Bather With Red Hat by Alice Neel sold for $10,625 at Hindman Auctions Prints & Multiples sale on May 12, 2022 in Chicago. An American visual artist, Neel was known for her portraits of everyone from friends, family and lovers to artists and complete strangers. According to a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, though people were Neel’s predominant subjects, she hated the word “portrait” and instead preferred that her works simply be referred to as “pictures of people,” a more encompassing term of the diverse racial, social and economic backgrounds of the individuals she painted.
Neel had an uncanny ability to capture the true essence of her subjects, particularly her nudes, which contradicted the typical objectified depictions of women by some of her male peers. Per the San Francisco Chronicle, a current exhibition of Neel’s work at the De Young Museum in San Francisco is rather timely, as her work and ability to focus on the human condition in “all its complicated intimacy” are as relevant as ever, particularly with the humanitarian crisis currently taking place in Ukraine.
Estate planners and advisors share a mutual virtue with Neel—people (or clients) always come first. Despite being ignored for much of her early career due to being at odds with conventional art trends, social consciousness and documenting historical events were always of primary importance. Neel was much less concerned with selling her art or critical acclaim (though she did eventually rise to much deserved critical acclaim). The art of estate planning shares a similar emotional component, with most professionals being first and foremost passionate about drafting plans that take care of the needs of their clients rather than simply providing efficient tax strategies.
Some of our other favorites, from Hindman Auctions Prints & Multiples sale on May 12, 2022 in Chicago, can be found throughout the issue.