by Rich Reitzell
On entering the lobby of the Jonathan Town Club, most Jonathans and guests gain an immediate impression of entering a special space that reflects the sophistication and distinction that has long been a hallmark of the Jonathan Club. With an ambience of relaxed refinement, the Club welcomes visitors from the nearby city bustle and outside world. For many, this impression is greatly enhanced by the presence of the amazing art that graces the walls and hallways of our venerable Club. This prestigious collection of art has been collected and preserved for over 100 years by both the Club and the Jonathan Art Foundation (JAF) and remains a source of beauty, pride, and even comfort for those who appreciate the presence of great art. While widely appreciated by art connoisseurs, some may not realize that the collection is among the premier collections historical California art in the world. The paintings represent a veritable Who’s Who of the gifted artists who established the vibrant southern California art community in the early twentieth century as the Los Angeles area grew from a modest town to the burgeoning metropolis that would become one of the world’s great cities. Their impressionistic art would become the foundational art of Southern California and helped convey and establish an enduring and national image of the unspoiled beauty and landscapes of the Golden State.
For four decades, the Jonathan Art Foundation has assured that the Club’s art is displayed with pride and maximal visual impact. Paintings have been cleaned and conserved, state-of-the-art lighting has been installed throughout the lower floors, and the paintings are dramatically framed to showcase their beauty. Perhaps more significantly, the JAF continues to add additional works through timely and carefully planned acquisitions of new and important art. In recent years, over a dozen new paintings have been acquired and added to the collection including paintings by Arthur Beaumont, John Frost, John Gamble, Anna Hills, Jean Mannheim, Edgar Payne, Hansen Puthuff, Guy Rose, Elmer Wachtel, Marion Kavanaugh Wachtel, William Wendt, and Theodore Wores, as well as the addition of a uniquely appropriate Andy Warhol print at the Jonathan Beach Club. This commitment to growing the art collection in both quantity and especially quality, continues to add to the value and legacy of the Jonathan Club and its collection of historic California art.
William Wendt, A Homestead Hidden, 1938, oil on canvas
With increasing financial and donor support and recognizing the opportunity for responsibly expanding the collection, the Jonathan Art Foundation’s Board recently established an Art Advisory Group to assist the organization in finding, evaluating, and pursuing future acquisitions. Coordinated by former JAF president and art advisor Rich Reitzell, the group includes two well-respected industry experts who are fellow Jonathans and two leading independent collectors who are well-connected, knowledgeable, and are familiar with the Club’s art, traditions, and heritage.
John Marshall Gamble, Poppies and Lupines, 1912, oil on canvas
The advisors recently assisted in reviewing the JAF’s Strategic Acquisition Plan and worked with the board to identify the guiding principles and specific targets for future acquisitions. Designed to bring discipline and focus to seeking new purchases, the document identified gaps in the current collection including major artists that are unrepresented, artists whose current paintings should be upgraded to more relevant examples, outstanding paintings from lesser-known artists, as well as other opportunities to enhance the prestige of the collection.
While the JAF has been able to identify paintings coming to auction or available through leading art dealers, it has had little access or awareness of the private art market. This market, similar to pocket listings in real estate, often includes some of the best art from the artists that we are seeking. Having art advisors who are aware of our wants and are directly involved in this space, allows us to consider paintings that are selling behind closed doors. In addition, as the JAF focuses more and more on the top paintings from the leading artists of the period, it is expected that the prices necessary to successfully acquire these works will more closely represent fair market value. In assessing this, it will be invaluable to have the counsel of these industry insiders in determining both the relative quality of a particular piece of art, as well as the current value based on market conditions and relative demand.
Finally, whether an acquisition candidate was discovered by a member of the art foundation, an interested Jonathan member, or brought forward by the art advisors, the vetting process of the Art Advisory Group assures that the board’s decision to fund an acquisition is based on neutral assessments of price, value, artist relevance, fits within the strategic plan, its quality, importance of the work, as well as the impact of a specific addition to the collection as a whole.
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