Norman Lewis' Birds in Flight to star at Swann

Norman Lewis' Birds in Flight (1953) is valued at $150,000-200,000 ahead of a sale of African American art at Swann Auction Galleries.

Lewis (1909-1979) painted a series of works inspired by birds. This beautifully lyrical canvas was only recently rediscovered.

Norman Lewis Birds
Norman Lewis was the sole black artist in abstract expressionism's first wave

Swann explains: "Lewis' abstraction reflected an awareness of his urban surroundings - echoing shapes and patterns seen in washing lines, tenement windows, storm clouds and birds flying over head."

His work has become increasingly valuable in recent years, with an untitled painting from 1958 selling for a record $965,000 last year.

This canvas is valued at around $150,000-200,000 and was originally given as a gift to Lewis' close friend Marvin Lagunoff - Simon & Garfunkel's manager.

The sale will take place in New York on October 6.

Al Loving's Three Solid Questions is expected to make around $120,000-180,000.

The triptych dates to 1969 and was one of six canvases shown at his first solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York that year.

It looks set to become one of Loving's most valuable canvases.

Other highlights include a set of 18 photographs by Sam Vanderzee (1886-1983) that show various key figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

We have some incredible art and photography memorabilia for sale.

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