Bidding on artwork owned by the Boy Scouts of America wraps up Friday. The auction started last month with the money paying for a settlement with survivors of abuse.
"This is an opportunity for people to own a valuable piece of art but to also, hopefully, open their pocketbooks or wallets just a little bit wider and actually make a contribution to a wonderful cause," says Settlement Trustee Barbara Houser.
The settlement trust was created as part of the Boy Scouts of America's bankruptcy declaration in 2020. The organization's artwork was among property transferred to the trust to compensate 64,000 victims.
"They have waited, literally, decades, multiple decades, for someone to acknowledge what happened to them," Houser says.
Among items included in the first auction are five items by Norman Rockwell: Beyond the Easel; Boys and Dogs, New Puppies; Homecoming; To Keep Myself Physically Strong; and We Thank Thee O' Lord, Study.
"To many people, he is the Michelangelo of our country," says Heritage Auctions Senior Vice President and Director of American Art Aviva Lehmann. "We wanted to give an offering of different Rockwalls that sort of bring something different with each work."
Lehmann says Beyond the Easel is one of few Rockwell self-portraits.
"Rockwell chose to paint himself surrounded by Scouts," she says. "That tells us everything we need to know about Rockwell's feelings and relationship with Boy Scouts of America. It was an incredibly important and special part of his career and life."
Bidding on Beyond the Easel was $240,000 Friday morning.
Homecoming shows a boy wearing his uniform as he is welcomed home by family. Lehmann says the level detail shows Rockwell produced this piece at the "height of his artistic abilities."
"Everything from the texture of the red carpet, you can feel the fuzzy texture of the carpet, to the zipper, to the knuckles on his hand, to the walking stick," she says. "These are the hallmarks of a great Rockwall painting. It's sensory overload."
The top bid for Homecoming was $440,000 Friday morning. The auction ends at 2 p.m. Friday.
A complete list of items included in the auction is available HERE.
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