Beauford and Bob Thompson at the Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is taking full advantage of a long term loan of the Myron Kunin Collection of American Art*. Robert Cozzolino, Mia's Patrick and Aimee Butler Curator of Paintings, shared information about Kunin Collection Focus: Bob Thompson, the most recent installation that explores the strengths and character of Kunin's collector's eye.
Image courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art
Kunin collected several works by Bob Thompson, a painter who, like Beauford, spent time in New York and Paris. Both artists worked in the Abstract Expressionist style. They participated in a group show along with fellow artist Abe Rattner at the American Artists' Center in Paris in 1962. In a scholarly article published in Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art (1999), author Geoffrey Jacques says the following about Thompson:
"His sense of color and his way of applying paint may have had their roots in art history (I find echoes of Matisse, and, to some extent, Beauford Delaney)..."
Cozzolino thought it would be good to give Mia visitors a chance to view these paintings and created the exhibition to coincide with Black History Month tours that the museum is hosting in February. It consists of 15 works - nine by Thompson, four by Beauford, one by Jan Müller (a New York-based expressionist artist whose work Thompson appreciated), and one by Baroque painter Johann Georg Platzer (Thompson frequently reinterpreted works by Baroque and Renaissance masters). By including Beauford's paintings in the show, Cozzolino aims to have viewers compare and contract his work with that of Thompson.
Mia owns four Beauford Delaney paintings, two of which are on display in the current exhibition. One of these is the famous raincoat painting from Beauford's early Paris years; the other is an untitled oil on masonite painting from his New York years. The untitled painting is hung next to Thompson's oil on canvas entitled The Wind.
The Wind by Bob Thompson (center)
Image courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art
(1947) Oil on masonite
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The raincoat painting is displayed alone, mounted on a plinth in the center of the room. Jazz Quartet and Untitled (Washington Square Park), both of which are on loan to the museum, are hung next to each other on one wall of the exhibition. Untitled (Washington Square Park) is part of the Kunin Collection.
Untitled (Washington Square Park) and Jazz Quartet (far right)
Image courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art
(1952) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1946) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Mia's sole Bob Thompson painting - Homage to Nina Simone is the focal piece of the exhibition. The remainder of the Thompson paintings on display are from the Kunin Collection.
Kunin Collection Focus: Bob Thompson is located in room G275 at Mia. It is scheduled to run through March 24, 2019. Entry to the museum is free.
Kunin Collection Focus: Bob Thompson
November 3, 2018 - March 24, 2019
Minneapolis Institute of Art
2400 Third Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Telephone: (888)642-2787 (Toll Free)
Internet: visit@artsmia.org
*Over the span of four decades, Myron Kunin assembled one of the most important private collections of American paintings from the first half of the 20th century. On extended loan to Mia from the Kunin family, the 396 paintings, 64 prints and drawings, 21 sculptures, and 77 photographs comprise one of the foremost collections of American modern art in private hands.
Knoxville Honors Beauford with Art Wraps
David Butler, Executive Director of the Knoxville Museum of Art, recently shared news about a "Downtown Art Wrap" in Knoxville that features one of Beauford's paintings. Never having heard of an "Art Wrap" before, I asked David to connect me with someone who could explain the concept. Paul James, Development Director for the Knoxville History Project, graciously granted me an interview to explain it all.
Beauford Delaney Untitled Landscape Art Wrap
Image courtesy of Knoxville History Project
Les Amis: Who conceived of the Art Wrap?
PJ: The general idea of wrapping local traffic boxes (on three or four sides with vinyl) was suggested to the Knoxville History Project (KHP) by a local downtown resident-focused group called City People. Several of their members had seen traffic boxes and utility boxes wrapped in other places using old black and white photographs or contemporary artworks.
Following feedback from Knoxville’s Public Arts Committee, KHP submitted a small grants request to City People to fund a new concept – showcasing artworks from Knoxville’s artists of the past. This approach is better aligned with KHP’s mission and provides an opportunity for visitors and residents to discover aspects of the city’s artistic heritage. Plus, colorful artworks add a greater vibrancy to downtown streetscapes than old photographs!
To get us started, City People awarded KHP a modest grant to wrap two initial traffic boxes which went on public display on Gay Street in August, 2017 featuring highly regarded local artists from the past, Catherine Wiley and Charles Krutch.
Les Amis: How did KMA and KHP join forces on this project?
PJ: Before we began, we consulted with David Butler, KMA’s Executive Director, about the general concept knowing that to be successful we would need help from KMA. David as immediately saw the potential for taking the museum’s treasures out of the museum and sharing them with the public on the city’s streets. KMA provided high resolution images of two initial paintings (by Wiley and Krutch as mentioned above) from its permanent exhibition, Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee. David’s staff at KMA has been wonderful to work with and we couldn’t have gotten this far without their generous time and support.
Beauford Delaney Untitled Landscape Art Wrap
and Knoxville Sunsphere
Image courtesy of Knoxville History Project
Les Amis: Is the intent to honor all the artists whose works are displayed in Higher Ground?
PJ: Pivotal works from Higher Ground are certainly the cornerstone of Downtown Art Wraps, and so far KHP has installed 14 Downtown Art Wraps, the majority of which are pulled from that exhibition. However, we also feature several Knoxville artworks from other local collections, including McClung Museum, East Tennessee Historical Society, and the Knox County Public Library’s McClung Historical Collection.
As the initiative expands we hope to include as many of the Higher Ground artists as possible. However, several of the paintings included in Higher Ground are on loan to KMA or have some permission restrictions that we haven’t tackled yet. Gaining permission to use any artwork is crucially important to us all.
Artists from Higher Ground currently featured include:
Beauford Delaney
Catherine Wiley
Charles Krutch
Robert Birdwell
C. Kermit “Buck” Ewing
Rudolph Ingerle
Richard Clarke
Les Amis: Who is responsible for deciding whether artists and artworks from private collections are accepted for wraps?
PJ: KHP has created a portfolio of around 20 local artists from KMA and other collections for the program. Many of the artists have multiple artworks which we’ve included in the list. KMA Curator, Stephen Wicks, has also been very helpful in recommending several artworks from Higher Ground which are not currently on display since the exhibit changes from time to time.
In addition, KHP works with KMA and other collection managers to only select artworks where we have permission to include the art and can gain access to high resolution files which are needed to enlarge for the traffic boxes. Occasionally we need additional permissions from other individuals. In the case of Beauford Delaney’s artwork we also sought permission from Mr. Derek Spratley, court appointed administrator for the Beauford Delaney estate.
Les Amis: How are the locations for the wraps selected?
PJ: KHP is primarily focusing on the downtown core of the city which includes approximately 40 traffic boxes which can be wrapped within the central business improvement district’s defined “downtown” area. However, in 2019 KHP will work with the City of Knoxville to add four new Art Wraps beyond downtown on Magnolia Avenue as part of that particular streetscapes improvement project in East Knoxville.
Map showing Downtown Art Wrap locations
(Beauford Delaney Wraps indicated by red arrows)
Screenshot from Knoxville History Project Web site
Les Amis: How long does it take to put a wrap into place once the artist and painting are agreed upon?
PJ: It may seem a straight forward process but some Art Wraps happen quickly, others take months because of delays with permissions for example. However, once we have the artist selected and high resolution artwork in hand it generally takes 2-3 of weeks to install. Steps include drafting the artist’s biography (featured on every box), locating an image of the artist (not always easy to find), and then submitting all the elements to the local company, Graphic Creations, to layout out the Art Wrap on the particular box.
Each traffic box has to be pre-measured before layout can begin. Many of the boxes are different in size and sometimes the boxes are wrapped on three or four sides. This is certainly not a cookie-cutter approach! We have learned that it’s quite a nuanced process, and we try to capture the most important elements of a painting, and where possible to include the artist’s signature in the wrap. Finally, before the wrap enters production, KHP shares the draft design with the sponsor. Installation usually takes two hours per box when the vinyl is ready.
Graphic Creations takes care, when applying the Art Wrap, not to impede air vents and hinges. They use heat to mold the vinyl securely on non-flat surfaces.
Les Amis: How are the wraps financed (municipal funds / corporate sponsors / private donations)?
PJ: KHP seeks financial sponsors for each wrap. To date, Downtown Art Wraps have been sponsored by local businesses, individuals, and organizations (eg. City People). Our attempt is to make them reasonably affordable and so sponsorships are between $1,500 and $1,750 each depending on the size of the traffic box. The revenue provides a source of income for KHP with at least a third of the fee covering production costs.
Les Amis: How easy / difficult has it been to interest the business community in sponsoring wraps?
About half of the Art Wraps have been funded through corporate support. One individual funded three boxes. Downtown Knoxville, the city’s central improvement district, funded three Art Wraps. So it has been a mixture of funding sources. We would like to see more corporations fund the program and help us fulfill our vision of completing 40 Downtown Art Wraps. It has been more difficult to interest the business community more than I thought it would be. Certainly, the response from individuals from the public have all been positive.
Les Amis: How are the wraps inaugurated?
PJ: KHP held a media event in August of 2017 to officially launch the Downtown Art Wraps program and showcase the first two boxes. (Is this what you meant?)
In addition to the first event, we have been featured on Visit Knoxville’s website:
https://www.visitknoxville.com/listings/downtown-art-wraps/1762/
We had an article featured in “Inside of Knoxville:”
https://insideofknoxville.com/2017/09/downtown-art-wraps-by-the-knoxville-history-project-appear-around-the-city/
Plus, we received a special “Preservation Media” award from one of our partners, Knox Heritage.
We haven’t planned an event for the Beauford Wraps yet but will let you know if we do so.
Screenshot of KHP Interactive Map showing
description and location of Yaddo
Les Amis: How are the wraps maintained?
PJ: KHP works directly with City of Knoxville’s Department of Engineering with installation and to monitor wear and tear, damage, and address graffiti issues. The vinyl includes a graffiti-resistant application, which although not 100% guaranteed, has worked very well so far. City engineers believe that the wraps act as a deterrent. In one case of graffiti, Graphic Creations (the installer) was able to clean off the graffiti quite easily. To date then it’s been fairly hassle-free.
Les Amis: How is a work by a particular artist selected to represent that artist?
PJ: The artworks are generally selected for their compatibility to be reproduced on a traffic box (abstract works work best) as well as their vibrancy and attractiveness in the urban setting. Plus, KHP works directly with its sponsors to help select a piece that they are inspired by from the full list of available works. In several cases, we have matched up an artist with a certain location, including a Lloyd Branson painting near where his former studio was located, or Albert Milani and his marble eagle carving across the street from the Tennessee Supreme Court building adorned with the actual eagle carvings. But the placement of traffic light intersections generally makes tying an artwork to a specific location quite difficult. That said, the Art Wraps seems to work anywhere.
Les Amis: Why were the untitled landscape and Yaddo selected to represent Beauford Delaney?
PJ: These paintings were suggested by KMA as excellent examples of Beauford’s works recently acquired by the museum.
Les Amis: Untitled Landscape is sponsored by the Knoxville Central Business Improvement District. Who sponsored Yaddo?
Beauford Delaney Yaddo Art Wrap
Image courtesy of Knoxville History Project
PJ: Yaddo was sponsored by residents at the RiverHill Gateway Neighborhood Association who were looking for creative ways to spruce up their street frontage. Diversity was important to them as that location was formerly a diverse and poor riverside shanty community. Just north of there was a section of the former African American community along First Creek – essentially erased during “Urban Renewal” in the 1950s. A Beauford Delaney painting at this location made sense.
Les Amis: Are there any other Beauford Delaney art wraps planned?
PJ: Not immediately but there is at least one more Beauford Delaney painting that we have included in our current selections which may be used in the Magnolia Avenue Art Wraps planned for mid-2019.
Les Amis: What happens to the wraps after their ~3-year lifespan expires?
PJ: Depending on wear and tear, and fading, the Art Wraps may be left up longer or switched out for different artworks with existing or new sponsors. The initiative can therefore run for years, if not indefinitely.
Image courtesy of Knoxville History Project
Les Amis: Who conceived of the Art Wrap?
PJ: The general idea of wrapping local traffic boxes (on three or four sides with vinyl) was suggested to the Knoxville History Project (KHP) by a local downtown resident-focused group called City People. Several of their members had seen traffic boxes and utility boxes wrapped in other places using old black and white photographs or contemporary artworks.
Following feedback from Knoxville’s Public Arts Committee, KHP submitted a small grants request to City People to fund a new concept – showcasing artworks from Knoxville’s artists of the past. This approach is better aligned with KHP’s mission and provides an opportunity for visitors and residents to discover aspects of the city’s artistic heritage. Plus, colorful artworks add a greater vibrancy to downtown streetscapes than old photographs!
To get us started, City People awarded KHP a modest grant to wrap two initial traffic boxes which went on public display on Gay Street in August, 2017 featuring highly regarded local artists from the past, Catherine Wiley and Charles Krutch.
Les Amis: How did KMA and KHP join forces on this project?
PJ: Before we began, we consulted with David Butler, KMA’s Executive Director, about the general concept knowing that to be successful we would need help from KMA. David as immediately saw the potential for taking the museum’s treasures out of the museum and sharing them with the public on the city’s streets. KMA provided high resolution images of two initial paintings (by Wiley and Krutch as mentioned above) from its permanent exhibition, Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee. David’s staff at KMA has been wonderful to work with and we couldn’t have gotten this far without their generous time and support.
and Knoxville Sunsphere
Image courtesy of Knoxville History Project
Les Amis: Is the intent to honor all the artists whose works are displayed in Higher Ground?
PJ: Pivotal works from Higher Ground are certainly the cornerstone of Downtown Art Wraps, and so far KHP has installed 14 Downtown Art Wraps, the majority of which are pulled from that exhibition. However, we also feature several Knoxville artworks from other local collections, including McClung Museum, East Tennessee Historical Society, and the Knox County Public Library’s McClung Historical Collection.
As the initiative expands we hope to include as many of the Higher Ground artists as possible. However, several of the paintings included in Higher Ground are on loan to KMA or have some permission restrictions that we haven’t tackled yet. Gaining permission to use any artwork is crucially important to us all.
Artists from Higher Ground currently featured include:
Beauford Delaney
Catherine Wiley
Charles Krutch
Robert Birdwell
C. Kermit “Buck” Ewing
Rudolph Ingerle
Richard Clarke
Les Amis: Who is responsible for deciding whether artists and artworks from private collections are accepted for wraps?
PJ: KHP has created a portfolio of around 20 local artists from KMA and other collections for the program. Many of the artists have multiple artworks which we’ve included in the list. KMA Curator, Stephen Wicks, has also been very helpful in recommending several artworks from Higher Ground which are not currently on display since the exhibit changes from time to time.
In addition, KHP works with KMA and other collection managers to only select artworks where we have permission to include the art and can gain access to high resolution files which are needed to enlarge for the traffic boxes. Occasionally we need additional permissions from other individuals. In the case of Beauford Delaney’s artwork we also sought permission from Mr. Derek Spratley, court appointed administrator for the Beauford Delaney estate.
Les Amis: How are the locations for the wraps selected?
PJ: KHP is primarily focusing on the downtown core of the city which includes approximately 40 traffic boxes which can be wrapped within the central business improvement district’s defined “downtown” area. However, in 2019 KHP will work with the City of Knoxville to add four new Art Wraps beyond downtown on Magnolia Avenue as part of that particular streetscapes improvement project in East Knoxville.
(Beauford Delaney Wraps indicated by red arrows)
Screenshot from Knoxville History Project Web site
Les Amis: How long does it take to put a wrap into place once the artist and painting are agreed upon?
PJ: It may seem a straight forward process but some Art Wraps happen quickly, others take months because of delays with permissions for example. However, once we have the artist selected and high resolution artwork in hand it generally takes 2-3 of weeks to install. Steps include drafting the artist’s biography (featured on every box), locating an image of the artist (not always easy to find), and then submitting all the elements to the local company, Graphic Creations, to layout out the Art Wrap on the particular box.
Each traffic box has to be pre-measured before layout can begin. Many of the boxes are different in size and sometimes the boxes are wrapped on three or four sides. This is certainly not a cookie-cutter approach! We have learned that it’s quite a nuanced process, and we try to capture the most important elements of a painting, and where possible to include the artist’s signature in the wrap. Finally, before the wrap enters production, KHP shares the draft design with the sponsor. Installation usually takes two hours per box when the vinyl is ready.
Graphic Creations takes care, when applying the Art Wrap, not to impede air vents and hinges. They use heat to mold the vinyl securely on non-flat surfaces.
Les Amis: How are the wraps financed (municipal funds / corporate sponsors / private donations)?
PJ: KHP seeks financial sponsors for each wrap. To date, Downtown Art Wraps have been sponsored by local businesses, individuals, and organizations (eg. City People). Our attempt is to make them reasonably affordable and so sponsorships are between $1,500 and $1,750 each depending on the size of the traffic box. The revenue provides a source of income for KHP with at least a third of the fee covering production costs.
Les Amis: How easy / difficult has it been to interest the business community in sponsoring wraps?
About half of the Art Wraps have been funded through corporate support. One individual funded three boxes. Downtown Knoxville, the city’s central improvement district, funded three Art Wraps. So it has been a mixture of funding sources. We would like to see more corporations fund the program and help us fulfill our vision of completing 40 Downtown Art Wraps. It has been more difficult to interest the business community more than I thought it would be. Certainly, the response from individuals from the public have all been positive.
Les Amis: How are the wraps inaugurated?
PJ: KHP held a media event in August of 2017 to officially launch the Downtown Art Wraps program and showcase the first two boxes. (Is this what you meant?)
In addition to the first event, we have been featured on Visit Knoxville’s website:
https://www.visitknoxville.com/listings/downtown-art-wraps/1762/
We had an article featured in “Inside of Knoxville:”
https://insideofknoxville.com/2017/09/downtown-art-wraps-by-the-knoxville-history-project-appear-around-the-city/
Plus, we received a special “Preservation Media” award from one of our partners, Knox Heritage.
We haven’t planned an event for the Beauford Wraps yet but will let you know if we do so.
description and location of Yaddo
Les Amis: How are the wraps maintained?
PJ: KHP works directly with City of Knoxville’s Department of Engineering with installation and to monitor wear and tear, damage, and address graffiti issues. The vinyl includes a graffiti-resistant application, which although not 100% guaranteed, has worked very well so far. City engineers believe that the wraps act as a deterrent. In one case of graffiti, Graphic Creations (the installer) was able to clean off the graffiti quite easily. To date then it’s been fairly hassle-free.
Les Amis: How is a work by a particular artist selected to represent that artist?
PJ: The artworks are generally selected for their compatibility to be reproduced on a traffic box (abstract works work best) as well as their vibrancy and attractiveness in the urban setting. Plus, KHP works directly with its sponsors to help select a piece that they are inspired by from the full list of available works. In several cases, we have matched up an artist with a certain location, including a Lloyd Branson painting near where his former studio was located, or Albert Milani and his marble eagle carving across the street from the Tennessee Supreme Court building adorned with the actual eagle carvings. But the placement of traffic light intersections generally makes tying an artwork to a specific location quite difficult. That said, the Art Wraps seems to work anywhere.
Les Amis: Why were the untitled landscape and Yaddo selected to represent Beauford Delaney?
PJ: These paintings were suggested by KMA as excellent examples of Beauford’s works recently acquired by the museum.
Les Amis: Untitled Landscape is sponsored by the Knoxville Central Business Improvement District. Who sponsored Yaddo?
Image courtesy of Knoxville History Project
PJ: Yaddo was sponsored by residents at the RiverHill Gateway Neighborhood Association who were looking for creative ways to spruce up their street frontage. Diversity was important to them as that location was formerly a diverse and poor riverside shanty community. Just north of there was a section of the former African American community along First Creek – essentially erased during “Urban Renewal” in the 1950s. A Beauford Delaney painting at this location made sense.
Les Amis: Are there any other Beauford Delaney art wraps planned?
PJ: Not immediately but there is at least one more Beauford Delaney painting that we have included in our current selections which may be used in the Magnolia Avenue Art Wraps planned for mid-2019.
Les Amis: What happens to the wraps after their ~3-year lifespan expires?
PJ: Depending on wear and tear, and fading, the Art Wraps may be left up longer or switched out for different artworks with existing or new sponsors. The initiative can therefore run for years, if not indefinitely.
Auction Results Exceed Expectations: Ahmed Bioud's Beauford Delaney Collection
ADER's sale of 9 lots of Beauford Delaney works from the collection of Ahmed Bioud exceeded the expectations of the auction house!
Jazz Band was the only oil on canvas among the works offered. ADER estimated the sale price as 15,000€ - 20,000€.
Jazz Band
(1965) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated on back
81 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This work fetched 134,000€.
Composition, 1962, an oil on paper, was estimated to sell for 3,000€ - 4,000€.
Composition, 1962
(1962) Oil on paper
Signed and dated at bottom right
50 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for 17,920€.
The mixed-media work entitled Composition, 1962 was assigned an estimated sale price of 2,000€ - 3,000€.
Composition, 1962
(1962) Mixed media on paper
Signed, dated, and dedicated at bottom right
74 x 53.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for 14,080€.
Composition, 1963, a watercolor, sold for over five times the high end of the estimated sale price range (7680€ versus 1500€).
Composition, 1963
(1963) Watercolor
Signed at bottom right, dated, and
annotated "Souvenir" at bottom left
50 x 33.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
And the gouache entitled Composition, 1964 sold for 8320€, while its estimated sale price was 1,000€ - 1,500€.
Composition, 1964
(1964) Gouache
Signed and dated at bottom right
55 x 37 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The other four works also went for handsome prices, including Lot 78 - a gouache that sold for twelve times the highest estimated sale price.
To see all the results, click HERE All sale prices include a buyer's premium of 28%.
Jazz Band was the only oil on canvas among the works offered. ADER estimated the sale price as 15,000€ - 20,000€.
(1965) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated on back
81 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This work fetched 134,000€.
Composition, 1962, an oil on paper, was estimated to sell for 3,000€ - 4,000€.
(1962) Oil on paper
Signed and dated at bottom right
50 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for 17,920€.
The mixed-media work entitled Composition, 1962 was assigned an estimated sale price of 2,000€ - 3,000€.
(1962) Mixed media on paper
Signed, dated, and dedicated at bottom right
74 x 53.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for 14,080€.
Composition, 1963, a watercolor, sold for over five times the high end of the estimated sale price range (7680€ versus 1500€).
(1963) Watercolor
Signed at bottom right, dated, and
annotated "Souvenir" at bottom left
50 x 33.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
And the gouache entitled Composition, 1964 sold for 8320€, while its estimated sale price was 1,000€ - 1,500€.
(1964) Gouache
Signed and dated at bottom right
55 x 37 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The other four works also went for handsome prices, including Lot 78 - a gouache that sold for twelve times the highest estimated sale price.
To see all the results, click HERE All sale prices include a buyer's premium of 28%.
Ahmed Bioud's Beauford Delaney Collection at Auction
Ahmed Bioud became one of Beauford's dearest friends after their meeting at Beauford's solo show at Galerie Paul Facchetti in June 1960. Beauford came to know Bioud's family as well and the Biouds would often invite him to dine with them or to join them when they traveled.
Beauford sketching in Ahmed Bioud's garden
Images courtesy of ADER
Bioud organized the sale of Beauford's Mémoire (1964) to the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne, Switzerland and ultimately was named one of the members of the tutelle that the French government organized to look after Beauford's affairs when he was at Sainte-Anne's Hospital.
In light of this close relationship, it is not surprising that Bioud would own several of Beauford's paintings. The Paris auction house ADER has nine Beauford Delaney works from his collection listed for sale during its upcoming Art d'après-guerre & contemporain (Post-war and contemporary art) auction on December 12, 2018.
See a few of them below:
Jazz Band
(1965) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated on back
81 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 15,000€ - 20,000€
Composition, 1962
(1962) Oil on paper
Signed and dated at bottom right
50 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 3,000€ - 4,000€
Composition, 1962
(1962) Mixed media on paper
Signed, dated, and dedicated at bottom right
74 x 53.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 2,000€ - 3,000€
Composition, 1963
(1963) Watercolor
Signed at bottom right, dated, and
annotated "Souvenir" at bottom left
50 x 33.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 1,200€ - 1,500€
Composition, 1964
(1964) Gouache
Signed and dated at bottom right
55 x 37 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 1,000€ - 1,500€
The dates for the nine works range from 1962 to 1966, which means that Beauford produced them while he was living at his rue Vercingétorix studio.
To view all the Beauford Delaney paintings for sale (Lots 71-79) and to learn more about the ADER auction, click HERE.
Images courtesy of ADER
Bioud organized the sale of Beauford's Mémoire (1964) to the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne, Switzerland and ultimately was named one of the members of the tutelle that the French government organized to look after Beauford's affairs when he was at Sainte-Anne's Hospital.
In light of this close relationship, it is not surprising that Bioud would own several of Beauford's paintings. The Paris auction house ADER has nine Beauford Delaney works from his collection listed for sale during its upcoming Art d'après-guerre & contemporain (Post-war and contemporary art) auction on December 12, 2018.
See a few of them below:
(1965) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated on back
81 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 15,000€ - 20,000€
(1962) Oil on paper
Signed and dated at bottom right
50 x 65 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 3,000€ - 4,000€
(1962) Mixed media on paper
Signed, dated, and dedicated at bottom right
74 x 53.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 2,000€ - 3,000€
(1963) Watercolor
Signed at bottom right, dated, and
annotated "Souvenir" at bottom left
50 x 33.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 1,200€ - 1,500€
(1964) Gouache
Signed and dated at bottom right
55 x 37 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 1,000€ - 1,500€
The dates for the nine works range from 1962 to 1966, which means that Beauford produced them while he was living at his rue Vercingétorix studio.
To view all the Beauford Delaney paintings for sale (Lots 71-79) and to learn more about the ADER auction, click HERE.
Beauford's Yellow Abstracts are HOT
Yet another yellow Beauford Delaney abstract has sold at a price that far surpassed the estimated sales price.
On November 19, Millon held its "Post War & Art Contemporain" sale at Drouot in Paris. A single Beauford Delaney painting was included in the offerings - a magnificent work that the owner obtained from the Paul Facchetti gallery. It was shown at Beauford's monographic exhibition at the gallery in June-July 1960.
Untitled
(circa 1960) Oil on canvas
Signed at lower right and on back of canvas
84 x 75 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
I visited the Drouot showroom about a month before the sale to see the painting "up close and personal."
Beauford's Untitled at the Drouot showroom
© Discover Paris!
Based on this viewing, I contributed the following text to Millon's catalog for the sale:
Cette oeuvre représente l’éclat pur de l’esprit de Beauford Delaney. Créée pendant ses années à Clamart (1956-1961), elle capte “la lumière interne” que l’artiste cherchait toujours. Pour Delaney, la lumière “détenait le pouvoir d’illuminer, même de sauver, de réconcilier et de guérir.” Il l’utilisait en tant qu’outil afin de repousser les voix intérieures qui le tourmentaient.
Delaney appelait son studio à Clamart «sa place à la campagne». La lumière qu’il aimait et dont il avait besoin pour travailler venait d’une fenêtre donnant sur un jardin à l’arrière de la maison. Comme dans tous ses ateliers, il a recouvert les murs de draps blancs afin d’accentuer la lumière. Le nombre d’oeuvres qu’il a créé dans cet environnement paisible est actuellement inconnu.
La jaune de ce tableau est lumineuse et l’empâtement qui est caractéristique de Delaney est un témoin de l’engagement de l’artiste de “rappeler la sculpture et la structure de couleur.” En regardant cette oeuvre, on peut bien imaginer qu’elle est la lumière.
The English translation of the text is as follows:
This work represents the pure brilliance of Beauford Delaney's spirit. Created during his years at Clamart (1956-1961), it captures "the internal light" for which the artist was always searching. For Delaney, the light "held the power to illuminate, even to save, reconcile and heal." He used it as a tool to repel the inner voices that tormented him.
Delaney called his studio at Clamart "his place in the country." The light he loved and needed for work came from a window overlooking a garden at the back of the house. As in all his studios, he covered the walls with white sheets to accentuate the light. The number of works that he created in this peaceful environment is currently unknown.
The yellow of this painting is luminous and the impasto which is characteristic of Delaney is a witness of the artist's commitment to "remember the sculpture and structure in color." Looking at this work, one can well imagine that it IS light.
Millon estimated the sale price to be between 10,000€ and 15,000€. After a bidding war among ten potential buyers, Untitled sold for 130,000€, including charges (30% buyer's premium and 20% value added tax).
On November 19, Millon held its "Post War & Art Contemporain" sale at Drouot in Paris. A single Beauford Delaney painting was included in the offerings - a magnificent work that the owner obtained from the Paul Facchetti gallery. It was shown at Beauford's monographic exhibition at the gallery in June-July 1960.
(circa 1960) Oil on canvas
Signed at lower right and on back of canvas
84 x 75 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
I visited the Drouot showroom about a month before the sale to see the painting "up close and personal."
© Discover Paris!
Based on this viewing, I contributed the following text to Millon's catalog for the sale:
Cette oeuvre représente l’éclat pur de l’esprit de Beauford Delaney. Créée pendant ses années à Clamart (1956-1961), elle capte “la lumière interne” que l’artiste cherchait toujours. Pour Delaney, la lumière “détenait le pouvoir d’illuminer, même de sauver, de réconcilier et de guérir.” Il l’utilisait en tant qu’outil afin de repousser les voix intérieures qui le tourmentaient.
Delaney appelait son studio à Clamart «sa place à la campagne». La lumière qu’il aimait et dont il avait besoin pour travailler venait d’une fenêtre donnant sur un jardin à l’arrière de la maison. Comme dans tous ses ateliers, il a recouvert les murs de draps blancs afin d’accentuer la lumière. Le nombre d’oeuvres qu’il a créé dans cet environnement paisible est actuellement inconnu.
La jaune de ce tableau est lumineuse et l’empâtement qui est caractéristique de Delaney est un témoin de l’engagement de l’artiste de “rappeler la sculpture et la structure de couleur.” En regardant cette oeuvre, on peut bien imaginer qu’elle est la lumière.
The English translation of the text is as follows:
This work represents the pure brilliance of Beauford Delaney's spirit. Created during his years at Clamart (1956-1961), it captures "the internal light" for which the artist was always searching. For Delaney, the light "held the power to illuminate, even to save, reconcile and heal." He used it as a tool to repel the inner voices that tormented him.
Delaney called his studio at Clamart "his place in the country." The light he loved and needed for work came from a window overlooking a garden at the back of the house. As in all his studios, he covered the walls with white sheets to accentuate the light. The number of works that he created in this peaceful environment is currently unknown.
The yellow of this painting is luminous and the impasto which is characteristic of Delaney is a witness of the artist's commitment to "remember the sculpture and structure in color." Looking at this work, one can well imagine that it IS light.
Millon estimated the sale price to be between 10,000€ and 15,000€. After a bidding war among ten potential buyers, Untitled sold for 130,000€, including charges (30% buyer's premium and 20% value added tax).
Phillips Sells Second Delaney Abstract
Phillips sold a Beauford Delaney abstract for $150,000 during its "New Now" sale on September 26, 2018.
Untitled
Signed, inscribed and dated "Beauford Delaney Paris 1965 midday" on the reverse
(1965) Oil on canvas
25 1/2 x 21 in. (64.8 x 53.3 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
On November 14, 2018, it sold a second abstract for $118,750.
Untitled
(1967) Oil on canvas
21 3/4 x 18 in. (55.2 x 45.7 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for both works was $20,000 to $30,000.
Results from several additional sales show that buyers consider Beauford's work to be worth far more than the prices listed by the auction houses:
Clarke Auctioneers set a record for the sale of Beauford's work when it sold Street Scene for $176,250 at its 5th Annual Fine Art Sale on October 27, 2008. Clarke estimated that the painting would sell for $30,000 to $50,000.
For its Regard sur le XXe siècle #5 Art contemporain & Design sale on April 5, 2014, De Baecque estimated that an untitled oil signed and dedicated "Bon Nassainie Hovard" on the back of the canvas would sell for 600€ to 800€. It sold for 17,000€.
On June 21, 2018, Paysage, 1951 (oilstick on paper) sold for 64,500€ during Cornette de Saint Cyr's Art Contemporain - Art Africain Contemporain sale. Its estimated sale price was 3,000€ to 5,000€.
Two recent sales at Swann Auction Galleries are other examples. Untitled (African Figure) sold for $173,000 at the October 2018 African American Fine Art auction when its estimated sale price was $40,000 to $60,000.
And Untitled (Village Street Scene) sold for $557,000 at Swann's April 2018 African American Fine Art auction when its estimated sale price was $150,000 - $250,000. This sale broke the record set by Clarke in 2008.
Signed, inscribed and dated "Beauford Delaney Paris 1965 midday" on the reverse
(1965) Oil on canvas
25 1/2 x 21 in. (64.8 x 53.3 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
On November 14, 2018, it sold a second abstract for $118,750.
(1967) Oil on canvas
21 3/4 x 18 in. (55.2 x 45.7 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for both works was $20,000 to $30,000.
Results from several additional sales show that buyers consider Beauford's work to be worth far more than the prices listed by the auction houses:
Clarke Auctioneers set a record for the sale of Beauford's work when it sold Street Scene for $176,250 at its 5th Annual Fine Art Sale on October 27, 2008. Clarke estimated that the painting would sell for $30,000 to $50,000.
For its Regard sur le XXe siècle #5 Art contemporain & Design sale on April 5, 2014, De Baecque estimated that an untitled oil signed and dedicated "Bon Nassainie Hovard" on the back of the canvas would sell for 600€ to 800€. It sold for 17,000€.
On June 21, 2018, Paysage, 1951 (oilstick on paper) sold for 64,500€ during Cornette de Saint Cyr's Art Contemporain - Art Africain Contemporain sale. Its estimated sale price was 3,000€ to 5,000€.
Two recent sales at Swann Auction Galleries are other examples. Untitled (African Figure) sold for $173,000 at the October 2018 African American Fine Art auction when its estimated sale price was $40,000 to $60,000.
And Untitled (Village Street Scene) sold for $557,000 at Swann's April 2018 African American Fine Art auction when its estimated sale price was $150,000 - $250,000. This sale broke the record set by Clarke in 2008.
Untitled Yellow Abstract for Auction at Phillips
Phillips (London and New York) is holding a 20th Century & Contemporary Art Day Sale in New York City on November 14, 2018. During the morning session, the Beauford Delaney abstract shown below will be up for auction.
Untitled
(1967) Oil on canvas
21 3/4 x 18 in. (55.2 x 45.7 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The notes on the sales page indicate that Beauford created this work in 1967 and that the current owner received the painting from Larry Calcagno.
In a letter that Beauford wrote to Calcagno in August of that year, he talks of the "amazingly beautiful" light that he experienced during a recent visit to Carcassonne and Narbonne with a friend. He shares that though returning to Paris was difficult, some of the sun and light that he saw during the trip appeared in his canvases. He also says:
While there is no indication as to when during the year Beauford painted Untitled, one can well imagine that he created this work in the aftermath of the trip he described. Small splotches of blue and gray and green seem to peek out through shining white overlaid by a juxtaposition of bold and soft yellows highlighted with rose or peach. The cooler pigments are no match for the power and radiance of the light that he represents with yellow and white.
The estimated sale price for Untitled is $20,000 to $30,000. But collectors who looking to acquire Beauford's work need to be prepared to spend considerably more for this painting.
For its "New Now" sale on September 26, 2018, Phillips estimated that another of Beauford's yellow abstracts, painted in 1965, would sell in the same price range.
Untitled
Signed, inscribed and dated "Beauford Delaney Paris 1965 midday" on the reverse
(1965) Oil on canvas
25 1/2 x 21 in. (64.8 x 53.3 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It fetched a handsome $150,000 (including a 25% buyer's premium*).
To request additional information about the 1967 painting or to register to bid during the November 14 auction, click on the following link: Lot 208: BEAUFORD DELANEY - Untitled
*At auction, there are two prices--the hammer price, or the price at which the item sells during the auction, and the price with the buyer's premium. All auction houses have a buyer's premium that the buyer pays to the auction house in addition to the hammer price.
(1967) Oil on canvas
21 3/4 x 18 in. (55.2 x 45.7 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The notes on the sales page indicate that Beauford created this work in 1967 and that the current owner received the painting from Larry Calcagno.
In a letter that Beauford wrote to Calcagno in August of that year, he talks of the "amazingly beautiful" light that he experienced during a recent visit to Carcassonne and Narbonne with a friend. He shares that though returning to Paris was difficult, some of the sun and light that he saw during the trip appeared in his canvases. He also says:
... there has been a flow and release in me which has entered my work. I feel happy to announce this to you ... While the number of canvases are modest in number [sic] they have come from the source.
While there is no indication as to when during the year Beauford painted Untitled, one can well imagine that he created this work in the aftermath of the trip he described. Small splotches of blue and gray and green seem to peek out through shining white overlaid by a juxtaposition of bold and soft yellows highlighted with rose or peach. The cooler pigments are no match for the power and radiance of the light that he represents with yellow and white.
The estimated sale price for Untitled is $20,000 to $30,000. But collectors who looking to acquire Beauford's work need to be prepared to spend considerably more for this painting.
For its "New Now" sale on September 26, 2018, Phillips estimated that another of Beauford's yellow abstracts, painted in 1965, would sell in the same price range.
Signed, inscribed and dated "Beauford Delaney Paris 1965 midday" on the reverse
(1965) Oil on canvas
25 1/2 x 21 in. (64.8 x 53.3 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It fetched a handsome $150,000 (including a 25% buyer's premium*).
To request additional information about the 1967 painting or to register to bid during the November 14 auction, click on the following link: Lot 208: BEAUFORD DELANEY - Untitled
*At auction, there are two prices--the hammer price, or the price at which the item sells during the auction, and the price with the buyer's premium. All auction houses have a buyer's premium that the buyer pays to the auction house in addition to the hammer price.
Beauford at the 2018 Carnegie International
Beauford's Portrait of Tillie S. Speyer is currently on display at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Portrait of Tillie S. Speyer
(1968) Oil on canvas
Carnegie Museum of Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It was selected by Cameroon-born, Senegal-based independent exhibition-maker Koyo Kouoh to be a part of "Dig Where You Stand," a show-within-a-show organized for the 2018 Carnegie International exhibition. Kouoh perused the collections of the Carnegie Museum and the neighboring Natural History Museum for her exhibition, which journalist Andrew Russeth calls "a Wunderkammer of art and artifacts focused on labor, colonialism, and depictions of power." She has placed Beauford's portrait of Speyer between a photograph of a young Queen Elizabeth II and one of Puerto Rican lacemakers.
Pittsburgh native Tillie Speyer was a painter and a sculptor. She was the mother of Darthea Speyer, Beauford's friend and patron in Paris. Beauford captured the likeness of Tillie as well as those of her daughter Darthea and son James on canvas during the 1960s. The museum acquired the painting of Tillie Speyer from Darthea Speyer.
Organized by Andrew Carnegie in 1896, the Carnegie International is the oldest recurring exhibition of contemporary art in the United States. After the Venice Biennale, it is the oldest international survey exhibition in the world. The 2018 edition of the exhibition runs through March 25, 2019.
(1968) Oil on canvas
Carnegie Museum of Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It was selected by Cameroon-born, Senegal-based independent exhibition-maker Koyo Kouoh to be a part of "Dig Where You Stand," a show-within-a-show organized for the 2018 Carnegie International exhibition. Kouoh perused the collections of the Carnegie Museum and the neighboring Natural History Museum for her exhibition, which journalist Andrew Russeth calls "a Wunderkammer of art and artifacts focused on labor, colonialism, and depictions of power." She has placed Beauford's portrait of Speyer between a photograph of a young Queen Elizabeth II and one of Puerto Rican lacemakers.
Pittsburgh native Tillie Speyer was a painter and a sculptor. She was the mother of Darthea Speyer, Beauford's friend and patron in Paris. Beauford captured the likeness of Tillie as well as those of her daughter Darthea and son James on canvas during the 1960s. The museum acquired the painting of Tillie Speyer from Darthea Speyer.
Organized by Andrew Carnegie in 1896, the Carnegie International is the oldest recurring exhibition of contemporary art in the United States. After the Venice Biennale, it is the oldest international survey exhibition in the world. The 2018 edition of the exhibition runs through March 25, 2019.
Beauford at Swann Auction Galleries: October 2018 Sale
On Thursday, October 4, Swann Auction Galleries offered three Beauford Delaney works at its African-American Fine Art sale.
Untitled (African Figure) is a stunning yellow abstraction from Beauford's Paris years. Part of the description posted by Swann reads as follows:
"Delaney had an interest in African sculpture going back to his reading of Alain Locke's New Negro, and visiting artist Cloyd Boykin's Primitive African Arts Center in the 1930s. Having seen the influence of African art on Picasso and other modernist painters in both New York and Paris, Delaney often incorporated African motifs and figures, including Earth Mother, 1950 and Makonde Figure, 1952. There is also an oil on paper work that is the mirror image of this figure in the collection of the Knoxville Museum of Art."
Untitled (African Figure)
(1968) Oil on cotton canvas
610x502 mm; 24x19 3/4 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for this painting was $40,000 - $60,000. It sold for $173,000, including buyer's premium*.
Untitled (Abstracted Landscape) was a gift from Beauford to James and Gloria Jones, friends of his who lived in Paris and supported him considerably.
Untitled (Abstracted Landscape)
(1969) Watercolor on wove paper
559x762 mm; 22x30 inches
Signed, dated and inscribed "Avec amour. Pour Gamie"
in ink, lower right
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for this painting was $6,000 - $9,000. It sold for $6,000, including buyer's premium.
The final painting offered was a figurative painting from Beauford's New York years.
The Swann Auction Galleries catalog describes Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated) as
"... a remarkable and important work - a large 1940 oil painting with a self-portrait of the artist. This interior scene is a revealing and intimate view has been captured in only a few photographs - its location is not known."
Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated)
(1940) Oil on linen canvas
762x914 mm; 30x36 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, a photograph of Beauford in his Greene Street studio shows him surrounded by paintings, including Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated). The auction catalog speculates that the woman seated next to Beauford may be Jessie, a dancer and girlfriend of James Baldwin's friend, Emile Capouya.
The estimated sale price for this painting was $200,000 - $300,000. It went unsold.
*At auction, there are two prices--the hammer price, or the price at which the item sells during the auction, and the price with the buyer's premium. All auction houses have a buyer's premium that the buyer pays to the auction house in addition to the hammer price. The buyer’s premium for items purchased directly through Swann is 25% of the hammer price, up to and including $100,000; 20% of the hammer price above $100,000 up to and including $1,000,000; 12% of the hammer price after $1,000,000. Swann Auction Galleries now reports the "hammer price" and the price that include the buyer's premium in its online catalog.
Untitled (African Figure) is a stunning yellow abstraction from Beauford's Paris years. Part of the description posted by Swann reads as follows:
"Delaney had an interest in African sculpture going back to his reading of Alain Locke's New Negro, and visiting artist Cloyd Boykin's Primitive African Arts Center in the 1930s. Having seen the influence of African art on Picasso and other modernist painters in both New York and Paris, Delaney often incorporated African motifs and figures, including Earth Mother, 1950 and Makonde Figure, 1952. There is also an oil on paper work that is the mirror image of this figure in the collection of the Knoxville Museum of Art."
(1968) Oil on cotton canvas
610x502 mm; 24x19 3/4 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for this painting was $40,000 - $60,000. It sold for $173,000, including buyer's premium*.
Untitled (Abstracted Landscape) was a gift from Beauford to James and Gloria Jones, friends of his who lived in Paris and supported him considerably.
(1969) Watercolor on wove paper
559x762 mm; 22x30 inches
Signed, dated and inscribed "Avec amour. Pour Gamie"
in ink, lower right
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for this painting was $6,000 - $9,000. It sold for $6,000, including buyer's premium.
The final painting offered was a figurative painting from Beauford's New York years.
The Swann Auction Galleries catalog describes Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated) as
"... a remarkable and important work - a large 1940 oil painting with a self-portrait of the artist. This interior scene is a revealing and intimate view has been captured in only a few photographs - its location is not known."
(1940) Oil on linen canvas
762x914 mm; 30x36 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, a photograph of Beauford in his Greene Street studio shows him surrounded by paintings, including Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated). The auction catalog speculates that the woman seated next to Beauford may be Jessie, a dancer and girlfriend of James Baldwin's friend, Emile Capouya.The estimated sale price for this painting was $200,000 - $300,000. It went unsold.
*At auction, there are two prices--the hammer price, or the price at which the item sells during the auction, and the price with the buyer's premium. All auction houses have a buyer's premium that the buyer pays to the auction house in addition to the hammer price. The buyer’s premium for items purchased directly through Swann is 25% of the hammer price, up to and including $100,000; 20% of the hammer price above $100,000 up to and including $1,000,000; 12% of the hammer price after $1,000,000. Swann Auction Galleries now reports the "hammer price" and the price that include the buyer's premium in its online catalog.
Portrait of a Young Man Sold at Case Antiques Auction
Case Antiques in Knoxville, TN sold Beauford's pastel on paper work entitled Portrait of a Young Man on July 14.
(1938) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The sale price was $3,172, including the buyer's premium.
Len de Rohan, Appraiser for Case's Knoxville Consignment, Research, and Cataloging team, granted me an interview after the sale. She shared that Case has sold eleven (11) lots of Beauford's work since 2015, including Portrait of a Young Man. To find images and information about these works, click HERE.
De Rohan said that John Case, Co-owner and President of Case Antiques, believes that 30% of the buyers of Beauford's work are Tennessee residents, including institutions; 20% more are Southern; and the balance are from the metropolitan areas of NYC and Chicago. The largest amount of consignments come from the Delaney estate.
Because Beauford is a Knoxville native and a very important Tennessee and American artist, and because the Knoxville Museum of Art has accumulated the largest public collection of Beauford's works, Case, as the premier auction house in Tennessee, is making efforts to be known for selling Beauford's works. They pride themselves on their relationship with Beauford's estate as well as with public institutions and private collectors.
Beauford's Portrait of a Young Man at Case Antiques Auction
A lovely Beauford Delaney portrait is being auctioned by Case Antiques in Knoxville, TN on July 14.
Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The portrait is dated 1938:
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
During that year, Beauford had one-man shows at the 8th Street Playhouse in NYC and the Gallery C in Washington, D.C., which, according to the biography Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, consisted primarily of portraits. The famous Life Magazine photo of Beauford at the 1938 Washington Square outdoor show in NYC portrays him sitting in front of several portraits.
Image from Life Magazine
Photographer not identified in photo caption*
Perhaps Beauford created Portrait of a Young Man for one of these events.
The pastel portrait is being auctioned as Lot Number 574. The low estimate for acquisition is $5,000.00. The high estimate is $7,000.00.
For more information about the sale, visit the Case Antiques Web page for the July 14 Auction.
*Fair use claimed for the reprinting of this image.
Yellow is for Summer
Beauford's yellow abstractions remind me of the warmth and sunshine of summer.
Today I'm sharing images of several of my favorites in celebration of the season!
Soullis Toucas
(Beauford's gift to Roy Freeman)
Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald
(1968) Oil on canvas
Permanent collection of the SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah
Gift of Dr. Walter O. and Mrs. Linda J. Evans
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Composition 16
(1954-56) Oil on canvas
Private Collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
Untitled (Rainbow Abstraction)
(1962) Watercolor and gouache on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
Untitled
(not dated) Oil on canvas
Signed on rear of painting
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (Abstraction I)
(ca. 1960) Oil on prepared fabric
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
We're going to post on a more relaxed schedule over the next several weeks so we can take some time to rest in anticipation of the fall. Be sure to continue to check in here so you can enjoy the latest articles about Beauford's life and art.
Enjoy your summer vacation!
Today I'm sharing images of several of my favorites in celebration of the season!
(Beauford's gift to Roy Freeman)
Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1968) Oil on canvas
Permanent collection of the SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah
Gift of Dr. Walter O. and Mrs. Linda J. Evans
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1954-56) Oil on canvas
Private Collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
(1962) Watercolor and gouache on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
(not dated) Oil on canvas
Signed on rear of painting
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(ca. 1960) Oil on prepared fabric
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
We're going to post on a more relaxed schedule over the next several weeks so we can take some time to rest in anticipation of the fall. Be sure to continue to check in here so you can enjoy the latest articles about Beauford's life and art.
Enjoy your summer vacation!
Beauford at 1964 "Cloudburst" Show in Paris
From 26 May through 1 June 1964, Beauford participated in a group exhibition at the Galerie internationale d'art contemporain at 253 rue Saint Honoré in Paris' 1st arrondissement.
The show was called Le nuage crève (Cloudburst) and the following artists' works were displayed:
Nasser Assar, Beaufort [sic] Delanay, Compard, Duvillier, Graziani, Laubiès, Lerin.
Julien Alvard wrote the introduction for the show's catalog. In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, Beauford's biographer, David Leeming, reports that Alvard praised Beauford's submission as an "emanation of the sun" in which one finds all seasons but winter...There were no images included in the catalog and I do not know which painting of Beauford's was exhibited during the show.
But Alvard's description reminded me of the exquisite abstract entitled Scattered Light, which is dated 1964 and owned by the Knoxville Museum of Art.
(1964) Oil on canvas
36 5/8 X 28 3/4 inches
Knoxville Museum of Art, purchase with funds provided by the Rachael Patterson Young Art Acquisition Reserve, 2015
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator
One can easily become mesmerized by gazing at this work, in which you can see almost anything your mind can imagine!
Sold for $557,000! - Beauford's Village Street Scene
Beauford's Untitled (Village Street Scene) sold for $557,000 at Swann Auction Galleries' April 5 African American Fine Art sale.
Untitled (Village Street Scene)
(1948) Oil on canvas
737x1016 mm; 29x40 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left.
Image from Swann Auction Galleries Web site
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The sale price includes a buyer's premium of 25%*. The hammer price of $460,000 far exceeded the estimated value of the painting ($150,000 - $250,000).
According to the Swann Auction Galleries' Web site, large canvases from Beauford's New York period are extremely scarce - this is only the second to come to auction in the past thirty years.
Nigel Freeman, director of the African-American Fine Art department at Swann, shared that the previous auction record for Beauford's work is $176,250 for Street Scene, a 1950 oil on canvas sold at Clarke Auction Gallery, Larchmont, NY, on October 27, 2008. This work is now called Untitled (Greene Street). See an image of the painting in the Les Amis blog post entitled "La Vie en Rose".
*At auction, there are two prices--the hammer price, or the price at which the item sells during the auction, and the price with the buyer's premium. All auction houses have a buyer's premium that the buyer pays to the auction house in addition to the hammer price. The buyer’s premium for items purchased directly through Swann is 25%. Swann Auction Galleries now reports the "hammer price" and the price that include the buyer's premium in its online catalog.
For more information, contact Nigel Freeman at
.
(1948) Oil on canvas
737x1016 mm; 29x40 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left.
Image from Swann Auction Galleries Web site
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The sale price includes a buyer's premium of 25%*. The hammer price of $460,000 far exceeded the estimated value of the painting ($150,000 - $250,000).
According to the Swann Auction Galleries' Web site, large canvases from Beauford's New York period are extremely scarce - this is only the second to come to auction in the past thirty years.
Nigel Freeman, director of the African-American Fine Art department at Swann, shared that the previous auction record for Beauford's work is $176,250 for Street Scene, a 1950 oil on canvas sold at Clarke Auction Gallery, Larchmont, NY, on October 27, 2008. This work is now called Untitled (Greene Street). See an image of the painting in the Les Amis blog post entitled "La Vie en Rose".
*At auction, there are two prices--the hammer price, or the price at which the item sells during the auction, and the price with the buyer's premium. All auction houses have a buyer's premium that the buyer pays to the auction house in addition to the hammer price. The buyer’s premium for items purchased directly through Swann is 25%. Swann Auction Galleries now reports the "hammer price" and the price that include the buyer's premium in its online catalog.
For more information, contact Nigel Freeman at
.
Beauford at Swann Auction Galleries' 5 April 2018 African American Fine Art Sale
A single, magnificent Beauford Delaney landscape painting is available for purchase at Swann Auction Galleries' April 5 African American Fine Art sale.
Untitled (Village Street Scene)
(1948) Oil on canvas
737x1016 mm; 29x40 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left.
Image from Swann Auction Galleries Web site
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Beauford lived at 181 Greene Street in Greenwich Village in 1948. Among his accomplishments that year were a solo exhibition at the Artists Gallery on 57th Street and being awarded second prize in the Village Art Center's annual competition for a portrait of James Baldwin. In November 1948, Baldwin would depart for Paris.
Beauford combined vibrant colors and geometric circles and angles to create this singular work. The almost inconspicuous shadow of a single, anonymous human provides the only sign of life in this cityscape.
According to the Swann Auction Galleries' Web site, large canvases from Beauford's New York period are extremely scarce - this is only the second to come to auction in the past thirty years.
The estimated value of Untitled (Village Street Scene) is $150,000 - $250,000.
The auction will take place at 2:30 PM on Thursday, April 5, 2018. Preview dates are as follows: March 31, 12-5 PM; April 2 to 4, 10-6 PM; April 5, 10-12 PM.
For more information, contact Nigel Freeman at
.
(1948) Oil on canvas
737x1016 mm; 29x40 inches
Signed and dated in oil, lower left.
Image from Swann Auction Galleries Web site
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Beauford lived at 181 Greene Street in Greenwich Village in 1948. Among his accomplishments that year were a solo exhibition at the Artists Gallery on 57th Street and being awarded second prize in the Village Art Center's annual competition for a portrait of James Baldwin. In November 1948, Baldwin would depart for Paris.
Beauford combined vibrant colors and geometric circles and angles to create this singular work. The almost inconspicuous shadow of a single, anonymous human provides the only sign of life in this cityscape.
According to the Swann Auction Galleries' Web site, large canvases from Beauford's New York period are extremely scarce - this is only the second to come to auction in the past thirty years.
The estimated value of Untitled (Village Street Scene) is $150,000 - $250,000.
The auction will take place at 2:30 PM on Thursday, April 5, 2018. Preview dates are as follows: March 31, 12-5 PM; April 2 to 4, 10-6 PM; April 5, 10-12 PM.
For more information, contact Nigel Freeman at
.
Beauford at the Anita Shapolsky Gallery
Focus on Abstract Gems is the current exhibition being shown at the Anita Shapolsky Gallery in New York.
A description of the exhibition on the gallery Web site indicates the following:
Among the works on paper is Beauford's Untitled (Ibiza).
Untitled (Ibiza)
(1956) gouache and watercolor
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It came from the traveling exhibition An Artistic Friendship: Beauford Delaney and Lawrence Calcagno, which originated at the Palmer Museum of Art (Pennsylvania State University) in February 2001.
Anita Shapolsky has exhibited works by Lawrence Calcagno for many years. She purchased this Beauford Delaney work while it was in a joint exhibition with Lawrence Calcagno works at her gallery.
She commented on Beauford's art as follows:
"From the works that I have seen, I feel that they are lyrical, colorfield abstractions."
Focus on Abstract Gems will be on display through April 7, 2018.
Anita Shapolsky Gallery
AS Art Foundation
152 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065
Telephone: 212.452.1094
Internet: http://www.anitashapolskygallery.com/
A description of the exhibition on the gallery Web site indicates the following:
Our charming exhibit of small paintings, paper pieces, and sculptures are worth the trip. These works adhere to the gallery’s focus of abstract expressionist style, but offers an eclectic variety of genre, medium and eras. It exposes rare drawings, prints, photographs and paintings from some of the most significant artists of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Among the works on paper is Beauford's Untitled (Ibiza).
(1956) gouache and watercolor
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It came from the traveling exhibition An Artistic Friendship: Beauford Delaney and Lawrence Calcagno, which originated at the Palmer Museum of Art (Pennsylvania State University) in February 2001.
Anita Shapolsky has exhibited works by Lawrence Calcagno for many years. She purchased this Beauford Delaney work while it was in a joint exhibition with Lawrence Calcagno works at her gallery.
She commented on Beauford's art as follows:
"From the works that I have seen, I feel that they are lyrical, colorfield abstractions."
Focus on Abstract Gems will be on display through April 7, 2018.
Anita Shapolsky Gallery
AS Art Foundation
152 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065
Telephone: 212.452.1094
Internet: http://www.anitashapolskygallery.com/
Knoxville Museum of Art Is Now Largest Museum Repository for Beauford Delaney Works
Since making the acquaintance of 11 Knoxvillians who came to Paris in February 2016 to see the Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition and visit Beauford's old haunts on the "Beauford Delaney's Montparnasse" walking tour, the trajectories of this blog and the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) have been intertwined.
I have visited Knoxville twice since that time and have come to know Executive Director David Butler, Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator Stephen Wicks, former KMA trustee Sylvia Peters, and many others at the museum as we have worked in parallel on both sides of the Atlantic to preserve and extend Beauford's legacy.
So it is with great pleasure that I write this post to announce that KMA is now the world's largest public repository for Beauford Delaney oils, watercolors, and pastels.
Knoxville Museum of Art at Twilight
Photo courtesy of the Knoxville Museum of Art
Leading museum collections of Beauford Delaney’s work
The expansion of the collection has been gathering steam since 2014, when KMA acquired two works with funds provided by the KMA Collectors Circle. In August 2014, it acquired nineteen additional works, including the abstract oil entitled Scattered Light (1963). A subsequent purchase brought the total number of works owned to thirty-seven (37).
In 2016, the museum purchased two portraits: Portrait of Delia Delaney (1933) and Dante Pavone as Christ (1948).
In 2017, it acquired twelve (12) major works from the Delaney estate. Three of the twelve were obtained through a partnership between KMA and the Knoxville chapter of The Links, Incorporated.
“This purchase represents the highest and best expression of the museum’s commitment to the visual culture of our region,” states KMA Executive Director David Butler. “A broad spectrum of the community responded generously and with alacrity and enthusiasm to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the KMA a vital resource for the study, preservation, and promotion of Beauford Delaney’s work.”
The following images represent some of the works purchased in 2017.
Blue Light Abstraction
(ca. 1962) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (African Figure)
(ca. 1965) Oil on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Abstraction #12
(1963) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
KMA plans to mount a major international exhibition of Beauford Delaney’s work in the fall of 2019, and is participating with a growing roster of local cultural organizations operating collectively as “The Delaney Project” to organize events to celebrate the achievements of Beauford and his brother, artist Joseph Delaney, in their hometown.
Selections from the 2017 purchase will be on view at the KMA beginning this spring.
I have visited Knoxville twice since that time and have come to know Executive Director David Butler, Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator Stephen Wicks, former KMA trustee Sylvia Peters, and many others at the museum as we have worked in parallel on both sides of the Atlantic to preserve and extend Beauford's legacy.
So it is with great pleasure that I write this post to announce that KMA is now the world's largest public repository for Beauford Delaney oils, watercolors, and pastels.
Photo courtesy of the Knoxville Museum of Art
Leading museum collections of Beauford Delaney’s work
The expansion of the collection has been gathering steam since 2014, when KMA acquired two works with funds provided by the KMA Collectors Circle. In August 2014, it acquired nineteen additional works, including the abstract oil entitled Scattered Light (1963). A subsequent purchase brought the total number of works owned to thirty-seven (37).
In 2016, the museum purchased two portraits: Portrait of Delia Delaney (1933) and Dante Pavone as Christ (1948).
In 2017, it acquired twelve (12) major works from the Delaney estate. Three of the twelve were obtained through a partnership between KMA and the Knoxville chapter of The Links, Incorporated.
“This purchase represents the highest and best expression of the museum’s commitment to the visual culture of our region,” states KMA Executive Director David Butler. “A broad spectrum of the community responded generously and with alacrity and enthusiasm to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the KMA a vital resource for the study, preservation, and promotion of Beauford Delaney’s work.”
The following images represent some of the works purchased in 2017.
(ca. 1962) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(ca. 1965) Oil on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1963) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
KMA plans to mount a major international exhibition of Beauford Delaney’s work in the fall of 2019, and is participating with a growing roster of local cultural organizations operating collectively as “The Delaney Project” to organize events to celebrate the achievements of Beauford and his brother, artist Joseph Delaney, in their hometown.
Selections from the 2017 purchase will be on view at the KMA beginning this spring.
Beauford Delaney Works Sold at Case Antiques Historic Winter Auction
Case Antiques successfully sold two Beauford Delaney abstracts and a bundle of Beauford's letters and other memorabilia on Saturday, January 27.
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 351 was $5,800 - $6,200.
Lot 484: Abstract on Paper No. 351
(1964) Watercolor on paper
22 1/2" x 16"
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 484: Abstract on Paper No. 351
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for $7,440.
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 313 is $6,400 - $7,000.
Lot 485: Abstract on Paper No. 313
(1962) Watercolor on paper
25 1/2" x 19 1/4 "
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 485: Abstract on Paper No. 313
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for $15,000.
The estimated sale price for the "Archive of Beauford Delaney Letters and Related Objects" (comprised of 29 items, most of which are paintbrushes and drawing pencils) was $800 - $900.
Lot 487: Paintbrushes and pencils, French Lesson, Letters
Image from Case Antiques Web site
It sold for $4,800.
All sale prices indicated include a 20% buyer's premium. In auctions, the buyer's premium is a percentage additional charge on the hammer price (winning bid at auction) of the purchased item that must be paid by the winner. It is charged by the auctioneer to cover administrative expenses. The buyer's premium goes directly to the auction house and not to the seller.
For additional information, contact Case Antiques at
.
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 351 was $5,800 - $6,200.
(1964) Watercolor on paper
22 1/2" x 16"
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for $7,440.
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 313 is $6,400 - $7,000.
(1962) Watercolor on paper
25 1/2" x 19 1/4 "
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for $15,000.
The estimated sale price for the "Archive of Beauford Delaney Letters and Related Objects" (comprised of 29 items, most of which are paintbrushes and drawing pencils) was $800 - $900.
Image from Case Antiques Web site
It sold for $4,800.
All sale prices indicated include a 20% buyer's premium. In auctions, the buyer's premium is a percentage additional charge on the hammer price (winning bid at auction) of the purchased item that must be paid by the winner. It is charged by the auctioneer to cover administrative expenses. The buyer's premium goes directly to the auction house and not to the seller.
For additional information, contact Case Antiques at
.
A Toast to the Arts
By Sylvia L. Peters, Chairman of Gathering Light: The Delaney Project
Images courtesy of Sylvia L. Peters
Program for "A Toast to the Arts"
On Saturday, January 13, 2018, more than 150 people gathered at the Knoxville Museum of Art to celebrate the acquisition and unveiling of art by Beauford Delaney. It was a stellar affair attended by a diverse audience of citizens who contributed funds to bring home the work of this native son.
The event was the result of a partnership between The Knoxville (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA). The purpose of this unique relationship is to increase awareness of Beauford Delaney’s place in the international art world and to raise funds to bring a critical mass of his work home to Knoxville, TN to allow it to be placed in a Center of Excellence for the study of his art.
The Links, Incorporated is one of the oldest African American professional women’s organizations in the world. In 2016, the Knoxville (TN) Chapter became a significant partner in a unique community-wide effort to promote and honor Beauford and his brother, artist Joseph Delaney.
Members of the Knoxville, TN chapter of
The Links, Incorporated
The reception, "A Toast to the Arts," took place on the weekend that most Americans celebrate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the minds and hearts of those who attended, this event became one to not only honor Beauford Delaney and Martin Luther King, but to also bring together people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the goodness of the values and culture that are the hallmarks of a civil democratic society.
Table setting for "A Toast to the Arts"
The brief program included remarks by David Butler, Executive Director of the museum, and Avice Evans Reid, President of the Knoxville (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated,
David Butler, Executive Director at KMA
Avice Evans Reid, President of the Knoxville Links Chapter
as well as a presentation by Stephen Wicks, KMA curator, which highlighted three new Delaney acquisitions that were made possible by the KMA/Links partnership and donors who attended the event.
Curator Stephen Wicks presents the acquired works
Bass Baritone Dominick White sang a stirring rendition of Amazing Grace; and Michael Delaney, a close relative of Beauford Delaney, sang two vocals and accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. He was introduced to the audience by Derek Spratley, who is the attorney for the Delaney Estate.
Bass Baritone Dominick White
Michael Delaney
The evening was a glorious one of “Amazing Grace” in Knoxville - one that showed the promise and power of celebrating culture, the arts and diversity.
Attendees at table
Full house
Derek Spratley presents Michael Delaney
It was an evening that Beauford would have enjoyed.
Jan and Sylvia Peters
The acquisitions
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esq.,
Court Appointed Administrator
Delaney Project logo
Images courtesy of Sylvia L. Peters
On Saturday, January 13, 2018, more than 150 people gathered at the Knoxville Museum of Art to celebrate the acquisition and unveiling of art by Beauford Delaney. It was a stellar affair attended by a diverse audience of citizens who contributed funds to bring home the work of this native son.
The event was the result of a partnership between The Knoxville (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA). The purpose of this unique relationship is to increase awareness of Beauford Delaney’s place in the international art world and to raise funds to bring a critical mass of his work home to Knoxville, TN to allow it to be placed in a Center of Excellence for the study of his art.
The Links, Incorporated is one of the oldest African American professional women’s organizations in the world. In 2016, the Knoxville (TN) Chapter became a significant partner in a unique community-wide effort to promote and honor Beauford and his brother, artist Joseph Delaney.
The Links, Incorporated
The reception, "A Toast to the Arts," took place on the weekend that most Americans celebrate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the minds and hearts of those who attended, this event became one to not only honor Beauford Delaney and Martin Luther King, but to also bring together people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the goodness of the values and culture that are the hallmarks of a civil democratic society.
The brief program included remarks by David Butler, Executive Director of the museum, and Avice Evans Reid, President of the Knoxville (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated,
as well as a presentation by Stephen Wicks, KMA curator, which highlighted three new Delaney acquisitions that were made possible by the KMA/Links partnership and donors who attended the event.
Bass Baritone Dominick White sang a stirring rendition of Amazing Grace; and Michael Delaney, a close relative of Beauford Delaney, sang two vocals and accompanied himself on acoustic guitar. He was introduced to the audience by Derek Spratley, who is the attorney for the Delaney Estate.
The evening was a glorious one of “Amazing Grace” in Knoxville - one that showed the promise and power of celebrating culture, the arts and diversity.
It was an evening that Beauford would have enjoyed.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esq.,
Court Appointed Administrator
Case Antiques Offers Beauford Abstracts and Memorabilia for Auction
On Saturday, January 27, Case Antiques in Knoxville, TN is auctioning two Beauford Delaney abstracts and a bundle of Beauford's letters and other memorabilia.
Both abstracts are works on paper:
Lot 484: Abstract on Paper No. 351
(1964) Watercolor on paper
22 1/2" x 16"
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 484: Abstract on Paper No. 351
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 485: Abstract on Paper No. 313
(1962) Watercolor on paper
25 1/2" x 19 1/4 "
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 485: Abstract on Paper No. 313
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 351 is $5,800 - $6,200.
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 313 is $6,400 - $7,000.
In addition to these works, Case is offering an "Archive of Beauford Delaney Letters and Related Objects" as Lot 487. It is comprised of 29 items, most of which are paintbrushes and drawing pencils.
Lot 487: Paintbrushes and pencils, French Lesson, Letters
Image from Case Antiques Web site
The archive includes three letters, all of which were written by Beauford and addressed to his brother, Samuel (Emery) Delaney. A fourth item of correspondence is a greeting card sent to Beauford's niece, Ogust Delaney Stewart, from his friends, Dolly and Al Hirschfeld.
The most unique item in the lot is an 14 1/8" H x 8 5/8" W card (unsigned) on which is drawn a pencil sketch of figures that illustrate the mathematical sum of "2+2." The title written at the top of the card is Quatrième Leçon Préliminaire, which means "Fourth Preliminary Lesson." Other notations indicate the numbers 1-12, addition and subtraction equations, and the words that indicate how to read these numbers and equations.
The estimated sale price for these letters and memorabilia is $800 - $900.
For additional information, contact Case Antiques at
.
Both abstracts are works on paper:
(1964) Watercolor on paper
22 1/2" x 16"
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1962) Watercolor on paper
25 1/2" x 19 1/4 "
Signed and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Signature and date
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 351 is $5,800 - $6,200.
The estimated sale price for Abstract on Paper No. 313 is $6,400 - $7,000.
In addition to these works, Case is offering an "Archive of Beauford Delaney Letters and Related Objects" as Lot 487. It is comprised of 29 items, most of which are paintbrushes and drawing pencils.
Image from Case Antiques Web site
The archive includes three letters, all of which were written by Beauford and addressed to his brother, Samuel (Emery) Delaney. A fourth item of correspondence is a greeting card sent to Beauford's niece, Ogust Delaney Stewart, from his friends, Dolly and Al Hirschfeld.
The most unique item in the lot is an 14 1/8" H x 8 5/8" W card (unsigned) on which is drawn a pencil sketch of figures that illustrate the mathematical sum of "2+2." The title written at the top of the card is Quatrième Leçon Préliminaire, which means "Fourth Preliminary Lesson." Other notations indicate the numbers 1-12, addition and subtraction equations, and the words that indicate how to read these numbers and equations.
The estimated sale price for these letters and memorabilia is $800 - $900.
For additional information, contact Case Antiques at
.