Christopher Brown (American, b.1951)

Who is painter Christopher Brown?

Christopher Brown is a Berkeley-based representational painter whose work straddles the line between representation and abstraction. His pieces often feature war, soldiers, landscapes, and movie scenes. Brown is obsessed with technique and form, he once said in an interview that subject was almost irrelevant to his process, “The subject matter comes and goes, but all the paintings deal with issues that are purely painterly. Like issues of light, movement, and depiction.” Brown’s beautiful technique and knack for color choice give each piece a gravity that belies the subject matter.

Christopher Brown’s work is indicative of his love of the Pop Art movements of both the US and Great Britain, but they also show a broader love of modern mediums like television and movies. His work has most recently caught the eye of many prestigious galleries. He has mounted exhibitions at the John Berggruen Gallery in San Francisco, the Friesen Gallery, the Minneapolis Institute of Fine Arts, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and several others. He is also the recipient of a Fulbright scholarship.

What kind of art does Christopher Brown make?

Christopher Brown is a painter whose work often skirts the edge between representational and abstract paintings. His subjects often come from his love of Pop Art and mass media. This can mean depictions of war, movie landscapes, fruit still lives, and work based on famous (or not famous) photographs. His paintings are known for their colors, which is no accident. Brown’s priorities lie in the painterly aspects of his work -- light and movement, and how those interplay with each other.

How did painter Christopher Brown get started?

Christopher Brown was born in 1951 on a Marine Corps base in North Carolina. His father was the on-base doctor. When Brown was just three years old, the family moved again -- this time to Ohio. It was there that Brown’s interest in art began. His mother enrolled him in a painting class around this time, and Brown believes that the formation and sensation of his memories is directly linked with painting from then on. Brown attended the University of Illinois in Champaign where he majored in painting. He followed this with an MFA from UC Davis. During his time in California, Brown began to experiment with pop art and representational painting. His subjects reflected the tension between reality and how an object can be presented by mass media. He received an NEA endowment as well as a Fulbright scholarship. He continues to work and teach in the Bay Area.

How much are Christopher Brown paintings worth?

Christopher Brown paintings have a value between about $1,200 for a minor work and over $100,000 for a major painting. The most ever paid at auction for a Christopher Brown painting is $131,200 for the piece The Biglin Brothers (After Eakins) (1982) which sold on July 17th, 2003. It is by far the highest selling Brown painting, out-earning his second highest by nearly $100,000 (the second is The Painter Van Dyck (Within His Talent and Without His Freedom) (1991)). This second one then, may represent a more accurate ceiling for most of Brown’s work.

Where to buy Christopher Brown paintings for sale?

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How to value Christopher Brown paintings?

The best way to value art is to compare past auction prices for similar works. View past sale prices below. When you’re ready to sell, contact Heritage Auctions to request an auction estimate of the likely selling price at auction. If you need a formal written appraisal for estate planning or insurance, please contact our Appraisal Services department.