A Leading Dealer in California, Western, and American Art

Steven Stern Fine Arts is a leading gallery specializing in important California paintings, Western art, American Impressionism, Modernism, and historic American paintings from the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Founded by California art dealer and scholar Steven Stern, the gallery has developed a national reputation for handling significant works by many of the most important artists associated with California Impressionism, the American West, and American modern art.

Steven Stern Fine Arts buys, sells, brokers, and advises collectors on important works of art, with particular expertise in Early California art from 1900 to 1945, California Impressionist painting, Western American painting, Bay Area Figurative art, and American art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The gallery actively handles works by artists including Edgar Payne, William Wendt, Guy Rose, Maynard Dixon, Joseph Kleitsch, Granville Redmond, Franz A. Bischoff, Maurice Braun, Armin Hansen, Selden Gile, Jessie Arms Botke, John Frost, Joseph Henry Sharp, Walter Ufer, Frank Tenney Johnson, Birger Sandzén, E. Irving Couse, and many other important American artists.

Expertise in California Art

Steven Stern is recognized for his deep knowledge of historic California painting and his experience locating, researching, evaluating, acquiring, and placing important works in private and institutional collections.

Through years of scholarship, exhibitions, market experience, and direct relationships with collectors, estates, museums, and art professionals, Steven Stern Fine Arts has become a trusted resource for collectors seeking exceptional examples of California Impressionism and Early California painting.

The gallery has handled important paintings representing many of the central movements and regions of California art history, including:

California Impressionism
Laguna Beach painters
Pasadena and Los Angeles painters
Carmel and Monterey Peninsula artists
Northern California Modernism
Bay Area Figurative art
California Regionalism
Western American painting
American Modernism
American Social Realism

Our focus is not simply on selling paintings. We believe that the best art dealing requires a combination of scholarship, connoisseurship, market knowledge, historical research, and an understanding of quality.

Every painting is evaluated individually based on authorship, period, subject matter, condition, provenance, exhibition history, literature, and importance within the artist’s career.

A Trusted Source for Important California Paintings

Collectors searching for important California paintings often come to Steven Stern Fine Arts because of our specialized understanding of the field.

Whether the work is a major Sierra Nevada landscape by Edgar Payne, a Southern California landscape by William Wendt, a Western scene by Maynard Dixon, a coastal painting by Guy Rose, or an important work by another historic American artist, our goal is to provide knowledgeable, direct, and discreet guidance.

We work with established collectors as well as individuals who may have inherited a painting and are trying to understand its artist, history, quality, and market value.

Sell Your Painting

Steven Stern Fine Arts is actively seeking important California paintings, Western American paintings, American Impressionist works, and significant 20th-century American art.

We purchase individual paintings as well as entire collections and estates.

Owners are invited to contact us regarding paintings by major California and American artists. We offer confidential evaluations and can provide guidance regarding:

Private sale
Direct purchase
Consignment
Collection evaluation
Estate planning consultation
Market analysis
Provenance research
Museum-quality placement

We understand that selling an important painting can be a major personal and financial decision. Our approach is private, professional, and based on decades of specialized market experience.

Buying and Selling Paintings Nationwide

Although Steven Stern Fine Arts is based in California and is particularly known for its expertise in California art, the gallery works with collectors, advisors, estates, and institutions throughout the United States.

We travel regularly to evaluate paintings and collections and are always interested in hearing from owners of important works.

Our clients include new collectors, experienced private collectors, estates, designers, advisors, and institutions seeking knowledgeable representation in the acquisition and sale of significant American paintings.

Scholarship, Research, and Connoisseurship

The best art dealers do more than transact in paintings. They help preserve the history of artists and the movements they represent.

Steven Stern has devoted years to the study, rediscovery, promotion, and exhibition of important California and American artists. His work combines market expertise with historical research and a strong belief in scholarship as the foundation of serious art dealing.

The gallery continues to organize exhibitions, research artists, document important works, and help collectors better understand the historical significance of the paintings they own.

Why Collectors Choose Steven Stern Fine Arts

Collectors and sellers work with Steven Stern Fine Arts because of our focused expertise, discretion, accessibility, and understanding of the California and American art markets.

For collectors interested in California paintings, California Impressionism, Early California art, Western American painting, and important American art, Steven Stern Fine Arts offers specialized expertise, significant inventory, and knowledgeable guidance.

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