Robert C. Kauffmann (American, 1900-1999)

Paintings

Who is painter Robert C Kauffmann?

Robert C Kauffmann was a commercial artist and illustrator. He is best known for his magazine and periodical cover pieces. He illustrated five covers for The Saturday Evening Post in their heyday -- from 1925 to 1938. Additionally, Kauffmann provided illustrations for a number of other prestigious publications and organizations like Liberty Magazine and The Red Cross posters. For many years, Kauffmann was on the faculty at the Murray Art School in New York City.

What kind of art does Robert C Kauffmann make?

Robert C. Kauffmann was best known for his commercial illustration work, which included five different covers for the Saturday Evening Post. Much like Norman Rockwell, Kauffmann excelled at showing the lighter side of life, juxtaposed along with a touching moment of Americana. That’s not the only way in which both artists were similar, though Rockwell has received much more attention over the years, Kauffmann was also a master of color, composition, and frequently taught his students to develop their formal technique. Many of his humorous pieces were featured as Saturday Evening Post covers, including Radio Reception Problems (1925). He also illustrated several well-known ads from this time period including The Big Straw Hat Fashion (1925) for Mallory Hats.

How did painter Robert C Kauffmann get started?

Robert C Kauffmann was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1900. Not much is known of his early life, but Kauffmann excelled at commercial illustration. He parlayed this into work on several notable advertising campaigns during the 1920s and 1930s, including ones for The Red Cross, Mallory Hats, and several others. His work on these campaigns caught the eye of the Saturday Evening Post, which eventually ran five of his covers, from 1925 to 1938. Eventually, Kauffmann would begin teaching commercial illustration at The Murray Art School, regularly giving talks for the Advertising Club of Wilkes-Barre during their luncheon meetings. He was obsessed with the importance of color, composition, and the fundamentals of layouts -- using 35mm color slides to illustrate the importance of each.

How much are Robert C Kauffmann paintings worth?

Robert C. Kauffmann’s work is worth from $938 to over $10,000 depending on the size and medium. The most ever paid for a Robert C. Kauffmann painting is $10,755 for the piece Art Deco Era Woman Skier, magazine cover (1933-1938) which sold on October 15th, 2008. It was sold by Heritage Auctions. Heritage holds the record for the top five sales of Kauffmann pieces at auction and has a great history with the artist’s work.

Where to buy Robert C Kauffmann paintings for sale?

See works for sale below. Why buy from Heritage? Art buyers feel confident because our experts know the market and put careful valuations on artwork for sale. We make the bidding process easier to help you expand your art collection.

How to value Robert C Kauffmann 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.