William H. Johnson Paintings & Artwork for Sale | William H. Johnson Art Value Price Guide

Sep. 14, 2024
William Henry Johnson, 1901-1970, Houses, Kerteminde
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
William Henry Johnson 1901-1970 Houses, Kerteminde 1932-1938 brush ink and pencil on paper, mounted to paperboard 4-1/2 x 6 inches signed (upper center) Marked with estate stamp: Tilhorer Niels Lindberg. Nr.Broby. Fyn. ( From the collection of Niels Lindberg. Nr. Broby. Funen) Listed as number 1 on Niels Lindbergs inventory list over his collection of Johnson works. Notes: A similar ink drawing with the same style of black bordering is in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.838 https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/old-kerteminde-11922 The small size of the drawing, its black bordering and technical notes on the verso, could indicates it was meant as a layout for a woodcut. Johnson began making experimental block prints upon his return from Africa to Denmark in 1932. The block prints were a media he chose to make his otherwise expensive art accessible to a wider public.
Black Art Auction
Sep. 14, 2024
William Henry Johnson, 1901-1970, untitled, Red Barns in the Snow
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
William Henry Johnson 1901-1970 untitled, Red Barns in the Snow 1935-1938 oil on canvas 8 x 12 inches signed verso marked with estate stamp from Tilhorer Niels Lindberg verso Provenance: the artist to Niels Lindberg; to private collection, Copenhagen, Denmark. Niels Lindberg ( 1886-1974) Danish Painter, collector, chairman of the Association of Funen Artists in Odense from 1928-1933 and co-founder of the art exhibition, Filosoffen, built in Odense 1933. By accounts, Niels Lindberg was very sympathetic to the struggles that emerging artists had and was known for his large private library of art books which was open to the public. Niels Lindberg was also the owner of a paint supplies store from 1912-1945. An old inventory list from the Lindberg estate shows he owned 20 Johnson prints and sketches as well as at least 2 oil paintings. Both Johnson and his wife, Holcha Krake, exhibited at Filosoffen in 1938. A painting titled, "Portrait of a Man" in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is very possibly a portrait of Niels Lindberg. You can view the Smithsonian's work by clicking here: http://browse.americanartcollaborative.org/object/saam/1967.59.780.html Notes: William H. Johnson and Holcha Krake resided in Norway from 1935-1937. During their stay they lived with the Tjensvoll family in Volda and took study tours to rural areas in SvolvÄr ,Lillehammer, Aalesund, Norheimsund, JÅlster and TromsÅ. The couple exhibited together in Volda in 1935 and 1937, as well as Aalesund in 1936 and Trondheim 1937. William H. Johnson had a solo-show at Blomquist, Oslo in 1935. Johnson may have been aware of Claude Monet's famous stay in Norway in the winter of 1895. Monet came to Norway to observe snow-covered landscapes, a motif that is very demanding to paint. During his stay, Monet painted 28 pictures from BÄrum, located outside Oslo, many of which included depictions of red Norwegian houses.
Black Art Auction
May. 18, 2024
William Henry Johnson, 1901-1970, untitled stoneware vessel
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
William Henry Johnson 1901-1970 untitled stoneware vessel 1932-1938 stoneware vase with dark blue glaze 4-1/2 (h) x 5-7/8 inches incised initials underneath Provenance: The estate of Niels Lindberg. Nr. Broby. Funen, hence to a private collection, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Black Art Auction
May. 18, 2024
William Henry Johnson, 1901-1970, untitled, ceramic tea set
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
William Henry Johnson 1901-1970 untitled, ceramic tea set 1932-1938 ceramic tea set , consisting of a pitcher with a lid, a creamer with a lid and a deep saucer; and three cups and saucers glazed in black, green and brown tea pot height is 9 inches (with lid) initialed WHJ Provenance: The estate of Niels Lindberg. Nr. Broby. Funen, hence to a private collection, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Black Art Auction
May. 18, 2024
William Henry Johnson, 1901-1970, Arabian Leopard
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
William Henry Johnson 1901-1970 Arabian Leopard 1932-1938 painted plaster sculpture 26 x 13 x 7 inches initialed underneath foot. Provenance: The estate of Niels Lindberg. Nr. Broby. Funen, hence to a private collection, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Black Art Auction
Mar. 23, 2024
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, IRIS, ETCHING
Est: $900 - $1,200
Artist: William H. Johnson, American (1901 - 1970) Title: Iris Medium: Etching Size: 4.5 x 3.25 in. (11.43 x 8.26 cm) Frame Size: 12.75 x 9.25 inches Description: An etching of a man in a sweater, his hands gently holding a flower.
RoGallery
Feb. 23, 2024
W.H. JOHNSON, MODERN CUBIST LANDSCAPE, O/C
Est: $4,000 - $8,000
William Henry Johnson (American 1901 - 1970), Untitled - Mountain Landscape, oil on canvas depicting a cubist style landscape, signed WH Johnson to lower right, framed. Approximate Dimensions: canvas h. 30", w. 24.15"; frame h. 3.7.75", w. 31.75", d. 1.5".
Ahlers & Ogletree Inc.
Dec. 02, 2023
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Fisherman (No. 2)
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Fisherman (No. 2) c. 1930-1935 woodblock print on cream paper 11 x 8 inches unsigned Provenance: the artist's estate/Holcha Krake to Holcha's sister, Nanna Johanna Voll, Nanna's niece and grandchild of the artist, Christoph Voll (Johnson's friend) REF: Willie and Holcha https://blackartauction.squarespace.com/willie-and-holcha
Black Art Auction
Nov. 26, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Cafe"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Cafe", serigraph, 28.25 x 22, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Nov. 26, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs", serigraph, 28.25 x 22.25, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Nov. 12, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Cafe"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Cafe", serigraph, 28.25 x 22, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Nov. 12, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs", serigraph, 28.25 x 22.25, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Oct. 29, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Cafe"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Cafe", serigraph, 28.25 x 22, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Oct. 29, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs", serigraph, 28.25 x 22.25, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Oct. 15, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Cafe"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Cafe", serigraph, 28.25 x 22, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Oct. 15, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs", serigraph, 28.25 x 22.25, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Sep. 23, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Cafe"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Cafe", serigraph, 28.25 x 22, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Sep. 23, 2023
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs"
Est: $70 - $80
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs", serigraph, 28.25 x 22.25, very good condition
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Jun. 16, 2023
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, IRIS, ETCHING
Est: $1,200 - $1,500
Artist: William H. Johnson, American (1901 - 1970) Title: Iris Medium: Etching Size: 4.5 x 3.25 in. (11.43 x 8.26 cm) Frame Size: 12.75 x 9.25 inches Description: An etching of a man in a sweater, his hands gently holding a flower.
RoGallery
May. 20, 2023
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Kerteminde Landscape
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Kerteminde Landscape c. 1930 watercolor on paper 9 x 11-1/2 inches Signed WH Johnson collection stamp verso: Tilhorer Niels Lindberg. Nr. Broby. Fyn. Provenance: Niels Lindberg
Black Art Auction
May. 20, 2023
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Opstilling med Blomster (Floral Still Life)
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Opstilling med Blomster (Floral Still Life) c. 1930-1940 oil on rough canvas 17 x 15 inches signed faintly on verso label verso from Neil Lindberg's inventory documents Provenance: Niel Lindberg estate Niels Lindberg ( 1886-1974) Danish Painter, collector, chairman of the Association of Funen Artists in Odense from 1928-1933 and co-founder of the art exhibition building âFilosoffenâ built in Odense 1933. By accounts, Niels Lindberg was very sympathetic to the struggles that emerging artists had and was known for his large private library of art books which was open to the public. Niels Lindberg was also the owner of a paint supplies store from 1912-1945. An old inventory list from the Lindberg estate shows he owned 20 Johnson prints and sketches as well as at least 2 oil paintings. Both Johnson and his wife, Holcha Krake, exhibited at Filosoffen in 1938. A painting titled, "Portrait of a Man" in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is very possibly a portrait of Niels Lindberg.
Black Art Auction
Mar. 25, 2023
WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSON AMERICAN 1901-1970
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Still Life with Bottle and Kettle, oil on canvas, 18 x 24 in (45.7 x 61 cm), framed 23 x 29 1/2 in (58.4 x 74.9 cm), signed lower right
Trinity International Auctions & Appraisals, LLC
Feb. 04, 2023
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, IRIS, ETCHING
Est: $1,500 - $3,000
Artist: William H. Johnson, American (1901 - 1970) Title: Iris Medium: Etching Size:4.5 x 3.25 in. (11.43 x 8.26 cm) Frame Size: 12.75 x 9.25 inches
RoGallery
Nov. 19, 2022
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, untitled, Stjernen (farm workers at rest)
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 untitled, Stjernen (farm workers at rest) c. 1930s pencil sketch on paper 11 x 10 inches signed estate stamp from Tilhorer Niels Lindberg Provenance: The Collection of Niels Lindberg , Nr. Broby. Funen, listed as no.9 on Lindberg's inventory list, to private collection, Copenhagen, Denmark. See lot 1 for further provenance information.
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
William H. No Johnson, 1901-1970, untitled, Landscape with Sunrise
Est: $15,000 - $20,000
William H. No Johnson 1901-1970 untitled, Landscape with Sunrise c. 1944-1947 oil on cardboard book 7 x 10-1/2 inches signed; marked with estate stamp from Tilhorer Niels Lindberg Provenance: Niels Lindberg, to private collection, Copenhagen, Denmark. See lot 1 for further provenance information.
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, untitled, Reclining Nude at the Beach
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 untitled, Reclining Nude at the Beach c. 1930-1935 woodblock print on paper 14-1/2 x 16-1/2 inches unsigned Provenance: the artist's estate/Holcha Krake to Holcha's sister, Nanna Johanna Voll, Nanna's niece and grandchild of the artist, Christoph Voll (Johnson's friend)
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, untitled, Bonfire Evening, Self-portrait with Wife
Est: $30,000 - $50,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 untitled, Bonfire Evening, Self-portrait with Wife c. 1938-1946 oil on masonite 18 x 23-1/2 inches signed; marked with estate stamp: Tilhorer Niels Lindberg. Nr.Broby. Fyn. ( From the collection of Niels Lindberg. Nr. Broby. Funen. Included is an old label with its Danish title: Aftenbaal. Selvportret med hustru (Self-portrait with Wife), artist name: William Johnson ( Amerikansk maler/ American artist) and its dimensions. Provenance: the estate of Niels Lindberg, to a private collection, Copenhagen, Denmark. Niels Lindberg ( 1886-1974) Danish Painter, collector, chairman of the Association of Funen Artists in Odense from 1928-1933 and co-founder of the art exhibition building "Filosoffen" built in Odense 1933. By accounts, Niels Lindberg was very sympathetic to the struggles that emerging artists had and was known for his large private library of art books which was open to the public. Niels Lindberg was also the owner of a paint supplies store from 1912-1945. An old inventory list from the Lindberg estate shows he owned 20 Johnson prints and sketches as well as at least 2 oil paintings. Both Johnson and his wife, Holcha Krake, exhibited at Filosoffen in 1938. In this untitled work, Johnson has depicted himself and Holcha in the foreground. Holcha is the only figure out of nine in the painting with obviously light-colored skin, leading one to question if this work was executed in the United States (1938-1945) or in 1946, after he returned to Denmark from the U.S., and is a memorial to his wife (Holcha died in 1944 from cancer). The other curious figure in the painting is located center-right, wearing a yellow straw hat. Could this be a symbolic representation of one of his favorite painters, Vincent Van Gogh? Either way, the work is very emotionally-charged, and highly personal. This work, simply titled, Portrait of a Man" in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is very possibly a portrait of Niels Lindberg: http://browse.americanartcollaborative.org/object/saam/1967.59.780.html
Black Art Auction
Nov. 12, 2022
WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSON AMERICAN 1901-1970
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Summer Landscape, oil on canvas lad on board, 18 x 22 in (45.7 x 55.9 cm), framed 23 1/2 x 27 in (59.7 x 68.6 cm), signed lower right
Trinity International Auctions & Appraisals, LLC
Jun. 04, 2022
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Portrait of a Man
Est: $5,000 - $10,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Portrait of a Man c. 1921-26 pencil drawing 25 x 19 inches signed verso Provenance: the estate of Holcha Krake; by descent to her sister Erna Voll. Hence by descent in the family This drawing directly relates to an oil painting by W.H. Johnson in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, a gift of the Harmon Foundation. http://browse.americanartcollaborative.org/object/saam/1967.59.683.html The drawing was made while William Henry Johnson was a student at the National Academy of Design from 1921-1926.
Black Art Auction
Jun. 04, 2022
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Portrait of a Woman
Est: $5,000 - $10,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Portrait of a Woman 1926 Pencil drawing on Strathmore paper 25 x 19 inches Signed verso; dated recto Provenance: the estate of Holcha Krake; by descent to her sister Erna Voll. Hence by descent in the family This drawing directly relates to an oil painting by W.H. Johnson in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, a gift of the Harmon Foundation. http://browse.americanartcollaborative.org/object/saam/1967.59.677.html The drawing was made while William Henry Johnson was a student at the National Academy of Design from 1921-1926.
Black Art Auction
Jun. 04, 2022
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Self Portrait
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Self Portrait c. 1921-26 pencil drawing 17-1/2 x 14-1/2 inches Signed Provenance: the estate of Holcha Krake; by descent to her sister Erna Voll. Hence by descent in the family. This drawing was made while William Henry Johnson was a student at the National Academy of Design from 1921-1926.
Black Art Auction
Jun. 04, 2022
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Landscape from Kerteminde
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Landscape from Kerteminde c. 1930-1938 Oil on burlap 28-1/2 x 27-1/2 inches (framed) Signed verso in ink. Inscribed, "Fra Ragnar Langes dodsbo. Fiskergade 24. Kerteminde" Housed in the original painted wooden frame (Rammeliste) crafted by the artist. Provenance: the estate of Regnar Lange. Hence by descent in the family. Regnar Lange (1897-1963) was a Danish painter residing in Kerteminde. Known as Maleren fra Lillestranden / The painter from Lillestranden. Lange and Johnson were of similar age and became good friends when Johnson arrived in Kerteminde in 1930. They exhibited together twice at the Weimanns udstilling / Weimanns Exhibition in Magelos, Odense and Johnson also painted a portrait of Regnar Lange. William Henry Johnson lived in Kerteminde in the period 1930-1935, 1938 and 1946-1947. Kerteminde is located on the island of Funen, Denmark. A small harbor town surrounded by farms and with a population of less than 6000. The people of Kerteminde welcomed Johnson warmly and the Danish straightforward behavior, and Danish humorous attitude to authorities and life itself, seemed to have appealed Johnson. The town people referred to him as " Mr. Johnson" and there were many eyewitness accounts about the distinctive African American painter who had settled down in Kerteminde and wandered the streets with his sketchbook. Johnson had chosen a path different from most and also became the "talk of the town." Johnson's physical painting methods no doubt also helped establish his local reputation, where he, without consideration of the judgement of passers-by, would position himself in odd places to find new perspectives, as well as use a concave mirror that distorted the perspective even further, all to create a dramatic expressive effect. Johnson painted many landscapes from Kerteminde and its surroundings. In an Danish interview from 1944 he said " I have never worked so well as I did in Kerteminde. Nowhere else did I receive more peace of mind, nowhere else did I find better motifs. "Though Kertiminde's primary industry was fishing, travel brochures mentioned the elegant and popular Tornøes Hotel, the small but adequate strip of bathing beach, and Kertiminde's unique "mother-of-pearl" sunlight." Powell, Richard J., and William H. Johnson. Homecoming: The Art and Life of William H. Johnson. National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1991. The wooden frame is known in Danish as " Rammeliste " It was usually hand built by painters with little resources to have their works professionally framed. By using a " Rammeliste " the artists could display their works giving the client an idea how it would look framed. It was also practical as the thin wooden frame could serve as a passe-partout for future framing.
Black Art Auction
Nov. 14, 2020
William H. Johnson, 1901-1970, Roof Tops, Cagnes-Sur-Mer, Oil on canvas, 19.5 x 24.5 inches
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
William H. Johnson 1901-1970 Roof Tops, Cagnes-Sur-Mer Oil on canvas c. 1928-30 Signed. Provenance: private collection, Baltimore to Clarke Gallery, Newburyport, MA William Henry Johnson was born in Florence, South Carolina in 1901. His mother, Alice Johnson, was of African American and Native American ancestry and his father (who was not married to his mother) was white. Alice soon married a local African American man and they had four additional children. William was interested in drawing at an early age, copying cartoon characters. When he was 18, he dropped out of school and accompanied his uncle to New York in search of better job opportunities. Two years later, when he was 20 years old, he had saved enough money to enroll at the National Academy of Design to study art. Johnson showed tremendous promise at the NAD and came to the attention of two well-respected painters, Charles Hawthorne and George Luks. They mentored him and raised enough money forJohnson to travel to Paris. Hawthorne suggested Johnson might have more success as a black artist in Europe initially, and upon proving himself there, possibly return to the States. One of Johnsonâ€™s greatest influences in France was the work of Chaim Soutine. Soutineâ€™s paintings were a step further than the Ashcan style works of Luks; they were Expressionist, and full of energy and emotion. Landscapes, seascapes and buildings were frenzied, distorted and thickly painted. Johnson moved to the South of France to Cagnes-sur-Mer, where Soutine had worked. This work shares two very obvious characteristics with the work of Soutine: the red/pink palette and the â€œaccordion-likeâ€ composition of trees and buildings. In 1929, Johnson met a Danish tapestry weaver and ceramicist named Holcha Krake. Holcha and her sister and brother-in-law were preparing to tour Europeâ€™s museums and art centers, and invited William to come along. Eventually, the group returned to Holchaâ€™s home of Odense, Denmark. Johnson married Holcha in 1930, and they lived in Kerteminde, a Danish fishing village. Johnson admired the woodcut prints made by the Expressionists, especially the German, Max Beckmann, and the Norwegian, Edvard Munch, and this work reveals the influence of artists such as these on not only Johnsonâ€™s style, but also his choice of medium. Johnson met Munch in 1932, introduced by Pola Gauguin, the son of painter Paul Gauguin. In 1929, Johnson had returned to New York to exhibit in the Harmon Foundation show of 1930, in which he was awarded the gold prize. He returned to the United States with Holcha in 1938, planning to make the U.S. his permanent residence. He felt a need to succeed in his home country. This was a difficult time in the United States, and Johnson had no luck selling his work. He eventually got a job through the W.P.A. teaching at the Harlem Community Art Center. Johnson became enamored with the work of Horace Pippin and Jacob Lawrence and decided to change his style to what he called â€œprimitiveâ€ (he had actually deemed himself a â€œprimitiveâ€ earlier in his career, influenced by Paul Gauguinâ€™s adoption of the term as a mindsetâ€”not a style of painting). Johnsonâ€™s new style embraced simplicity, and his subjects were calm and self-assured of their identity. He enjoyed his most productive period from 1939 through the mid 1940s. In 1943, Holcha died of breast cancer, and Johnson returned to Florence. He painted portraits and local scenes in his new style, but succumbed to grief about losing Holcha. In his devastated state, he developed a plan to return to Denmark to marry Holchaâ€™s sister, Musse, whom he had met in 1929. His proposal was rejected by Musse, but he remained with the Krake family for six months. He then moved to Oslo with the intention to exhibit his work there, but was in a state of declined mental health and was found wandering the streets. He was taken in by the Travelerâ€™s Aid Society and shipped back to New York, where he was admitted to a state hospital in 1947. He remained there until his death in 1970, unable to recognize anyone and unable to paint. 19.5 x 24.5 inches
Black Art Auction
Nov. 14, 2020
William H. Johnson. "Children Playing..."
Est: $300 - $500
"Children Playing London Bridge" (American, 1901-1970). Offset lithograph in colors, signed in the plate "WH Johnson" lr, inscribed "To Kennedy" ll and signed "David C. Driskell" lr, sheet size: 24 x 21 1/4 in., unframed.
Alex Cooper
May. 16, 2020
William H. Johnson, 1901 - 1970, Bazaars Behind Church of Our Savior, Color woodblock print with watercolor, 13-1/2 x 14-1/2 inches (image)
Est: $10,000 - $20,000
William H. Johnson 1901 - 1970 Bazaars Behind Church of Our Savior Color woodblock print with watercolor 1935 remnant of original backing board inscribed with title and by William H. Johnson Provenance: The Collection of Dr. Dianne Whitfield-Locke and Dr. Carnell Locke, Maryland Exhibited: Building on Tradition, The Collection of Dr. Dianne Whitfield-Locke and Dr. Carnell Locke, Hampton University Museum, October 12, 2013-December 7, 2013. Literature: International Review of African American Art, vol. 24, 3B, Hampton University Museum, VA, p. 34. "William H. Johnson, An American Modern", catalog accompanying the exhibition of the same name; Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and the James E. Lewis Museum of Art, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD. Teresa Gionis, editor. 2011. To our knowledge, this image has never come to auction before; nor has a woodcut with hand-coloring. To create this image, the artist would have printed the woodcut in black ink and then colored in areas in tan, red and green with watercolors, resulting in a much more colorful image than simply an ink woodcut. 13-1/2 x 14-1/2 inches (image)
Black Art Auction
Apr. 05, 2020
Smithsonian Print by William H Johnson
Est: $25 - $75
Exposed area measures approx. 26"h x 26 1/2"w. It is titled "Going to Church". The original was an oil on burlap painted in 1940. Print is dated 1991 and marked "Smithsonian Institution".
Keystone Auctions LLC
Nov. 06, 2019
William Henry Johnson American, 1901-1970 Jolster, 1936
Est: $30,000 - $50,000
William Henry Johnson American, 1901-1970 Jolster, 1936 Signed W. H. Johnson (lr) Oil on canvas 28 x 34 7/8 inches Provenance: Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, New York C Property from a Prominent Philadelphia Collector
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Oct. 08, 2019
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON (1901 -1970) Jitterbugs II.
Est: $35,000 - $50,000
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON (1901 -1970) Jitterbugs II. Color screenprint and pochoir on wove paper, circa 1941-42. 381x292 mm; 15x11 1/2 inches (trimmed inside the image). Provenance: private collection, Long Island, New York; thence by descent, private collection, Washington DC. Inscribed "Jitterbugs II, William H. Johnson" and the Harmon Foundation inventory number "FO-304 (10)" in ink on a sticker, verso. Jitterbugs II is a very scarce example of an important American print and an iconic image of the Harlem Renaissance. While living in New York in the early 1940s, William H. Johnson printed his screenprints, depicting colorful images of both the rural South and Harlem. His Jitterbugs series are based on his paintings of the popular dance in Harlem music halls - both Johnson's same titled oil on paperboard and watercolor, both circa 1941, are in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Jitterbugs I-V is a series of five images, and a significant part of the only 17 known screenprint images Johnson made. He worked with screenprinting for only three years until tragedy struck in 1943--his Danish wife, Holcha, was diagnosed with breast cancer and died months later. This is only the second time this scarce print has come to auction. We have located ten other impressions of Jitterbugs II in public collections - three in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and other impressions in the Art Institute of Chicago, the Amon Carter Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Library of Congress, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art (identified as Jitterbugs V) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. These are experimental and painterly prints, using both screens and pochoir (hand-colored stencils). Each impression is proof like, with a slightly different registration. There is a printed advertisement for a football game on the verso; the proof in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art has the same.
Swann Auction Galleries
Apr. 04, 2019
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON (1901 -1970) Jitterbugs V.
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON (1901 -1970) Jitterbugs V. Color screenprint and pochoir on wove paper, circa 1941-42. 381x267 mm; 15x10 1/2 inches (trimmed inside the image). Provenance: private collection, Long Island, New York; thence by descent, private collection, Washington DC. Inscribed "William H. Johnson, Jitterbugs III" and the Harmon Foundation inventory number "FO-254 (7)" inscribed in pencil, upper left verso. Jitterbugs V is a very scarce example of an important American print and an iconic image of the Harlem Renaissance. While living in New York in the early 1940s, William H. Johnson printed his screenprints, depicting colorful images of both the rural South and Harlem. His Jitterbugs series are based on his paintings of the popular dance in Harlem music halls - both Johnson's same titled oil on paperboard and watercolor, both circa 1941, are in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Jitterbugs I-V is a series of five images, and a significant part of the only 17 known screenprint images Johnson made. He worked with screenprinting for only three years until tragedy struck in 1943--his Danish wife, Holcha, was diagnosed with breast cancer and died months later. This is the first time this scarce print has come to auction. We have located impressions of Jitterbugs V in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Library of Congress (identified as Jitterbugs III), the Whitney Museum of American Art (identified as Jitterbugs VI) and the Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African American Art. These are experimental and painterly prints, using both screens and pochoir (hand-colored stencils). Each impression is proof like, with a slightly different registration, and are often printed on various type of paper or cardstock.
Swann Auction Galleries
Mar. 03, 2019
William H. Johnson - "Café"
Est: $50 - $60
William H. Johnson - "Café", serigraph reproduction
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Mar. 03, 2019
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs"
Est: $50 - $60
William H. Johnson - "Jitterbugs", serigraph reproduction
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Mar. 03, 2019
William H. Johnson - "I Baptize Thee"
Est: $50 - $60
William H. Johnson - "I Baptize Thee", silkscreen reproduction
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Mar. 03, 2019
William H. Johnson - "Going to Church"
Est: $50 - $60
William H. Johnson - "Going to Church", silkscreen reproduction
Bruce Teleky Inc.
Nov. 17, 2018
WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSON, District of Columbia/South Carolina/Denmark/Norway, 1901-1970, Three portrait sketches., Watercolors on paper...
Est: $800 - $1,200
WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSON District of Columbia/South Carolina/Denmark/Norway, 1901-1970 Three portrait sketches. Each signed lower right "W.H. Johnson 34". Watercolors on paper, 4.5" x 3.5", 4.5" x 4.5" and 4.75" x 4.5". Unframed.
Eldred's
Oct. 06, 2018
William H. Johnson. Red Roofs, oil on canvas
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
William Henry Johnson (American, 1901-1970). Oil on canvas, signed "W. H. Johnson," ll., 19 3/4 x 24 in., framed
Alex Cooper
Oct. 04, 2018
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON (1901 -1970) On a John Brown Flight.
Est: $50,000 - $75,000
WILLIAM H. JOHNSON (1901 -1970) On a John Brown Flight. Color screenprint and pochoir on tan wove paper, circa 1945. Approximately 406x610 mm; 15 3/4x24 inches. Signed in ink, lower right. Provenance: Annie Davis, New York and Savannah, GA; gifted to a private collection, Savannah, GA. Inscribed with the artist's name, title, and a Harmon Foundation inventory number in ink, upper right verso. On a John Brown Flight is a very scarce example of an important print. While living in New York in the early 1940s, William H. Johnson printed a handful of proof impressions from his screenprints, depicting colorful images of both the rural South and of Harlem. Out of the 17 known screenprint images Johnson made in a short period of the early 1940s, On a John Brown Flight is the only image of an American historical figure, and is the largest of any of his prints. Johnson also painted a gouache and pencil version of this subject, and a heroic image of the Abolitionist leader in the 1945 oil John Brown Legend; both are in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This is the only the second impression of this print to come to auction - an unsigned impression was sold at Swann Galleries on February 13, 2014. We have located only four impressions of On a John Brown Flight in the following public collections: the Library of Congress, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution. These were experimental and painterly prints, using both screens and pochoir (hand-colored stencils) - each impression has a slightly different registration.
Swann Auction Galleries
Jun. 15, 2018
Attribué à William Henry JOHNSON (1901-1970) Péniche à quai, bord de Seine, circa 1926-1929
Est: €2,500 - €3,500
Attribué à William Henry JOHNSON (1901-1970) Péniche à quai, bord de Seine, circa 1926-1929 Huile sur toile. Non signée. 56 x 69,5 cm Né à Florence, en Caroline du Sud, Johnson (fig.1) soutient sa famille miséreuse en vendant des dessins humoristiques dans les journaux locaux. Installé à New-York, élève de la National Academy of Design, il est encouragé par le peintre Charles Hawthorne à se rendre en Europe. Entre 1926 et 1933 il voyage beaucoup entre le Danemark, la France (Paris, Cagnes-sur-Mer (fig.2)) et l’Afrique du Nord et épouse une artiste textile danoise. Il est influencé par les Avant-gardes comme en témoigne notre tableau peint lors d’un de ses séjours à Paris (maisons cubistes, distorsions expressionnistes, coloris hauts des Fauves). Il est surtout connu aux Etats-Unis pour ses œuvres peintes entre 1944 et 1946, marquées par un style primitif naïf qui décrit la vie locale des Noirs américains du Sud. L’essentiel de son œuvre est conservé au Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington.
Gros-Delettrez
May. 12, 2018
William H. Johnson. Red Roofs, oil on canvas
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
William Henry Johnson (American, 1901-1970). Oil on canvas, signed "W. H. Johnson," ll., 19 3/4 x 24 in., framed
Alex Cooper