Oprah recently revealed the 6-foot work of art in her home that has kept her grounded and acts as a daily reminder of her history. This work of art by American genre painter Harry Roseland is entitled “To the Highest Bidder.”


The painting is of a slave woman, standing on the auction block, with her young daughter who clings to her with all her might. Oprah says that the image reminds her of the sacrifice of those who came before her, and how important it is for her to keep pushing forward.
Watch Oprah’s speech:
This all came about because the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) just opened an exhibition in honor of Oprah Winfrey’s life and accomplishments. It’s called “Watching Oprah: The Oprah Winfrey Show and American Culture.” At the link above, Oprah discusses the painting that is so dear to her heart, along with other treasured items, at the NMAAHC’s inaugural Women’s E-3 Summit on Empowerment, Entrepreneurship and Engagement.
“To the Highest Bidder” has always been a piece in our image collection that causes a lot of emotions in us and our customers because of what it represents. It is our hope that as more people get their very own prints of “To the Highest Bidder,” that awareness will spread and we will all keep pushing forward towards positive, and long-lasting change.
Thank you so much for this article Ravi,