Heritage Auctions

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Heritage Auctions to offer stunning collection of Contemporary Latin Artists, June 3

DALLAS, TX - The John Simpson McKaughan, Jr. Collection of South American Art - more than 90 distinct canvases and works on paper ranging from sublime primitives to sophisticated abstraction, with everything in between - will be offered in its own auction, June 3, 2009, in a Signature® Auction at Heritage Auction Galleries.

When he started buying contemporary South American Art in the 1950s, McKaughan wasn't intentionally setting out to assemble what would become - half a decade later - one of the finest individual collections of Latin Art in the world. To hear him tell it, McKaughan was simply seeking an honesty of expression he felt was sorely lacking in mid-century American painting.

"Too much emulation, not enough inspiration or originality," says McKaughan with a smile and a wave of his hand. "It all seemed to me just so much trivia."

Now in his early 80s, McKaughan is still full of the same passion and outspokenness that made him a force in creating the world market for South American art. What has changed today, however, is that he is ready to re-gift the world with the singular canvases he so lovingly assembled through three decades of collecting.

"John was collecting Latin American artists at a time when most people would have thought modern painting stopped at the equator," said Michael Duty, Managing Director of Fine and Decorative Arts at Heritage. "One look at this collection and its accumulated value, however, reveals a very sophisticated collector and a wonderfully original group of artists."

McKaughan made his name and reputation as Art Director for Braniff Airways starting in the 1950s. As such, he proved a driving force behind design and branding innovations that heavily influenced modern industrial design, with several - such as the airline ticket sleeve - that became staples of the transportation industry across modes.

During his travels in South America, starting in 1959 and continuing well through the 1980s, he sought out artists and galleries across the South American continent. In doing so, he came to count many of the artists as good friends and became a recognized authority on the genre. Among the broad array of nations he regularly visited and collected from are Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia.

Heritage will auction more than 90 paintings and works on paper in the auction representing more than 60 artists. Among the most high-profile of these are Jorge de la Vega, Rómulo Macció, Arcangelo Ianelli, Fernando de Szyszlo, Thomaz Ianelli, Eduardo Kingman, Manabu Mabe, Tomie Ohtake and Rodolfo Opazo.

All formally striking, the works range in price and size from 8 x 11" works on paper to 4 ½ x 6 ½' canvases, all with an appeal to established collectors of Latin American art and newer collectors of contemporary art.

Highlights include, but are not limited to:

Jorge de la Vega (Argentinean, 1930-1971), La Pata Roja, 1964:
Estimate: $200,000-$300,000

Rómulo Macció (Argentinean, b. 1931), Retrato a Mano, N.D.:
Estimate: $20,000-$30,000

Arcangelo Ianelli (Brazilian, b. 1922), Domingo de Noviembre, 1964:
Estimate: $15,000-$30,000

Fernando de Szyszlo (Peruvian, b. 1925), Casa Ocho Orantia, 1966:
Estimate: $18,000-$30,000

Thomaz Ianelli (Brazilian, b. 1932), O Trapezista, 1972:
Estimate: $10,000-$15,000

Eduardo Kingman Riofrio (Ecuadorean, 1913-1997), Arpista, 1963:
Estimate: $10,000-$15,000

Manabu Mabe (Brazilian, 1924-1997), Dominate, 1967:
Estimate: $10,000-$15,000

Tomie Ohtake (Brazilian, b. 1913), Botão, 1976:
Estimate: $8,000-$12,000

Rodolfo Opazo (Chilean, b. 1935), Presagio, 1965:
Estimate: $8,000-$12,000

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Client Services at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1150, or visit www.HA.com/Catalog to order by email.

Heritage Auction Galleries is the world's third largest auction house, and by far the largest auctioneer of rare collectibles, with annual sales more than $700 million, and 400,000+ registered online bidder members. For more information about Heritage's auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

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