Description:

Ben Sakoguchi
n.p., n.d.
Ben Sakoguchi Segregated Baseball Original Painting, Signed by the Award-Winning Artist
Signed art
A superb original painting by renowned baseball artist Ben Sakoguchi (b. 1938), accomplished in bold bright acrylic paint on stretched canvas. This painting, titled "Gentlemen's Agreement," measures 11" x 10" (sight) and is set into a minimalist wood frame with a 1/4" border and measuring 2" tall. Sakoguchi signs on the verso of the canvas in full. With a wire for hanging and the original tag attached thereon. In fine condition.

This exact painting was exhibited at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles in 2016, and the painting has the exhibition tags on verso. We checked with Sakoguchi's gallery upon the receipt of this consignment and note that new items currently for sale (and often not as detailed as this one) range in price from $6,500-$16,000!

The painting is one of Sakoguchi's series "The Unauthorized History of Baseball in 200-odd Paintings" in which he both honors and critiques America's favorite pastime. These modeled on graphic and eye-catching style of late-nineteenth century orange crate labels that adorned the wooden boxes used by citrus companies before the advent of cardboard boxes. Sakoguchi had been enthralled with the vivid imagery used in this advertising art and, turning an eye towards the sometimes-fraught history baseball, evoked the style in an novel way that creates richly detailed images which simultaneously please the eye and activate the mind.

"Gentlemen's Agreement" casts a critical eye on baseball segregation, invoking the dates before Jackie Robinson broke "the color barrier" as well as a graphic reminder of the segregated rooms. Interspersed with these details are 12 highly-realistic portraits of legendary team owners including: Charlie Comisky, Emil Fuchs, Will Harridge, Mark Griffith, Tom Yawkey, Dan Topping, Ford Frick, Larry MacPhail, Connie Mack, Warren Giles, Sam Breadon and Philip Wrigley.

At the center of the painting stands the first commissioner of baseball, Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis who, for some, is remembered for his stonewalling of baseball integration. Clearly Sakoguchi holds this belief, positioning him over the owners, ready to throw a ball.

Sakoguchi was featured in a 4pp. article in the July 31, 2006 edition of Sports Illustrated. The artist sums up his work, saying: "In baseball, the flaw of America and the strengths of America come through. Jackie Robinson integrated the game way before the rest of society was integrated, but then two players in the Hall of Fame [Tris Speaker and Roger Hornsby] were members of the Ku Klux Klan." Nonetheless, Sakoguchi remains a fan of the game! The entire article can be accessed through this link: https://www.bensakoguchi.com/sports_illustrated.php.

Ben Sakoguchi (b. 1938) is an award-winning artist whose work has been shown in numerous galleries and was twice awarded fellowships by the National Endowment for the Arts. His work is in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Brooklyn Museum, New York; the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; the Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. in Pasadena, CA.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 11" x 10" x 2"
  • Medium: Signed art

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January 29, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000