Peter Kloman

Specialist
Los Angeles

Peter Kloman started his career at Christie’s in the Estates & Appraisals department, which readied him for his Specialist’s role in American Paintings. Prior to joining Christie’s, Peter worked at both the National Gallery of Art and The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. Peter received a B.A. in Art History from the University of Virginia.

Eric P. Widing

Deputy Chairman
New York, Rockefeller Center

Presently head of the American Paintings Department, Eric Widing has worked at Christie’s for over a dozen years. His interest in art started early, when at the age of eleven he purchased an exhibition catalogue on the art of Andrew Wyeth. Prior to joining Christie’s, Mr. Widing worked for seventeen years as a dealer in American Art, first with the Spanierman Gallery in New York. He later served as director of the Richard York Gallery. Subsequently he founded his own gallery, Widing & Peck Fine Art. His gallery represented the Estate of George Bellows and handled important American art from 1750 to 1950 – the focus of Mr. Widing’s entire career. In all, Mr. Widing has spent nearly thirty years in the American Art business. During Mr. Widing’s tenure at Christie’s, the American Paintings Department has established new world records for artists in virtually every category of American Art. Among them is the 2008 sale of Thomas Moran’s Green River of Wyoming for $17,737,000, the highest price ever achieved at auction for any 19th century American painting. Also in recent years, among other records, Christie’s established a new world record for any painting of the Stieglitz circle with the sale of Marsden Hartley’s Lighthouse for $6,313,000. In the last year alone, Christie’s has established an additional thirty new world records in American art. With respect to private sales, an important part of Christie’s business, Mr. Widing was one of a team of two who sold Thomas Eakins’ The Gross Clinic in 2006 for $68,000,000, the highest price ever achieved for a work of art in the field. A recognized authority on American painting and sculpture, Mr. Widing is often cited in the national press and has lectured widely at museums and universities across the country. He is a graduate of Williams College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was awarded the Karl E. Weston prize for the best senior thesis in Art History.

Elizabeth Sterling

Head of Department
New York, Rockefeller Center

Elizabeth Sterling joined the American Art department in 2004. Prior to joining Christie’s, she interned with a major New York auction house and worked for a prominent American Paintings dealer. Ms. Sterling received a B.A. in Art History from William College

Elizabeth Beaman

Specialist
New York, Rockefeller Center

Elizabeth Beaman Dizard joined the American Paintings department in New York as Vice President, Senior Specialist in June 2011. Prior to joining Christie’s, Elizabeth held the position of Vice President, Specialist of American Paintings at another major auction house in New York, where she worked for 10 years. During her time there, Elizabeth participated in several notable sales, including the collections of Rita & Daniel Fraad, Vivian & Meyer Potamkin, and The New York Public Library and was responsible for overseeing the catalogues for the major sales. Elizabeth earned a dual degree in Art History and French from Vanderbilt University.

Aviva Lehmann

Specialist
New York, Rockefeller Center

Aviva Lehmann began her career at Christie's in 1998, first as a client service representative and then as a sale administrator for the Maritime and Nineteenth Century European Art departments. In 2002 she moved to the American Paintings department and shortly thereafter became Head of the Fine American Paintings sales (2004-2006). These semi-annual sales generated over $5 million dollars in gross income per year during her tenure and established world auction record prices for more than two dozen American artists. In 2006 Ms. Itzkowitz was promoted to her current position as Associate Specialist for the Important American Paintings auctions where she is active in appraisals and business development. Aviva earned her B. A. Magna cum Laude in Art History from Yeshiva University in New York. Prior to joining Christie’s, she was an assistant curator in the Books & Manuscripts Department at the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.

Kayla Carlsen

Specialist
New York, Rockefeller Center

Kayla Carlsen joined Christie’s in 2005 and is presently an Associate Specialist in American Art. As head of the Fine American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture sales, Kayla oversees the collection and sale of property for the department’s March and September auctions. These sales generate over $6 million in gross income annually and in the last Fine sale, thirteen world auction records were set. Prior to joining Christie’s, Kayla completed the Fellowship Program in American Material Culture at Historic Deerfield in Massachusetts and interned in the Curatorial Department at Olana State Historic Site, the Home of Hudson River School artist, Frederic Edwin Church. Kayla holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. She is presently a Master’s candidate in Art History at Hunter College in New York.

Catherine Foster

Specialist
New York, Rockefeller Center