The Legacy of
Sherman K. Edmiston Jr. and Essie Green Edmiston

Sherman K. Edmiston Jr. and Essie Green Edmiston were champions of Black patronage, whose pursuit of art was built on the foundational belief in raising the Black American voice. This November, Bonhams is pleased to present a selection of masterpieces from the couple’s collection over two major sales: Post-War & Contemporary Art on 16 November and American Art on 17 November.

The Edmistons opened their first gallery, Park Plaza Gallery, on the ground floor of their Park Slope, Brooklyn home in 1979. After meeting Romare Bearden, who would become a close friend and mentor to the couple, Essie began pursuing art by Black masters.

Over the course of the 1980s, Sherman and Essie developed their program of trailblazing Black artists. In 1989, the couple opened Essie Green Galleries in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem, in a brownstone where it remains today. By championing artists such as Norman Lewis, Jacob Lawrence, Sam Gilliam, Charles Alston, Lois Mailou Jones and Romare Bearden, the Edmistons built an outstanding legacy of Black patronage and community. The Edmistons are remembered for their influence on the academic and institutional narrative of 20^th century painting.

Post-War & Contemporary Art

16 November | New York

Three vibrant works from the Edmiston’s collection are coming under the hammer in our 16 November Post-War and Contemporary Art auction. Untitled (Gathering), a 1955 painting by the Harlem-born Abstract Expressionist Norman Lewis, is an example of the artist’s unshakable belief in the power of art.

Meanwhile, Blue Unions (1972) by Washington D.C. artist Sam Gilliam is an early work by the artist, who has since become a Blue-chip name, with works in the collections of major museums worldwide.

Charles Henry Alston’s Abstraction (Yellow) (1960) is another highlight from the sale. Like the Edmistons, Alston was dedicated to arts and education, active during the Harlem Renaissance.

American Art

17 November | New York

On 17 November, works by Romare Bearden and Edward Bannister will feature in our American Art auction. Bearden was a close friend of the Edmiston’s, and their relationship was one of mutual respect and admiration.  Untitled (Woman in Landscape) is a prime example of Bearden’s mastery of depicting modern life.

Bannister is one of the best-known landscape painters in Rhode Island, and the first Black artist to attain national recognition. His painting Figure on a Pier at Edge of Lake is another stunning example of the Edmiston’s discerning eye.