Pauline Simon

(American, 1898-1976)

The Egyptians, c. 1970

oil on canvas

signed Simon and titled (verso)

30 x 36 inches.

Property from the Collection of Suellen Rocca, Chicago, Illinois

Lot Essay:

Suellen Rocca was an artist as well as instructor, collector in addition to curator. Her distinctive compositional arrangements and initially loose mark-making set her art production apart from her peers, a generation of artists colloquially known as the Chicago Imagists. Likewise, she taught in schools and colleges in and around Chicago for a range of age groups from diverse backgrounds, including students at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), The Jane Addams Hull House, and Elmhurst College, among others. Rocca’s personal collection included the present cache of prized works created by her friends and fellow artists— often obtained through trades and purchases made amongst them— and she stewarded these works just as she dutifully attended to Elmhurst College’s art collection, where she served as Curator and Director of Exhibitions since 2006. Boasting over 150 works, Elmhurst’s collection echoes Rocca’s own, since its growth is, in part, a result of donations and gifts made directly by artists.

Rocca got an incredibly early start in the arts, and followed an esteemed trajectory throughout her career. A bit of a wunderkind, her artistic talents were recognized by a grade school teacher who recommended she attend children’s art classes at The Art Institute of Chicago, and by age 16, she was entering art school on scholarship at SAIC. It was there that instructors nurtured the development of Rocca’s eye, hand and personal collecting habits, and after graduating, she and a group of like-minded friends and fellow SAIC classmates—including Gladys Nilsson— formed an exhibition group.

They named themselves Hairy Who, and in a natural evolution from the informal, generative and also stimulatingly competitive relationships forged in art school, they began mounting now infamous exhibitions at The Hyde Park Art Center on Chicago’s Southside. Together, Rocca and her peers created a bold context for their work, framing it within ornate exhibition designs accompanied by zany ephemera. The control and autonomy their collective, communal efforts yielded was a form of mutual aid—their exhibition group both emphasized and benefited Rocca and each artist as individuals.

The critical acclaim Rocca and the Hairy Who garnered is still unparalleled when considered within the context of Chicago’s history of art. In the greatest form of flattery, they inspired subsequent generations to follow in their footsteps, beginning with exhibition groups such as Nonplussed Some and False Image, which included Phil Hanson and Roger Brown. In this way, Rocca’s wide-ranging and lifelong commitment to the arts not only showcased her unique abilities and vision, but also supported and provided opportunities for others to make and show their own art.

Thea Liberty Nichols

Surface dirt; overall basic good and stable condition

Framed: 31 x 36 3/4 inches.

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Joseph Stanfield

Senior Vice President, Director, Fine Art

[email protected]312.280.1212

As the head of Hindman’s Fine Art Department, Mr. Stanfield is instrumental in bringing in major consignments from private collectors, estates, dealers and institutions. He has led the department to dozens of auction records, with a particular focus on Chicago Modernism. Mr. Stanfield has played an integral role in the development of the American & European and Post War & Contemporary Art categories, with the most successful year for the department in company history coming in 2021. He also oversaw a house record for total sales for a week of Fine Art auctions in May 2022. Mr. Stanfield is also the lead auctioneer for the Fine Art sales at Hindman. Prior to returning to Hindman in 2019, he was at Toomey & Co. for eight years, where he oversaw important collections including the estate of Candice B. Groot, the collection of Governor Jim Thompson, and the estate of Robert E. Beck. Mr. Stanfield earned a BA from the University of Kansas where he studied Art History.

Zack Wirsum

SVP, Head of Department, Post War and Contemporary Art

[email protected]312.600.6069

Mr. Wirsum joined the firm in 2007 as a Fine Art registrar and became a department specialist in 2013, with a focus on Post War and Contemporary art. Through his vision, the department has achieved record breaking prices. Mr. Wirsum evaluates and appraises well over 5,000 works of art each year, collaborating with leading international committees and experts on authentication. Prior to joining Freeman's, Mr. Wirsum served as an assistant director and conservator at the Chicago Conservation Center. He received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a practicing painter with gallery representation.

Surface dirt; overall basic good and stable condition

Framed: 31 x 36 3/4 inches.

Please email for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Post War and Contemporary Art

The Egyptians, c. 1970

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