sculpture with abstract motif, 9 x 37 x .75 inches
Est: $20,000 - $30,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Metal and enamel decorative wall sculpture with abstract motif Signed. Johnson was commissioned by Charlotte Irvine to execute this work to be placed above her fireplace in her home in Stinson Beach, CA. Catalog note: The black abstract shapes in the background are actually cutouts in the metal, and the black backing board is visible. This work was originally built-in to the masonry of Ms. Irvineâ€™s fireplace. It is currently framed and fitted to hang on a wall as a typical plaque, but it may also be built back into a fireplace. The material is inherently heat resistant. Sargent Johnson was best known as a modernist sculptor, influenced by the cultures of Mexico, Latin America, and West Africa. Born in 1887, to a father of Swedish descent and a mother of Cherokee and African American heritage, Johnson and his siblings could have passed for white, but he remained firmly aligned with his African American heritage. In fact, the aim of his art was, according to him, to show African Americans how beautiful they were to themselves. Johnson was orphaned at an early age and sent to live with an uncle, whose wife, May Howard Jackson, happened to be a well known sculptor of African American portrait busts. He received his first formal art training at the Worcester Art School in Boston, later relocating to the West Coast in 1915, where he studied at the A.W. Best School of Art and the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. He studied with Ralph Stackpole, as well as Benjamin Bufano, whose work influenced his artistic output greatly in the 1920â€™s. At this time, Johnsonâ€™s work consisted of small scale ceramic heads, primarily of children. He became a regular exhibitor in the Harmon Foundation exhibitions between 1926 to 1935. Johnsonâ€™s creative output increased dramatically in the 1930â€™s. He experimented with a variety of material including terra cotta, wood, beaten copper, marble, terrazzo, and porcelain. He also produced prints and gouache drawings. He was employed by the California WPA, eventually becoming a supervisor, where his work took on a monumental scale. He created public sculptures such as a carved redwood organ screen for the California School of the Blind, and exterior low relief friezes and mosaic decorations for the San Francisco Maritime Museum. Johnson also created sculptures for the Golden Gate International Exposition held in 1939 on Treasure Island. In 1944 and 1949 he traveled to Mexico using funds from the Abraham Rosenberg Scholarship, where he studied the culture, ceramics, and sculpture of the region. While still incorporating the geometric shapes and motifs of indigenous peoples, his work became increasingly more abstract until his death in 1967. In 1970, the Oakland Museum organized the first retrospective of his work, and in 1998, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art held an exhibition entitled, Sargent Johnson: African American Modernist. His work may be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 9 x 37 x .75 inches
Black Art Auction
Nov. 14, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Hippopotamus, Glazed ceramic, 6 x 25 x 8 inches
Est: $50,000 - $70,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Hippopotamus Glazed ceramic 1939 Signed. Sargent Johnson was best known as a modernist sculptor, influenced by the cultures of Mexico, Latin America, and West Africa. Born in 1887, to a father of Swedish descent and a mother of Cherokee and African American heritage, Johnson and his siblings could have passed for white, but he remained firmly aligned with his African American heritage. In fact, the aim of his art was, according to him, to show African Americans how beautiful they were to themselves. Johnson was orphaned at an early age and sent to live with an uncle, whose wife, May Howard Jackson, happened to be a well known sculptor of African American portrait busts. He received his first formal art training at the Worcester Art School in Boston, later relocating to the West Coast in 1915, where he studied at the A.W. Best School of Art and the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. He studied with Ralph Stackpole, as well as Benjamin Bufano, whose work influenced his artistic output greatly in the 1920's. At this time, Johnson's work consisted of small scale ceramic heads, primarily of children. He became a regular exhibitor in the Harmon Foundation exhibitions between 1926 to 1935. Johnson's creative output increased dramatically in the 1930's. He experimented with a variety of material including terra cotta, wood, beaten copper, marble, terrazzo, and porcelain. He also produced prints and gouache drawings. He was employed by the California WPA, eventually becoming a supervisor, where his work took on a monumental scale. He created public sculptures such as a carved redwood organ screen for the California School of the Blind, and exterior low relief friezes and mosaic decorations for the San Francisco Maritime Museum. Johnson also created sculptures for the Golden Gate International Exposition held in 1939 on Treasure Island. In 1944 and 1949 he traveled to Mexico using funds from the Abraham Rosenberg Scholarship, where he studied the culture, ceramics, and sculpture of the region. While still incorporating the geometric shapes and motifs of indigenous peoples, his work became increasingly more abstract until his death in 1967. In 1970, the Oakland Museum organized the first retrospective of his work, and in 1998, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art held an exhibition entitled, Sargent Johnson: African American Modernist. His work may be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 6 x 25 x 8 inches
Black Art Auction
Jul. 11, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Untitled (Abstract), enamel on copper, 9 x 12 inches
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Untitled (Abstract) enamel on copper c. 1950 signed verso Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 174; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 48-49. In 1970, the Oakland Museum organized the first retrospective of Sargent Johnson's work, and in 1998, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art held an exhibition entitled, Sargent Johnson: African American Modernist. His work may be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 9 x 12 inches
Black Art Auction
Jul. 11, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Female Egyptian Head, glazed terra cotta, 4 x 2.5 x 4 inches
Est: $30,000 - $40,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Female Egyptian Head glazed terra cotta 1940 signed Provenance: William Abbenseth to George Johnson to the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, San Francisco, CA Literature: Sargent Johnson American Modernist, Cat. 25, No. 19; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 24-25. The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, 177. 4 x 2.5 x 4 inches
Black Art Auction
Jul. 11, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Singing Saints, lithograph, 12 x 9.5 inches
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Singing Saints lithograph c.1940 signed and dated Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 173; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 21. In 1970, the Oakland Museum organized the first retrospective of Sargent Johnson's work, and in 1998, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art held an exhibition entitled, Sargent Johnson: African American Modernist. His work may be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 12 x 9.5 inches
Black Art Auction
Jul. 11, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Misery, glazed terracotta on a newly made wood base, 7 x 5 x 2.75 inches
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Misery glazed terracotta on a newly made wood base 1941 signed and dated Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 176; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art , Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 30-31. 7 x 5 x 2.75 inches
Black Art Auction
Jul. 11, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Mother and Child, black Oaxacan clay, 7.5 x 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Mother and Child black Oaxacan clay c. 1950 Signed Provenance: The artist donated this work to a fund raiser for People's World newspaper in the 1940s. It was won in the fund raiser raffle by Pele De Lappe. Melvin Holmes then acquired the piece from De Lappe. Exhibited: African American Historical Society Show, 1982; In the Spirit of Resistance: African-American Modernists and the Mexican Muralist School, The American Federation of Arts, 1996. Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 175; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 56-57; In the Spirit of Resistance: African-American Modernists and the Mexican Muralist School, The American Federation of Arts, 1996, No. 58, p. 138. 7.5 x 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Black Art Auction
Jul. 11, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888-1967, Sailing I, enamel on steel, 13.5 x 16.5 inches
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
Sargent Johnson 1888-1967 Sailing I enamel on steel c. 1950 signed Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 173; Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, p. 21. In 1970, the Oakland Museum organized the first retrospective of Sargent Johnson's work, and in 1998, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art held an exhibition entitled, Sargent Johnson: African American Modernist. His work may be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 13.5 x 16.5 inches
Black Art Auction
Jun. 04, 2020
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Sammy).
Est: $60,000 - $90,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Sammy). Painted terra cotta, circa 1928. Approximately 210x159x133 mm; 8 1/4x6 1/4x5 1/4 inches. Incised signature, in the interior, above the base edge. Provenance: private collection, Pennsylvania. This charming portrait in terra cotta is a significant and very scarce example of Sargent Johnson's early modernist sculpture. Sargent Johnson made a small number of similar stylized heads, portraits of young children, in the late 1920s and early 1930s but only a few surviving works are known today. This work is closely related to the very similar Sammy, illustrated on the cover of the catalogue for the 1928 Harmon Foundation exhibition Exhibit of Fine Art, Productions of American Negro Artists. Sammy is described as "black porcelain" and appears to have a glaze - it won the Foundation's Otto H. Kahn prize of $250. Johnson exhibited six of his artworks in this exhibition, the first of the Harmon Foundation's exhibitions of African-American art. Johnson's heads have stylized forms, seen here in the modelling of the facial features, the brow of the hair and shape of the head --qualities that exemplify Johnson's aesthetic interests in both modernism and African sculpture. Johnson took a particular interest in elevating the strength and dignity of African-American women and children in his sculpture, infusing his small works with a commanding presence. Other notable terra cotta heads of children by Johnson's include Chester, 1931, and Negro Woman, 1934, both in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Bowles fig. 4. p. 150; LeFalle-Collins/Wilson ill. 12, cat. no. 11.
Swann Auction Galleries
May. 16, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888 - 1967, Breakfast, Oil on board, 16 x 11-1/2 inches
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
Sargent Johnson 1888 - 1967 Breakfast Oil on board 1945 Inscribed verso, "I hereby give notice that I witnessed Sargent Johnson painting this panel in my mother's house in the year 1945. Passed on to Melvin Holmes March 14, 1996. John Fredericks Box 22823 Road88, Winters, Calif. 95694." Provenance: John Fredericks to Melvin Holmes, 1996. Literature: "Sargent Johnson (1888-1967): Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art", Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 33. "The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art", Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 175. 16 x 11-1/2 inches
Black Art Auction
May. 16, 2020
Sargent Johnson, 1888 - 1967, Girl with Braids, Black Oaxacan Clay, 8-1/2 x 2 x 2 inches
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Sargent Johnson 1888 - 1967 Girl with Braids Black Oaxacan Clay 1945-49 Signed Provenance: The artist to Lawrence Pitt, 1965. The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art Exhibited: Sargent Johnson Retrospective, The Oakland Museum, 1971 Literature: "Sargent Johnson (1888-1967): Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art", Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 52. "The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art", Tyler Fine Art, 2019, p. 174" 8-1/2 x 2 x 2 inches
Black Art Auction
Nov. 24, 2019
Sargent Johnson Female Egyptian Head
Est: $30,000 - $40,000
Sargent Johnson (1888-1967) Female Egyptian Head, c. 1940 glazed terra cotta signed 4 x 2-1/2 x 4 inches Provenance: William Abbenseth to George Johnson to Melvin Holmes. Exhibited and illustrated: Sargent Johnson: American Modernist, Cat. No. 25, No. 19. Sargent Johnson (1888-1967): Works in the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, pp. 24 and 25.
Treadway Gallery
Oct. 08, 2019
SARGENT JOHNSON (1988 - 1967) Head of a Negro Boy.
Est: $80,000 - $120,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1988 - 1967) Head of a Negro Boy. Painted terra cotta, mounted on a wood base, circa 1934. Approximately 248x152x114 mm; 9 3/4x6x4 1/2 inches (including the base). Provenance: acquired directly from the artist; Herbert L. Rothschild, San Francisco; thence by descent to the current owner, San Fransisco. Herbert Lionel Rothschild (1881 - 1935) was a distinguished lawyer, great patron of the arts and a pioneer of the silent movie industry in San Francisco. Rothschild built San Francisco's first silent movie theaters - the Granada, the Portola, the California and the Imperial in the early 1920s. Rothschild also invited violinist Jascha Heifetz, composer Victor Herbert and dancer Sandra Bernhard to perform in San Francisco, and championed the building of the Legion of Honor. Rothschild supported Sargent Johnson's early career, and promoted several other sculptors including Jacob Epstein, Chana Orloff, and Arthur Putnam. He also was a collector of James McNeil Whistler's prints, a bibliophile and the principal supporter of the Grabhorn Press. Exhibited: World's Fair Exhibition of the Chicago Art League, Chicago, August 19th - September ?, 1934, with the label on the base bottom. The Chicago Art League was an organization of African-American visual artists founded by Charles Dawson and William McKnight Farrow in 1923. It held annual art exhibitions at the YMCA on Wabash Avenue, and was a precusor to the Arts Crafts League and the founding of the South Side Community Art Center. This enthralling portrait in terra cotta is an outstanding and very scarce example of Sargent Johnson's modernist sculpture of the early 1930s. Johnson made a small number of similar stylized heads in the 1930s but only a few surviving works are known today. This work is closely related to a very similar painted Head of a Boy, 1934, but with different modelling of the hair and the base of the neck. Head of a Boy was once in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art but is known today only from a photograph in the collection of the museum. Another related head is the green glazed stoneware Head of a Boy, 1928, 7 1/2 inches high, in the collection of the Huntington Libray, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. The head has a very similar stylized form, including the modelling of the facial features, peak of the hair and shape of the head --qualities that exemplify Johnson's aesthetic interests in both modernism and African sculpture.Johnson took a particular interest in elevating the strength and dignity of African-American women and children in his sculpture, infusing his small works with a commanding presence. Other notable terra cotta heads of children by Johnson's include Chester, 1931, and Negro Woman, 1934, both in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Bowles fig. 4. p. 150; LeFalle-Collins/Wilson ill. 12, cat. no. 11.
Swann Auction Galleries
Sep. 15, 2019
Sculpture, Sargent Johnson, Bust of a Woman
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
Sargent Johnson (American, 1888–1967), Untitled (Bust of a Woman), circa 1938, glazed terracotta sculpture, signed lower back, sculpture: 5.25"h x 4"w x 3"d, overall (with wooden base): 6.25"h x 2.75"w x 2.75"d. Provenance: The Philip L. and Toby Flax Collection (San Francisco, CA).
Clars Auctions
Apr. 05, 2018
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Singing Saints.
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Singing Saints. Lithograph on cream wove paper, 1940. 305x235 mm; 12x9 1/4 inches, wide margins. Signed, titled and numbered 109/150 (partially erased) in pencil, lower margin. Impressions of this print can be found in the collections of the Amon Carter Museum, Dallas, the Corcoran Museum of Art, Washington, DC, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Swann Auction Galleries
Apr. 06, 2017
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Negro Mother).
Est: $80,000 - $120,000
SARGENT JOHNSON (1888 - 1967) Untitled (Negro Mother). Copper with paint, 1935-6. Approximately 306x165x51 mm; 12x6 1/2x2 inches. Incised signature on the verso. Provenance: private collection, Texas (1966). Untitled (Negro Mother) is an excellent and very scarce work in copper repoussé by Sargent Johnson from the mid-1930s. In this defining mid-career body of work, Johnson incorporated themes from African sculpture and modernist design to create powerful representations of African-American womanhood - epitomized by his iconic Negro Woman, circa 1935, in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Johnson elevated the strength and dignity of everyday African-American women in his sculpture, infusing even small works like this mask with a commanding presence. This copper mask by Johnson is only the second of its kind to come to auction. Aside from the mask which sold at Swann Galleries on October 7, 2010, we have located eigth other examples of Johnson''s masks, and all but one are in museum collections. Three are in the collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; others are in the collections of the Huntington, the Newark Museum of Art, the National Museum of American Art and the Savannah College of Art and Design Museum. The two most similar copper artworks, which help date this one, are Negro Mother, 1935 and Mask, 1936, in the SFMOMA collection. Both gifted from the Albert M. Bender Collection, these share the black bands of hair with gold. Negro Mother is the closest to this untitled work - less like African masks, they share a sensitive representation of an African-American woman''s features.
Swann Auction Galleries
May. 22, 2016
Painting, Sargent Johnson
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Sargent Johnson (American, 1888-1967), Musical Abstraction, 1950 enamel painting on steel, signed and dated lower right, overall: 10"h x 10"w x 0.75"d
Clars Auctions