Heritage’s May 19 American Art Auction Spans the Category’s Spectrum, from Rockwell to Gilliam

Tightly curated sale highlights masterworks of illustration, Western painting and modern abstraction, led by Norman Rockwell, N.C. Wyeth, Maurice Sendak and Sam Gilliam DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRESS KIT DALLAS, Texas (May 1, 2026) — Heritage’s May 19 American Art Signature® Auction presents a tightly edited and deeply considered survey of the category, bringing together masterworks that trace the evolution of American art from the 19th century through the modern era. Anchored by exceptional examples of illustration, Western painting and postwar abstraction, the sale reflects both the historical depth of the field and its continued expansion. “This auction really captures the full breadth of what defines American Art today,” says Aviva Lehmann, Heritage’s Deputy Chairman of Fine Art. “We’ve brought together a focused, high-quality group of works that moves from the Hudson River School through to artists like Sam Gilliam, whose inclusion reflects how the category continues to evolve in meaningful and thoughtful ways.” That evolution builds on the momentum of Heritage’s previous American Art sale, which totaled just under $15 million and saw particularly strong demand for Golden Age illustration. This season, that strength is once again a defining feature, with a focused emphasis on works on paper and the enduring power of narrative image-making. Among the highlights is Norman Rockwell’s Willie Gillis in Convoy (circa 1943), a charcoal study tied to one of the artist’s most beloved narrative series. First introduced on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1941, Willie Gillis became Rockwell’s everyman soldier — “an innocent fellow who suddenly found himself caught up in a completely strange life,” as the artist later described him. Over the course of eleven covers, Rockwell charted Gillis’ journey through World War II, humanizing the American soldier not through scenes of combat, but through moments of emotional clarity and quiet humanity. The work is offered as part of The Edward Arrigoni Collection of Illustration Art, a group that underscores Rockwell’s mastery of storytelling and his unparalleled ability to translate individual experience into images of national resonance. A second major Rockwell highlight, Study for Cheerleaders(1952), reveals the artist’s psychological acuity in a different register. Depicting three young women in the aftermath of a lopsided defeat, the composition captures a spectrum of emotion — shock, frustration and exhaustion — with remarkable sensitivity. More than a scene of adolescent disappointment, the work reflects Rockwell’s evolving engagement with the inner lives of his subjects. “Rockwell understood that illustration could operate on multiple levels at once,” Lehmann says. “These works are not just narrative—they’re deeply observed studies of American life, filled with nuance and empathy.” That emphasis on illustration continues with a significant work by N.C. Wyeth, whose 1929 painting for Edna Ferber’s Cimarron represents a major rediscovery. Long known only through photographic reproduction, the painting emerges here for the first time on the market. Wyeth, a central figure of the Golden Age, brought a painter’s ambition to his commissions, creating images that transcend their origins to achieve the scale and emotional resonance of history painting. In this work, the enigmatic figure of Doctor Valliant is rendered with striking restraint, set against a vast Western landscape that mirrors the psychological depth of the narrative. The sale also features two important works by Maurice Sendak, the most influential figure in 20th-century children’s illustration and an artist for whom Heritage continues to break records. A group of intimate watercolor and pencil studies created for a late-1990s Bell Atlantic campaign demonstrates Sendak’s ability to adapt his iconic “Wild Things” into new contexts, transforming creatures once associated with childhood fear into reassuring, even playful guides. Complementing these is a rare preliminary drawing related to a monumental public mural, offering a direct window into Sendak’s creative process at the moment where character, narrative and environment converge. “Sendak fundamentally changed the emotional language of illustration,” Lehmann says. “His work bridges imagination and psychological truth in a way that continues to resonate across generations.” Beyond illustration, the auction presents strong examples of American painting across multiple traditions. Works by Ernie Barnes, from the collection of noted patron John W. Mecom, Jr., highlight the artist’s singular ability to elevate everyday experience into moments of theatrical intensity. In The Trick Shot (1983), a quiet Southern pool hall becomes a stage for rhythm and communal presence, while First Impressions (1982) distills the act of athletic pursuit into a suspended, almost balletic moment of anticipation. The Western tradition is equally well represented, with works that span both historical and interpretive approaches to the genre. William Robinson Leigh’s Ornery Going (1946) captures a moment of tension and control within a rugged canyon landscape, its dynamic composition and dramatic use of light reflecting the artist’s academic training and narrative instincts. G. Harvey’s Dallas Remembered (1985), by contrast, offers a more atmospheric vision of the past, depicting a rain-soaked city at the turn of the 20th century, where horse-drawn carriages and electric streetcars coexist in a moment of urban transition. The painting’s luminous surfaces and cinematic quality evoke the emotional texture of memory itself. Additional Western material includes works by artists such as Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell, drawn from a prominent Texas collection, further reinforcing the sale’s regional depth. At the same time, the auction reaches beyond traditional boundaries with the inclusion of Sam Gilliam’s Composition with Diagonal (1982), a powerful example of postwar abstraction. Associated with the Washington Color School yet ultimately transcending its conventions, Gilliam redefined the possibilities of painting through his use of color, material and form. In this work, layered and shaped canvas elements create a dynamic sculptural presence, with a strong diagonal structure guiding the viewer across a richly textured surface. “Gilliam’s work challenges us to think more expansively about what American Art can be,” Lehmann says. “Including him in this context is part of an ongoing effort to present the category in a way that reflects both its history and its future.” That forward-looking perspective extends beyond the auction itself. During the New York preview, Heritage will host the 2026 American Art Conference in partnership with the International Artist Conference (IAC), bringing together scholars, curators and collectors to explore the evolving definitions and directions of the field. The sale also includes a selection of works from the Boy Scouts of America Settlement Trust, personified by Rockwell’s A Friend in Need (1949), a tender example of the artist’s ability to capture quiet moments of care and connection. Depicting two Scouts tending to an injured dog, the painting reflects Rockwell’s enduring interest in everyday acts of service, rendered with emotional immediacy. Additional highlights range from 19th-century landscapes by Thomas Moran and Albert Bierstadt to works by Will Barnet, Childe Hassam, Rockwell Kent, Tom Lea, Stanton Macdonald-Wright and Andrew Wyeth, among others, reinforcing the sale’s comprehensive scope. “We’re very intentional about how we build these sales,” Lehmann says. “It’s not about volume. It’s about quality and coherence, and presenting a group of works that, together, tell a compelling story about American Art.” Images and information about all lots in the auction, as well as preview information, can be found here. Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 2 million registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of 7,000,000 past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit. For breaking stories, follow us: HA.com/Facebook and HA.com/Twitter . Link to this release or view prior press releases . Hi-Res images available: Christina Rees, Director of Public Relations and Communications 214-409-1341; CRees@HA.com