New Yorker cartoonist Peter Arno usually worked on paper or illustration board to create his signature pieces. Occasionally he worked on canvas using oil paint, but it's rare to see such a painting of his come on the market. It's far more common, in fact, to see oils by the Parisian artist who shared his name. Still, on February 23 an oil painting of a World War II dogfight was offered at Clars Auction Gallery which is unlike any Arno painting we have seen before. An American fighter pilot is seen head on, guns a-blazing, while enemy aircraft fall out of the sky. The auction house dates the work to 1941. To make matters challenging, there is no other Arno oil on canvas available on the internet for comparison, at least none to my knowledge.
The signature looks to be Arno's, but there is a curious shadow effect as if the signature was overpainted and moved. Underneath the signature is the Army Air Corps insignia lacking, apparently, the central red circle one would expect in 1941.
Eight bids raised the bidding from the $2,000 opening to a robust $3,750, but the reserve was apparently set precisely at the low estimate of $4,000. (The only time I have ever heard booing at an auction was in response to this practice of setting the reserve at the low estimate, which is the highest price permissible and is not considered very sporting of the seller.) Thus the lot was bought in or passed and everyone's time was wasted over a single bid increment.
Is the somewhat nondescript fighter pilot depicted wearing goggles identifiable as an Arno figure? There certainly isn't much to go on. Nevertheless, I offer the New Yorker cover of September 3, 1966 in a different medium as a comparison:
Note: Anyone with additional knowledge of this piece or of its publication history, if any, should get in touch. Peter Arno oils are rarities. I would be happy to publish any (provided that are not by the French artist Peter Arno). Original Arno works that are new to the internet are of course always welcome here.
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The signature looks to be Arno's, but there is a curious shadow effect as if the signature was overpainted and moved. Underneath the signature is the Army Air Corps insignia lacking, apparently, the central red circle one would expect in 1941.
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| Peter Arno Clars Auction Gallery February 23, 2020 |
Eight bids raised the bidding from the $2,000 opening to a robust $3,750, but the reserve was apparently set precisely at the low estimate of $4,000. (The only time I have ever heard booing at an auction was in response to this practice of setting the reserve at the low estimate, which is the highest price permissible and is not considered very sporting of the seller.) Thus the lot was bought in or passed and everyone's time was wasted over a single bid increment.
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| Clars Auction Gallery Bidding History |
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| Peter ArnoThe New Yorker, September 3, 1966 |
The details compared:
Note: Anyone with additional knowledge of this piece or of its publication history, if any, should get in touch. Peter Arno oils are rarities. I would be happy to publish any (provided that are not by the French artist Peter Arno). Original Arno works that are new to the internet are of course always welcome here.
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