Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Lobstermen’s Huts, 1946-1947 oil on board signed Emma Fordyce MacRae (lower left); also estate stamped (on the reverse) 24 7/8 x 30 in.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Portrait of a Young Woman, 1931 oil on board signed Emma Fordyce MacRae and dated (upper left) 16 3/4 x 14 in.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Dogwood (The Blue Nun), 1930 oil on canvas laid to board signed Emma Fordyce MacRae and dated (upper right); inscribed with Artist's name and subtitle on label (on the reverse) 32 x 40 in.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Women Alone, 1939-1945 oil on canvas laid to board signed Emma Fordyce MacRae (lower left); also inscribed with Artist's name and title on label (on the reverse) 36 x 32 in.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Dogwood with Blue Madonna, 1946 oil on canvas laid to board signed Emma Fordyce MacRae (lower left) 30 x 24 1/2 in.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Santa Maria della Salute (Twilight), Venice oil on board estate stamped (on the reverse); also inscribed with title on label and numbered 233 (on the reverse) 14 x 16 3/4 in.
American, 1887-1974 By Bethesda Fountain, Central Park Signed Emma Fordyce MacRae (ll); Estate stamped on the reverse Oil on Masonite 18 x 26 inches (45.7 x 66 cm) Provenance: Estate of the artist Losses at the edges and corners under the rabbet. Surface soiling.
American, 1887-1974 Bethesda Fountain with The Dakota in the Background, Central Park, New York Signed Emma Fordyce MacRae (ll), stamped with estate stamp on the reverse Oil on Masonite 16 x 20 inches (40.6 x 50.8 cm) Provenance: Estate of the artist Rounded corners with associated losses, edge wear and frame rubbing all around. A vertical scuff at upper right corner in sky.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (1887-1974) Orientalist Floral Still Life signed and dated 'EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE / 1922' (lower left) oil on canvas laid down on board 30 1/8 x 34 in. (76.5 x 86.4 cm.) Painted in 1922.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) - Venice With Artist's estate stamp verso, oil on board 28 x 22 in. (71.1 x 55.9cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Lot Essay Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) - Flowers in Hopi Pot With artist's estate stamp verso, oil on board 17 x 14 in. (43.2 x 35.6cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibition "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Lot Essay Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) - Orange Lilies in White Vase With artist's estate stamp verso, oil on canvas 22 x 16 in. (55.9 x 40.6cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Lot Essay Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974)- Central Park With artist's estate stamp verso, oil on board 12 x 16 in. (30.5 x 40.6cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Lot Essay Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - St. Mark's Square, Venice Signed ‘EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE’ bottom left, oil on canvas laid down to board 25 x 30 in. (63.5 x 76.2cm) Executed in 1930. Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibition “Exhibition of Paintings by Emma Fordyce MacRae,” Corona Mundi International Art Center of Roerich Museum, February 8-March 7, 1930, no 60 (as St. Mark's). “National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors,” Argent Galleries, New York, New York, May 1-30, 1930. State Fair of Texas, Dallas, Texas, 1931, no. 104. The North Shore Art Association, East Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1933. Currier Museum, Manchester, New Hampshire, March 1935. "Emma Fordyce MacRae,” Doll & Richards, Boston, Massachusetts, April-May 1935, no. 12. "Solo Show," MacDowell Club, New York, New York, circa 1935. “Annual Exhibition,” Art Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 17-April 8, 1939. Literature The Boston Globe, Boston, April 24, 1935 (mentioned). Lot Essay Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - Foxgloves in Cloisonné Pot Signed and dated ‘EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE/1938’ bottom left, oil on canvas laid down to board 31 7/8 x 39 7/8 in. (81 x 101.3cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibition "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Lot Essay Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - Easter Lilies Oil on canvas 36 x 32 in. (91.4 x 81.3cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibition Ainsley Art Gallery, New York, New York, November 1923. National Academy of Design, New York, New York, March 1924, no. 334. Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Syracuse, New York, 1924. “One Hundred and Twentieth Annual Exhibition,” Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 8-March 29, 1925, no. 273. “Thirty-Sixth Annual Exhibition,” National Association Women Painters and Sculptors, February 17-March 6, 1927, no. 185 (won ‘Honorable Mention’). "Paintings by Emma Fordyce MacRae," Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, New York, November 24-December 5, 1936. “Exhibition of Paintings by Emma Fordyce MacRae,” Corona Mundi International Art Center of Roerich Museum, February 8-March 7, 1930, no. 45. "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Literature “Scrambled Academy” in Life Magazine, New York, April 10 1924, no. 2162, p. 9 (illustrated). Lot Essay The present work originally hung in the artist's dining room in her apartment on 12 West 69th Street, New York. Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - Oriental Background Signed and dated ‘EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE/1928’ bottom right, oil on canvas 40 x 32 in. (101.6 x 81.3cm) Executed between November 1927 and March 1929. Housed in a Newcomb-Macklin frame. Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibition “One-Hundred and Fourth Annual Exhibition,” National Academy of Design, New York, New York, March 20-April 7, 1929. “Ohio State Fair,” Columbus, Ohio, August 1929. “Exhibition of Paintings by Emma Fordyce MacRae,” Corona Mundi International Art Center of Roerich Museum, February 8-March 7, 1930, no 26. "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Lot Essay Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) - Zinnias Signed ‘Emma Fordyce McRae’ top left, oil on canvas 20 x 16 in. (50.8x40.6cm) Provenance Private Collection, Maine.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - The Dancer Signed and dated ‘EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE/1927’ upper left; also titled on label affixed to stretcher, oil on canvas 44 x 39 in. (111.8 x 99.1cm) Provenance Richard York Gallery, New York, New York. Private Collection, New Jersey. By descent in the family. Private Collection, California. Exhibition “One-Hundred and Third Annual Exhibition,” National Academy of Design, New York, New York, March 21-April 8, 1928, no. 57. Grand Central Art Galleries, Inc., New York, New York, 1928. “One-Hundred and Twenty-Third Annual Exhibition,” Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 29-March 18, 1928. “Exhibition of Paintings," Delaware Museum of Art, Wilmington, Delaware, March 28-April 17, 1928. “Prize Members Show,” National Association of Women Painters, Houston, Texas and San Francisco, California, November, 1928. “Emma Fordyce MacRae,” Roerich Museum, New York, New York, 1930, no. 17. “Fortieth Annual Exhibition,” National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, New York, New York, 1931, no. 124. “Emma Fordyce MacRae,” Doll & Richards, Boston, Massachusetts, 1935, no. 13. “Emma Fordyce MacRae,” The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1935. Literature “Emma Fordyce MacRae, 1887-1974,” an exhibition catalogue, Richard York Gallery, New York, November 19-December 17, 1983, no. 5. Lot Essay Best known for her floral still life paintings paired with fragments of interiors or background tapestries (see Lot 80), MacRae also received critical praise for her portraits of “cool, detached almost impersonal” women (usually friends or models she hired), as in the present work. Set in a modern apartment with bookshelves crowned by a selection of Art Nouveau glassware, the painting depicts a female model–possibly Rolande, who appears in other works by MacRae–flamboyantly attired in a bright red dress, which immediately captures the viewer's attention. Although the main focus of the painting, she also blends in perfectly with the rest of the composition: while her fan echoes the brown table next to her as well as the lid of the terracotta urn sitting on top of it, her dress is reflected in the full-length mirror next to her, and matches that of the figure depicted in the large canvas behind her, bringing harmony to the overall image. This symbiosis is further enhanced by the general treatment of the work, a rough, gritty surface which resembles that of a tapestry or a fresco–maybe even that of the one in the background. In contrast to other similar portraits by the artist, The Dancer is less of a simple arrangement of shapes, patterns and textures. In fact, the walls behind Rolande are atypically neutral and without wallpaper, and MacRae does not dwell on the decorative aesthetic of the painting. Instead, she introduces a more literary, intellectual theme to the painting, which becomes a metaphor for duality. The sitter is caught staring at her reflection in the large mirror located to her right, which allows MacRae to represent the model twice, from two different angles, which in turn intrigues our senses and challenges our understanding of the portrait. Furthermore, the painting behind Rolande acts as a key to the underlying theme. While it does not appear to refer to a specific work, the painting is an Old Master composition by the likes of Bellini (to whom MacRae was compared when first exhibiting her work at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1918) depicting the Visitation, when the Virgin Mary (easily identifiable by the blue mantle over her red robe) visits her elder cousin Elizabeth (here shown with grey hair), as both are expecting a child, the future Christ and John the Baptist, respectively. The two women, bearing two children, echo the two visions of Rolande, thereby hinting at the dual personality of the model, captured as an inviting figure with a smile on her red lips (in her reflection) and a mysterious, aloof woman with a perfect, cold profile that refuses our gaze. The model dons a sensual dress which contrasts sharply with the very chaste garment of the Virgin. MacRae, in doing so, opposes religious and secular characters, juxtaposes the spiritual and the spirited, in what becomes a nuanced commentary on the duality present within history and humanity–a double portrait of a Saint and of a woman.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - Central Park Restaurant Signed ‘EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE’ bottom right; also stamped with ‘The Estate of/Emma Fordyce MacRae’ verso, oil on canvas laid down to board 24 7/8 x 29 7/8 in. (63.2 x 75.9cm) Executed circa 1950-1952. Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Lot Essay Although she was born in Vienna, Emma Fordyce MacRae was raised and spent most of her life in New York City. She first enrolled at the Art Students League in 1911 with John Sloan, and then joined The New York School of Art with Kenneth Hayes Miller. Among her large body of works, MacRae painted landscapes the most, and particularly favored Central Park, where she would wander in every season as her studio was nearby at 12 West 69th Street. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, to fund further research into Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - Jerusalem Cherries with Figured Background; with Study of Amaryllis verso Stamped with ‘The Estate of/Emma Fordyce MacRae’ verso, oil on board 23 ¾ x 19 ¾ in. (60.3 x 50.2cm) Executed in Winter 1955. Housed in a Max Kuehne frame. Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Lot Essay Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, to fund further research into Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) - Low Tide, Folly Cove (Cape Ann) Stamped with ‘The Estate of/Emma Fordyce MacRae’ verso, oil on canvas laid down to board 24 ¾ x 29 7/8 in. (62.9 x 75.9cm) Executed in 1938-1939. Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the Artist's family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibition National Academy of Design, New York, New York, 1967. "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Literature “Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974,” an exhibition catalogue, Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, 2008, p. 22, fig. 25 (illustrated as New England Beach, Lanesville). Lot Essay The present work was awarded the Hans Hinrich Prize, AAA in 1942. A significant proportion of the work of Emma Fordyce MacRae was produced on Cape Ann, where the artist sojourned with her family, in a house that would become hers when her father passed in 1925. As Karen E. Quinn states, however: "Unlike most artists who were drawn to Gloucester or Rockport for the season, her connection to the Cape was first forged by her family ties and may even predate her aspirations to be a professional painter." Yet, MacRae largely partook in the art scene, and often mixed with fellow women artists Fern Coppedge, Cecilia Beaux, and Theresa Bernstein, as well as John Sloan, Max Kuehne, Harry Leith-Ross, and Antony Thieme. She painted alone, and further distanced herself from her friends by painting a side of the peninsula that was largely overlooked along Ipswich Bay, such as Laneville, the location depicted here. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, to fund further research into Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (1887 - 1974) Oil on Canvas mnt. on Board Signed , measures 10 x 13 inches ( with frame 18.5 x 22.5 ) Born in Vienna, Austria, Emma Fordyce MacRae became a noted painter of floral still lives, landscapes, waterscapes and female figures. She was raised in New York City in a wealthy family that traveled frequently to Europe. Most of her professional life was in New York City, but she also spent much time in Cape Ann and Gloucester, Massachusetts. MacRae studied at private schools while growing up. She married Thomas MacRae, a physician who practiced with her father, a dermatologist. However, she and Thomas stayed together less than a year, and the marriage was annulled ten years later. In 1922, she married Homer Swift. In 1911, she enrolled at the Art Students League, studying with Frank Vincent DuMond and Kenneth Hayes Miller. In 1915 and later, she studied with Francis Luis Mora, John Sloan and Ernest Blumenschein. At the New York School of Art, she again studied with Miller and with Robert Reid.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Girl in Red Signed and dated 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE/1924' bottom left, oil on board 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (59.7 x 44.5cm) Provenance Private Collection, Connecticut.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Girl in Profile Against a Blue Tapestry; with Portrait Study verso With 'The Estate of Emma Fordyce MacRae' stamp verso, oil on board 16 x 12 in. (40.6 x 30.5cm) Unframed. Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Note Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, to fund further research into Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Spring (Dogwood in Blue Pot) Signed 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE' upper left; also signed verso and inscribed with title and artist on stretcher verso; also with several 'The Estate of Emma Fordyce MacRae' stamps verso, oil on burlap 28 x 22 in. (71.1 x 55.9cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Literature Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974, an exhibition catalogue, Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, 2008, p. 24, fig. 28 (illustrated). Note Emma Fordyce MacRae produced smaller still life paintings aside from her figure portraits. While her earlier compositions, such as Lot 104, are still very much impressionistic in execution and palette as they displayed broad brushstrokes of bright color throughout the board, Spring illustrates the artist's later choice of a plain background in order to enhance the contrast with the still life, here a single type of flower which further positions it as the sole subject of the painting. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, to fund further research into Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Gloucester Garden Signed 'EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE' bottom left; also with 'The Estate of Emma Fordyce MacRae' stamp verso, and with title and artist on label verso, oil on board 12 x 16 in. (30.5 x 40.6cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited Gallery-on-the-Moors, Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1916-1922. Cape Ann Museum , August 19 2006-January 31 2007. "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Literature Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974, an exhibition catalogue, Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, 2008, p. 28, fig. 34 (illustrated). Note Although she spent most of her time in New York City, Emma Fordyce MacRae was also an integral part of a circle of wealthy Gloucester residents during the summer months, which included Cecilia Beaux among other artists. The present work is a detailed view of the artist’s garden in her home, Atlantic Highlands, which was located above Stage Fort Park on the western side of Gloucester. Her garden, which her husband Homer Swift would tend to, and from which she plucked fresh flowers that would later serve as subjects of her still life paintings, was also a subject in its own right, as evidenced here. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, to fund further research into Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Cosmos Decoration Signed 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE' upper left; also with 'The Estate of Emma Fordyce MacRae' stamp on upper stretcher verso (twice), oil on canvas 32 x 36 in. (81.3 x 91.4cm) Executed circa 1920. Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited "Thirty-Sixth Annual Exhibition," Architectural League of New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, April 3-30, 1921. Grace Horne Galleries, Boston, Massachusetts, 1923. National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, New York, New York, 1924 (Honorable Mention). Grand Central Art Galleries, Inc., New York, New York, 1930. National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, New York, New York, 1934 (Edith Penman Memorial Prize). The Currier Gallery of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1935. "Emma Fordyce MacRae 1887-1974," Richard York Gallery, New York, New York, 1983 (per exhibition label verso). Note Best known for her portraits, Emma Fordyce MacRae also produced a number of still life paintings, which are characterized by the same attention to color harmony and texture. The present work emphasizes a particular strong sense of pattern, as it features three groups of cosmos bouquets set against a shimmering tapestry, which invades the entire picture plane by folding underneath each vase. Set in a distinct palette of pinks, hot purples, lime-greens, turquoise and browns, which condenses the space, Cosmos Decoration brings foreground and background together, and presents a bold modern sensibility that speaks to MacRae’s discerning eye. About another still life by the artist, a critic once wrote: “it keeps sufficiently on the side of the pure representation to please flower painters, but it rises into the realm of abstract design none the less [sic]”–a bold statement which could very well apply to the present composition. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, to fund further research into Alzheimer's and dementia-related diseases.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) The Dreamer (Rolande in White with Easter Lilies) Signed and dated 'EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE/1928' upper left; also inscribed with title and stamped 'EX-PAFA' on stretcher verso, oil on burlap 40 x 32 in. (101.6 x 81.3cm) Provenance Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, New York. Richard York Gallery, New York, New York. Private Collection, Florida. Private Collection, Connecticut. Exhibited National Academy of Design, New York, New York, 1928. "One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Annual Exhibition," Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 26-March 16, 1930, no. 61 (per stamp on stretcher verso). International Art Center of Roerich, New York, New York, 1930 (as Oriental Decoration per partial label verso). The Arnot Art Gallery, Elmira, New York, n.d. Note Born in Vienna to American parents, Emma Fordyce MacRae pursued part of her artistic training at the New York School of Art, where she studied under Kenneth Hayes Miller, who encouraged her sense of design and use of simplified forms. She first exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1918, and officially joined the Philadelphia Ten in 1937, during the most productive period of her career. She later opened studios of her own in New York and Gloucester, Massachusetts and exhibited extensively on the East Coast until her death in 1974. Best known for her floral still life paintings often paired with fragments of interiors or Japanesque tapestries (see Lots 102-104), MacRae also received critical praise for her figural portraits of cooly detached women (usually friends or models she hired) set against a decorative background, such as the present work, the poetically titled The Dreamer. One of MacRae's most expressive figure paintings, The Dreamer is more than just a portrait of an unknown beauty, but a formidable arrangement of shapes and patterns. The woman's white bustier dress offers a dashing contrast with the rest of the painting - a symphony of soft pinks, yellows and greens - and allows the model to stand out and echo the white lilies to her right, thus associating woman and flower. This symbiosis is further enhanced by the general treatment of the work, which MacRae transforms into a rough, gritty surface that resembles a woven tapestry or flaking fresco. Applying her paint sparingly, MacRae allows the texture of the canvas to show through, making it look (and feel) like a dry, plastery surface. Applied to portraiture, this technique produces a "cool, detached...almost impersonal note," and grants her work the same timeless appeal as Renaissance chefs d'oeuvre or Japanese block prints–an influence suggested by the vase at left, the oriental motifs of the background tapestry as well as the overall color harmony - an usual combination found in export ceramics. The result is an elegantly simple, resolutely modern portrait that conveys the "appeal of [a] quiet, dreamy and meditative existence and serenity" as Page Talbott explains.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) Iris Decoration Signed 'EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE' bottom left; also titled on old label affixed to stretcher verso, oil on canvas laid down to gessoed board 30 1/8 x 34 in. (76.5 x 86.4cm) Housed in a Richard Kuehne frame (son of the artist). Provenance Grand Central Galleries, New York, New York. Richard York Gallery, New York, New York. Acquired directly from the above. Private Collection, California. Exhibited Grace Horne Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts, 1923. "One Man Show," Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, New York, 1936, no. 20. "One Hundred and Thirty Second Annual Exhibition," Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 24-February 28, 1937, no. 235. "Emma Fordyce MacRae 1887-1974," Richard York Gallery, New York, New York, November 19-December 17, 1983, no. 3. In excellent original condition. Please note the white losses are part of the artist's working technique. Examiantion under UV light does not reveal any inpainting. The marroon hues do fluoresce, but this is due to the pigments, not a sign of restoration. Some remnants of light varnish, indicative of a recent selective cleaning. Frame: 37 1/2 x 41 3/8 x 2 in. To request additional information, please email Raphaël Chatroux at rchatroux@freemansauction.com
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Beach Signed 'EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE' bottom left; also with Estate of the Artist stamp verso, oil on canvas laid down to board 22 x 28 in. (55.9 x 71.1cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Note One of the largest body of works by Emma Fordyce MacRae was produced on Cape Ann, where the artist sojourned with her family (in a house that would become hers when her father passed in 1925). As Karen E. Quinn states however, "unlike most artists who were drawn to Gloucester or Rockport for the season, her connection to the Cape was first forged by her family tied and may even predate her aspirations to be a professional painter." Yet, MacRae largely partook in the art scene, and often met with fellow women artists Fern Coppedge, Cecilia Beaux, Teresa Bernstein, as well as John F. Sloan, Max Kuehne, Harry Leith-Ross and Antony Thieme. She painted alone, and further distanced herself from her friends by painting a side of the peninsula that was largely overlooked along Ipswich Bay. The present painting likely depicts Half Moon Beach, on the Western shore of Rockport. Although the beach is crowded with figures, the scene appears calm. That is because there is little movement in the painting - a timeless quality further accentuated by the tapestry-like effect of the painting, which differentiates it from the smoother, richer and warmer harbor views and beach scenes which Fern Coppedge or Martha Walter executed at the same time. Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia. In overall very good condition. With a pinhead-sized flake at upper right corner. Please note the other apparent "losses" are in fact part of the artist's working technique. Remnants of old varnish as seen under UV light. No sign of restoration otherwise noticed. Frame: 28 x 34 x 2 in. To request additional information, please email Raphaël Chatroux at rchatroux@freemansauction.com
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Fishermen's Houses (Cape Ann) Signed 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE' bottom right; also with Estate of the Artist stamp verso, oil on canvas laid down to board 25 x 30 in. (63.5 x 76.3cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited "Emma Fordyce MacRae Solo Exhibition," Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, New York, November 24-December 5, 1936, no. 10. "Solo Exhibition," Richards Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts, April 15-May 4, 1935, no 10. "Exhibition of Paintings by Emma Fordyce MacRae," Corona Mundi International Art Center of Roerich Museum, New York, New York, February 7-March 22, 1930, no. 24 John Fitzgerald Kennedy Presidential Library, Washington D.C., September 1951. Literature Spartanburg Journal, Spartanburg, September 7, 1951 (illustrated). Note The present work shows how much structure, and composition played an important role in Emma Fordyce MacRae's paintings. Here, she reduces the coastal environment to basic geometric shapes (cubes). The foreground path introduces a strong diagonal line, which mirrors the ledge of the harbor in which elongated boats are anchored, thus creating a series of parallel diagonal lines repeating themselves until the horizon is carved out. Interestingly, and maybe stubbornly so, MacRae chooses not to depict the harbor in its entirety and instead faces inland - a highly unusual move at the time, which proves MacRae's unusual eye, and interest in mundane, quotidian details overlooked by other artists of the colony. Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia. In overall good condition. Examination under UV reveals light reveals a layer of varnish throughout. Slight inpainting along the top outer edge of the canvas. With some relatively minor repairs across the top tier sky (localized and mostly resulting from old scratches). Some more retouching visible towards the bottom of the right outer edge. Again at center of the bottom outer edge edge. Minor pinpoint inpainting on two of the houses, one at top right (roof), the other at center left (facade). Some more localized repairs at bottom right quadrant on the path (like the above, inpainted scratches). See Specialist's pictures for more details. Frame: 31 1/4 x 36 x 1 3/4 in. To request additional information, please email Raphaël Chatroux at rchatroux@freemansauction.com
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Self-Portrait in Brown Signed and dated 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE/1925' upper left; also with the Estate of the Artist stamp verso, oil on board 25 3/4 x 17 7/8 in. (65.4 x 45.4cm) Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited "Thirty-Eighth Annual Exhibition," The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, October 29-December 13, 1925 (as Portrait in Brown). Note Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia. In seemingly excellent original condition, save for light abrasions along the extreme outer edges of the work (covered by the frame). The board itself might need securing. Examination under UV light reveals some fluorescence on the woman's face (forehead, cheeks, eyebags and chin) but as it appears consistent with the brushwork, we do not consider it a sign of restoration. See Specialist's pictures for more details. Frame: 31 x 23 x 1 1/2 in. To request additional information, please email Raphaël Chatroux at rchatroux@freemansauction.com
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Stelka Signd 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE' bottom left; also with The Estate of the Artist stamp verso and inscribed with artist on stretcher and frame verso, oil on canvas 36 x 32 in. (91.4 x 81.3cm) Executed in 1929. Housed in a Richard Kuehne frame (son of the artist). Provenance The Artist. The Estate of the Artist. By descent in the family of the Artist. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited Grand Central Galleries, New York, New York, n.d. "Exhibition of Portraits, Landscapes and Small Sculpture," The Union League Club of New York, New York, New York, January 10-14, 1929, no. 17 National Arts Club, New York, New York, 1930 (won Gold Medal). "Emma Fordyce MacRae, N.A. 1887-1974," Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts, March 1-July 20, 2008. Literature Town & Country, New York, April 15th, 1929 (illustrated on the cover). Note Born in Vienna to American parents, Emma Fordyce MacRae pursued part of her artistic training at the New York School of Art, where she studied under Kenneth Hayes Miller, who encouraged her sense of design and use of simplified forms. She first exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1918, and officially joined the Philadelphia Ten in 1937, during the most productive period of her career. She later opened studios of her own in New York and Gloucester, Massachusetts and exhibited extensively on the East coast until her death in 1974. Best known for her floral still lifes often paired with fragments of interiors or Japanesque tapestries (see Lot 87), MacRae also received critical praise for her figural portraits of cooly detached women (usually friends or models she hired) set against a decorative background, such as the present work, Stelka, which won the National Arts Club gold medal in 1930. One of MacRae's finest figure paintings, Stelka is more than just a portrait, but a formidable arrangement of shapes and patterns. Here we are confronted with the vision of a highly mysterious woman whose distinctive attire, combined with her titular name, suggest she is of Eastern European origin. Her white blouse offers a dashing contrast with the rest of the painting and allows the model to stand out. Yet, the colorful flower patterns that decorate her sleeves and torso echo the palette of the surrounding elements: orange, blue, purple and green, hereby creating a synergy between the figure and her environment. This symbiosis is further enhanced by the general treatment of the work, a rough, gritty surface which resembles that of a tapestry or a fresco. Applying her paint sparingly, MacRae allowed the texture of the canvas to show through, making it look (and feel) like a dry, plastery surface. Applied to portraiture, this technique produces a "cool, detached,... almost impersonal note," and grants her work the same timeless appeal as Renaissance chefs d'oeuvre or Japanese block prints - an influence suggested by the oriental motifs of the background tapestry. Unlike fellow members of the Philadelphia Ten who liked to paint their models in a loose, smooth and overall warm way, MacRae preferred to work in a flattened, linear style. Yet, the result is an elegantly simple, resolutely modern portrait that conveys the "appeal of quiet, dreamy and meditative existence and serenity" as Page Talbott explains. In contrast to Melina in Green, sold at Freeman's in Philadelphia on June 6, 2022, lot 88 (now a world-record for the artist's work) the portrait is vertically oriented, which is schematically enhanced by the figure itself, standing and not sitting, as well as by the vertical lines of the rectangular frame hanging in the background. This change of format adds to the solemnity of the model, and to the importance of the work, which suddenly becomes stately and can be analyzed as a modern version of a court portrait, that of an unknown beauty. Please note proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly to Alzheimer's Research UK, Britain's leading dementia research charity, and will consequently help research Alzheimer’s disease and other causes of dementia. The unlined canvas in excellent original condition, without any sign of restoration as seen under UV light. Some of the pigments (namely the light pinks) fluoresce under UV light: this is due to the paint, and not inpainting. Please note that the white losses throughout the work are due to the artist's working method. See Specialist's pictures for more details. Frame: 43 3/8 x 39 3/8 x 2 in. To request additional information, please email Raphaël Chatroux at rchatroux@freemansauction.com
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) New England in September Signed 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE' bottom left, oil on canvas laid down to gessoed board 24 7/8 x 29 7/8 in. (63.2 x 75.9cm) Executed in 1934. In a Max Kuehne frame. Provenance Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited: Grand Central Art Galleries, New York, New York, November 24-December 5, 1936, no. 11. Boston Art Club, Boston, Massachusetts, January 19-February 6, 1937, no. 16. "The Philadelphia Ten Annual Exhibition," Art Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1937. The Cosmopolitan Art Association, New York, New York, 1937. The MacDowell Club, New York, New York, 1939. Studio Guild, New York, New York, 1940. Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey, 1940. Note Please note the proceeds of the panting's sale will go directly towards funding research into Alzheimer’s and other causes of dementia, as proned by Alzheimer's Research UK – Britain's leading dementia research charity. Frame: 31 x 36 x 1 3/4 in. In overall good condition. The paint has been applied very unevenly, which resulted in some areas being bare, which is consistent with the artist's working method: no signs of abrasions or craquelure, but part of the process. Examination under UV light reveals minor inpainting at bottom right corner (on the dock), with a thinly repaired arch-shaped scratch in the water in the bottom right quadrant. Small repair on the green roof at center left. See specialist's pictures for more details.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Melina in Green Signed and dated 'EMMA FORDYCE MAC RAE/1931' upper right, oil on canvas laid down to gessoed board 32 x 36 1/8 in. (81.3 x 91.8cm) In a Max Kuehne frame. Provenance The Artist. By descent in the family. Private Collection, United Kingdom. Exhibited "The Philadelphia Ten," Art Club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 18-April 9, 1938. Milch Gallery, March 1931. National Academy of Design, New York, New York, Winter 1931. National Society of American Artists, New York, New York, 1932. National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, New York, New York, 1933. Women's University Club, Seattle, Washington, March 1933. Dorothy Coburn Gallery, Ashland University, Ohio, September 1933. Boston Art Club, Boston, Massachusetts, Summer 1933 (partial label visible verso). MacDowell Club, New York, New York, December 1933. "Paintings by Emma Fordyce MacRae, A.N.A. (Mrs. Homer Swift), Doll and Richards Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts, April 15-May 4, 1935, no. 2. National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, New York, New York, Summer 1936. American Women's Association, New York, New York, February 24-March 21, 1937. Grand Central Gallery, New York, New York, before 1938. MacDowell Club, unknown location, February 1938. Madison Colledge, Harrisonburg, Virginia, November 1951. The Currier Gallery (now Currier Museum of Art), Manchester, New Hampshire, n.d. (per label verso). Literature Boston Sunday Post, July 16, 1933. Philadelphia Inquirer, March 20, 1938. Muskogee Sunday Phoenix & Times-Democrat, February 11, 1951, Section 2. American Art Review, Vol. X, No. 1, January-February, 1998, p. 115 (illustrated). Page Talbott and Patricia Tanis Sydney, The Philadelphia Ten: A Woman's Artist Group 1917-1945, Galleries at Moore and American Art Review Press, 1998, pp. 109, 152, pl. 64 (illustrated p. 109). Note Born in Vienna to American parents, Emma Fordyce MacRae pursued part of her artistic training at the New York School of Art, where she studied under Kenneth Hayes Miller, who encouraged her sense of design and use of simplified form. She first exhbited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1918, and joined the Philadelphia Ten in 1937, during the most productive period of her career. She later opened studios of her own in New York and Gloucester, Massachusetts and exhibited extensively on the East coast until her death in 1974. Best known for her floral still lifes often paired with fragments of interiors or Japanesque tapestries, MacRae also received critical praise for her figural portraits of cooly detached women (usually friends or models she hired) set against a decorative background, such as Melina in Green. The present work was shown during the artist's second exhibition with the Philadelphia Ten, and sparked immediate interest, due to the contrast it offered in comparision with the other works on view. The reviewer for the Main Line Times recalled: "her portraits are arresting, not because of the people (...) but because of the extraordinary sense of pattern and harmony of time. They are simple but forceful compositions." Considered one of MacRae's finest figure paintings, Melina in Green is indeed more than just a portrait. It is a formidable arrangement of shapes and patterns, which speaks to the artist's affinity with both the Italian Quattrocento and Japanese prints. Like Mary Elizabeth Price, MacRae had an affinity for ancient techniques, especially those of the Italian Renaissance. The two artists worked differently however, and MacRae preferred to apply her paint sparingly to allow the texture of the canvas to show through, almost as a dry, plastery surface. Applied to portraiture, this technique produced a "cool, detached,... almost impersonal note," which granted her work a timeless appeal. The present painting shows a rather mysterious woman dressed in an elegant emerald-green dress, which offers a ravishing contrast with her milky skin. Turned towards the viewer, the woman holds an open book and has placed her left hand on her hip, as if she was challenging our presence. Behind her is a neutral backdrop. A framed Japanese print of a woman dressed in a kimono hangs next to her. The Japanese figure directs her gaze towards Melina, creating a synergy between the two, as their respective palette, shapes and poses echo each other. From this confrontation results a certain akwardness, a moment lost in time. These elements are further tied together by the surface texture of the work, which adds to the overall intemporality of the scene, as if we were admiring an old fresco. As Frances R. Grant described it while her work was on view at the Roerich Museum in 1930: "A loveliness of old textures constantly suggests itself in the work of Emma Fordyce MacRae (...) Just as the human impressions of pleasure are interspun with many threads of sensation, her paintings transmit the wrap and woof of color and light, until her modd is delicately and subtly created." This is no less true of the present work, than of the next lot, a highly decorative New England landscape. Please note the proceeds of the painting's sale will go directly towards funding research into Alzheimer’s and other causes of dementia, as proned by Alzheimer's Research UK – Britain's leading dementia research charity. Frame: 39 x 43 x 2 in. In overall very good condition. Examination under UV light reveals localized inpainting, very minor. For example in the upper left quadrant (in the corner itself, and along the top outer edge, just above and on the Geisha's hat). Somore more pinpoint inpainting at center, along the border of the screen and the brown background (most likely an old flake). Another one further down at the end of the woman's tunic. Some more careful retouching in the bottom left quadrant (on the open book's gutter and at the bottom of the screen, to the left). The figure is intact, save for a small dot of inpainting at bottom center, along the bottom edge, on the figure's dress, and another on her right temple (on the hair). See specialist's pictures for more details.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887-1974) "Eve" Post-Impressionist and Nabis influenced oil on burlap mounted on masonite painting depicting a reclining nude woman in front of an elaborate and symbolic tapestry decorated with an archer and palm tree within a tree of life border with peacocks and flowers, signed to lower left, titled to verso, and housed within a carved green and gilt painted hardwood frame. Fordyce Macrae was raised in New York City and later in her life became chairwoman of the National Association of Women Artists. Restoration to tapestry detail on right side and some minor losses to frame; textured surface due to age. Image: 29.5" H x 39" W; frame: 38" H x 47.5" W x 2" D. Provenance: Removed from an 870 UN Plaza estate; purchased from Graham Gallery May 2nd, 1989.
Emma Fordyce Macrae (American, 1887-1994) oil on canvas, depicting a view of a shite boar, from the Inner Harbour in Gloucester, MA. [Aart: 22" H x 30" W; Frame: 28 1/2" H x 36 1/2" W]. In good condition.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (American, 1887–1974) Daffodils; together with a companion Oil on canvas laid down to board 15 7/8 x 11 7/8 in. (40.3 x 30.2cm) In a Newcomb-Macklin frame. together with: Edith Longstreth Wood (American, 1885–1967) still life with tulips Signed 'WOOD' bottom left, oil on canvas 18 x 20 in. (45.7 x 50.8cm) (2) provenance: Jim's of Lambertville, Lambertville, New Jersey. Acquired directly from the above. Private Collection, Pennsylvania.
EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE American (1887-1974) White and Yellow Freesias oil on board, signed upper left "Emma Fordyce Macrae" 15 3/4 x 12 inches Provenance: Private Collection, New York. Other Notes: Tags: still-life, floral, American Impressionist / Impressionism A label on the back identifies the provenance as from the collection of Mrs. Swift of Park Ave. Framed dimensions - 22 1/4 x 18 1/4 x 2 inches
EMMA FORDYCE MACRAE American (1887-1974) Daffodils oil on board, signed upper left "Emma Fordyce Macrae" 16 x 11 3/4 inches Provenance: Private Collection, New York. Other Notes: Tags: still-life, floral, American Impressionist / Impressionism Framed dimensions - 22 1/4 x 18 1/4 x 2 inches
Oil on canvas mounted to board, portrait of a woman, signed lower left "Emma Fordyce Macrae" (American, 1887-1974). [Art: 20 x 16 inches; Frame: 27 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches]. Minor paint losses to background.
Emma Fordyce MacRae (NY/MA, 1887-1974), Elizabeth oil on canvas on board, signed and dated 1929 at upper left, presented in a period appropriate carved and giltwood frame, retaining an exhibition label on the verso for the American Federation of Arts. SS 39.5 x 31.5 in.; DOA 48.5 x 40.5 in. New York City raised, Emma Fordyce MacRae attended Miss Chapin's School and the Brearley School. She continued her art studies at the Arts Students League and was later a member of the National Academy of Design. MacRae was also a member of the extended Philadelphia Ten, a group of women artists who worked and exhibited together from 1917 to 1945. She exhibited extensively during her lifetime, at such prominent NYC galleries as Anderson Galleries and Grand Central Galleries. The Argent Gallery, New York Sotheby's, New York, 1996, lot 114 Christie's, New York, October 1, 1998, Sale 8151, Lot 169. Exhibited: New York, American Federation of Arts, n.d. Charlotte, North Carolina, Mint Museum Randolph, Personal Preferences: Paintings from the Jim Craig and Randy Johnson Collection, February 1 - June 3, 2007 (this portrait was the cover illustration for News of the Mint Museums, March-April 2007) From the Collection of James H. Craig and Randy S. Johnson, Sarasota, Florida Additional high-resolution photos are available at LelandLittle.com
Emma Fordyce MacRae American, 1887-1974 By Bethesda Fountain, Central Park Signed Emma Fordyce MacRae (ll); Estate stamped on the reverse Oil on Masonite 18 x 26 inches (45.7 x 66 cm) Provenance: Estate of the artist C
