Arts

The Treasures of Houston’s Most Fearless Preservationist to be Auctioned Off in Special Event: Friend to The Heights Would Want His Prized Possessions to Spread Joy

BY Promoted Series Correspondent // 03.21.18

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Bart Truxillo celebrates his 70th birthday, Magnolia Ballroom, May 2012, with pal Mary Hooper. (Photo Jenny Antill Clifton)

Bart Truxillo in a 2004 portrait by Chinese artist Gho Shun. In the background, the painter depicted his subject's beloved Castle residence in the Heights. This portrait as well as Truxillo's extensive collection form the basis of Lewis & Maese's auction Saturday, March 24, at noon.

Ernest Maese and David Lewis with an early William Anzalone figurative canvas, from the estate of Bart Truxillo. The Houston auction house is continuing its tradition of auctioning significant art-world estates. (Another recent auction featured the collection of the late Jesús Moroles.)

The late collector and activist's home at 18th and Harvard, known as the Castle, was the poster house for the preservation movement — and the Heights best known dwelling. Bart Truxillo restored the once crumbling Queen Anne in the 1970s and lived there for more than 40 years.

Truxillo commissioned numerous artists to paint his portrait. Here, a rendition by Patrick Palmer from 2004. Palmer is the faculty chair and dean of the Glassell Studio School, MFAH.

A towering canvas by late New Orleans artist George Dureau of Bart Truxillo, dated 1993. The museum-collected Dureau was a mythic figure in the art scene of the Crescent City.

An intricate work on paper from the Bart Truxillo estate by Pedro Friedeberg, the last living Mexican Surrealist.

An egg tempera portrait of Bart Truxillo by Barrie Tinkler, dated 1967, a year before he acquired the Magnolia Ballroom. Throughout his life Truxillo commissioned numerous artists to paint his likeness.

A Lucas Johnson work on paper, one of several works by the late Texas painter in the Lewis & Maese Auction of the Bart Truxillo estate. Johnson was a Heights neighbor and recipient of Texas Artist of the Year honors in 1996.

Pedro Friedeberg small sculptures are among the artworks in the Lewis & Maese Auction, set for Saturday, March 24, noon. Art dealer Gus Kopriva of Redbud Gallery, a long-time friend of Truxillo, donated his time and expertise to catalog the artworks in the 400-lot auction.

A hand-painted print by Amita Bhatt from the Truxillo Collection that originally came from Redbud Gallery.

A Greco-Roman-inspired bronze of a drunken Silenus hints at Truxillo's ready wit and aptitude for entertainment.

Preservationists Randy Pace and Bart Truxillo at the Heritage Society's reprisal of NoTsuOh celebrations at the Magnolia Ballroom, 2015. The restored ballroom, which he had owned since 1968, was often donated by Truxillo to many nonprofits for functions. (Courtesy the Heritage Society)

A Donald Roller Wilson canvas, from the estate of the late Monty Frost, will be among the other notable lots in the Saturday, March 24 Lewis & Maese Auction. The Surreal image was used for the cover of Frank Zappa's album "The Perfect Stranger."

Bart Truxillo celebrates his 70th birthday, Magnolia Ballroom, May 2012, with pal Mary Hooper. (Photo Jenny Antill Clifton)

This article is promoted/partner content and not produced by the editorial staff.

He could be called the A & P man — as Bart Truxillo’s passions could be distilled down to two main endeavors: Art and Preservation.

And interwoven into this pair of principal pursuits would be the C word — for Community. If ever there was an ambassador for the Houston Heights, that was Truxillo. Friend and neighbor, he was the interceder in the needs of a litany of people who relied on him — for advice, financial assistance, patronage, or even something as prosaic as finding a notary and a ride to get there. Read more about Truxillo, and his legacy here.

When Truxillo passed away suddenly of an aneurysm on April 19, 2017, one month shy of his 75th birthday, his death was a huge loss, deeply mourned both on personal levels as well as by the many nonprofits he worked tirelessly for. No more would we glimpse this dapper original who could be seen gardening every morning in a wide brimmed straw hat at his restored Queen Anne stick-style home in The Heights known as the Castle.

But what lives on is that beautiful century-old home, as well as his great preservation victory — the Magnolia Ballroom, a circa 1912 monument to one of our metropolis’ preeminent industries back in the day. And above all, Truxillo’s intense commitment to saving Houston’s past, remains as example and legend.

Fellow preservationist Minnettte Boesel, current vice chair of the Astrodome Conservancy, tells PaperCity,

“The first week I moved to Houston in 1982 I met Bart while he was giving a walking tour of the Market Square Historic District. He will always be remembered for his pioneering and decades-long historic preservation efforts. His legacy continues to inspire and gives resonance to the importance of revitalizing and preserving the character of our historic neighborhoods and buildings.”

A photorealist canvas by Gregg Farris features the Magnolia Ballroom. Painted 2011, it shows Truxillo’s first preservation victory, achieved in 1968, three years after he received his architecture degree from the University of Houston.

On the Block

Now you can own a treasure from Truxillo’s personal collection, especially works from his prized trove of art, when Lewis & Maese Auction Co. presents an auction to benefit his estate.

Coming across the block will be works by some of Texas’ storied artists, all acquaintances or dear friends with the late collector, including notables James Surls, Ed Wilson, Lucas Johnson, Charles Pebworth, Herb Mears, William Anzalone, and outsider Charlie Stagg. Art historical figures such as a work on paper by the master of the Folies–Bergère, Toulouse-Lautrec, is also in the lot lineup, as are several charming sculptures and a work on paper by Mexico’s iconic Pedro Friedeberg.

Art dealer and long-time pal of Truxillo, Redbud Gallery’s Gus Kopriva has personally cataloged every artwork on the block — donating his time to assist Lewis & Maese in organizing the auction. (Gus and his wife, artist Sharon Kopriva, hosted Truxillo’s wake and posthumous 75th party at the Redbud complex May 17, 2017.) Sharon Kopriva sculptures — the artist has exhibited at The Menil Collection — will be among the lots.

Truxillo’s collection shares the auction stage with furnishings and artworks from a River Oaks mansion, as well as a 19th century Greco-Roman-style sculpture of a goddess from the storied collection of Judge Roy Hofheinz, the big daddy of the Astrodome, and artworks from the collection of the late Monty Frost. Most collectible of the Frost lots is the original Donald Roller Wilson surreal canvas that was used for a famous album cover — Frank Zappa’s The Perfect Stranger.

Auction Details

What: Fine Art & Antiques Auction featuring Bart Truxillo Estate with furnishings and artwork from other important Houston collections and estates.

When: Cocktail preview, Thursday, March 22, 5 to 8 pm. Preview days Friday, March 23, 10 am to 5 pm; Saturday, March 24, 10 am to noon.

Auction featuring 400 plus lots, Saturday, March 24, noon.

Where: Lewis & Maese Auction Co., 1505 Sawyer St. Suite C.

Phone: 713-869-1335.

Info: Additional details and highlights here.