An art auction is being held by Pangea Auctions in Carson City, Nev., on February 10. The auction will include many paintings and drawings by American artist Paul Riba along with antique Native American collectibles and pre-Columbian gold jewelry. Of all the lots hitting the block, Riba's painting "Spirit of the 76's" is perhaps the most valuable. Collectors who are interested in bidding on this painting or any of the other available lots can visit iCollector.com to browse the entire catalog and place absentee bids.
Paul Riba
Paul Riba was an American painter who rose to prominence in the mid-20th century. He received his training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art and the Cleveland Institute of Art before going on to teach at the latter for 14 years. Riba is known for his style of magical realism, wherein he brought together seemingly unrelated objects and painted them in a realistic style. His paintings became very highly lauded, earning him a permanent exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Ohio State Capitol as well as temporary exhibitions at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the New York World Fair and the Chicago Art Institute, among others.
"Spirit of the 76's" (lot #43) is a great example of Riba's magical realism style. The painting depicts a bald eagle cast in bronze clutching a shield bearing the stars and stripes. Surrounding this focal point are various symbolic images such as a weather vane of a Native American shooting an arrow, a silhouette of what appears to be George Washington, a watermelon slice, a brass bell, an urn and various other items. All this is set on the background of a Midwestern landscape. This painting is full of American imagery and coded messages, a great find for any collector of American art.
Other lots of interest
This Paul Riba painting will be available as part of an auction that includes many other interesting pieces of American indian art. There is a nice selection of Seminole woven baskets (lots #26-35) from the mid 1900s as well as pre-Columbian gold jewelry, including an earring (lot #53) and various nose ornaments (lots #54-56). Those looking for a truly unique addition to their collection of antique weaponry can bid on a 19th century Native American brass hatchet (lot #1) and a stone and animal skin tomahawk from Chief Osceola of the Seminole tribe (lot #5).
iCollector.com contains a full listing of lots from this auction as well as many other auctions around the world, providing collectors and enthusiasts access to wide selection of rare and unique items.