Beschreibung:

Animalier bronzes first came to the Benjamin Schmidgall's attention in 1975 with the sale of over 650 such works from the collection of Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge. Over the next twelve years, primarily through sales at auction, Mr. Schmidgall was able to put together a collection of over 70 pieces. Initially concentrating on the work of European sculptors of the genre, he soon found his interest piqued by the works of American sculptors active in the early 20th century and added these to the group. In 1982, Mr. Schmidgall sent his collection on an extended tour throughout the United States. The group has been exhibited extensively in the South and Midwest as well as along the East Coast over the past ten years. The 'Schmidgall Collection of American Sculpture' travelled to Canton, Ohio, Canton Art Institute, May 30-July 28, 1982; Memphis, Tennesee, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, September 12-November 14, 1982; Little Rock, Arkansas, Arkansas Art Center, January 5-February 13, 1983; Columbus, Georgia, Columbus Museum of Arts and Sciences, February 26-May 30, 1983; Reading, Pennsylvania, Reading Public Museum and Art Gallery, June 26-September 28, 1983; Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie Art Museum, October 30-November 30, 1983; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukee Public Museum, January-April, 1984; Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Oshkosh Public Museum, May 20-September 9, 1984; Green Bay, Wisconsin, Neville Public Museum of Brown County, September 22-November 12, 1984; Denver, Colorado, Denver Museum of Natural History, November, 1984-February, 1985; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Museum of Art, March 15-May 1, 1985; Peoria, Illinois, Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences, June 1-November 15, 1985; Battle Creek, Michigan, Kingman Museum of Natural History, January, 1985-March 1986; Kalamazoo, Michigan, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, March-April, 1986; Springfield, Ohio, Springfield Museum of Art, May 10-June 18, 1986; Massillon, Ohio, The Massillon Museum, July 1-July 26, 1986; Zanesville, Ohio, Zanesville Art Center, August 1-August 20, 1986; Nashville, Tennessee, Cheekwood Fine Arts Center, September 6-November 2, 1986; Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, November 21-January 4, 1987; Macon, Georgia, Museum of Arts and Sciences, January 22-May 25, 1987; Hickory, North Carolina, Hickory Museum of Art, June 6-August 9, 1987; New Orleans, Louisiana, New Orleans Museum of Art, September 16-November 1, 1987; Knoxville, Tennessee, Frank H. McClung Museum, University of Tennessee, November, 1987-February, 1988; Wheeling, West Virginia, Oglebay Institute, March 15-May 30, 1988; Loretto, Pennsylvania, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, June 14-July 31, 1988; Worcester, Massachusetts, New England Science Center, August 8-October 2, 1988; Amherst, Massachusetts, Mead Art Museum, October 12-November 12, 1988; Muscatine, Iowa, Muscatine Art Center, December 4, 1988-March 26, 1989; Daytona Beach, Florida, Museum of Arts and Sciences, April-May, 1989; Melbourne, Florida, Brevard Art Center and Museum, no dates; Lynchburg, Virginia, Maier Museum of Art, August 21-October 23, 1989; Dallas, North Carolina, Gaston County Museum, October, 1989-March, 1990; Tarboro, North Carolina, Blount-Bridgers House, Hobson Pittman Memorial Gallery Foundation, no dates; Vero Beach, Florida, Center for the Arts, July-August, 1990; Anniston, Alabama, Anniston Museum of Natural History, September 14-October 21, 1990; Monroe, Louisiana, Masur Museum of Art, November-December, 1990; Meridian, Mississippi, Meridian Museum of Art, March 9-April 14, 1991, Canyon, Texas, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, April 21-June 22, 1991; Lufkin, Texas, Museum of East Texas, July-September, 1991; Shreveport, Louisiana, The R.W. Norton Art Gallery, October 13-December 1, 1991; South Bend, Indiana, South Bend Art Center, December 14, 1991-February 2, 1992. Christie's is pleased to offer additional selections from the collection in the following auctions: 19th Century European Paintings an