Beauford and the Brouards - Part 2
In Part 1 of this article, I spoke of a delightful luncheon hosted by Geneviève and Jean-Claude Brouard in honor of Beauford. Today I am sharing more stories about Beauford and the Brouards.
Geneviève would frequently visit Beauford at his Montparnasse studio on rue Vercingétorix. She purchased works from him, paying him handsomely so that he could live as long as possible on the money she paid for them. In addition to inviting him to dine with her family and with friends, she helped him financially in this way.
Untitled
(1962) Oil on canvas
39.4 x 31.9 inches; 100 x 81 cm
Signed on back: Beauford Delaney 1962
53 Rue Vercingétorix Paris
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image by Discover Paris!
She remembers that she and Jean-Claude would often run into Beauford in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area (where they viewed the film La Grande Bouffe together). They once found him seated on a bench reading a French newspaper. Geneviève said that Beauford spoke French well (contrary to what is indicated in Beauford’s biography, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, which says that he never overcame his “inadequacies in French”). She said that she and Jean-Claude could not have spent so much time with him otherwise because their spoken English was not strong.
Geneviève recounts that Beauford visited the Brouards at home quite often, both when they lived in Paris’ 12th arrondissement and after they moved to Fontainebleau. She remembers that he loved children and described how he much he enjoyed the company of hers in the back seat of the car when she and Jean-Claude would drive him to his apartment in Clamart. She says that her kids have very fond memories of Beauford as well.
After spending an enjoyable evening with the Brouards, Beauford offered to paint Geneviève’s portrait. He intended it to be a gift, but he did not have the money to purchase the canvas. So Geneviève went with him to the art supply store and paid for the canvas that he selected.
Geneviève would then go to Beauford’s studio on rue Vercingétorix every Saturday morning to sit for her portrait. Each time, she sat in the same armchair – the chair that Beauford had all of his subjects sit in when he captured their likenesses on canvas.
The result was the painting shown below.
Portrait of Geneviève Brouard
(1964) Oil on canvas
15 x 12.6 inches; 40 x 32 cm
Signed on back: Beauford Delaney 1964
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image by Discover Paris!
It is one of Geneviève’s most treasured remembrances of Beauford.
Les Amis dedicates this article to Jean-Claude Brouard, who passed away on May 27, 2014. May you rest in peace, Jean-Claude.
Geneviève would frequently visit Beauford at his Montparnasse studio on rue Vercingétorix. She purchased works from him, paying him handsomely so that he could live as long as possible on the money she paid for them. In addition to inviting him to dine with her family and with friends, she helped him financially in this way.
(1962) Oil on canvas
39.4 x 31.9 inches; 100 x 81 cm
Signed on back: Beauford Delaney 1962
53 Rue Vercingétorix Paris
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image by Discover Paris!
She remembers that she and Jean-Claude would often run into Beauford in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area (where they viewed the film La Grande Bouffe together). They once found him seated on a bench reading a French newspaper. Geneviève said that Beauford spoke French well (contrary to what is indicated in Beauford’s biography, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, which says that he never overcame his “inadequacies in French”). She said that she and Jean-Claude could not have spent so much time with him otherwise because their spoken English was not strong.Geneviève recounts that Beauford visited the Brouards at home quite often, both when they lived in Paris’ 12th arrondissement and after they moved to Fontainebleau. She remembers that he loved children and described how he much he enjoyed the company of hers in the back seat of the car when she and Jean-Claude would drive him to his apartment in Clamart. She says that her kids have very fond memories of Beauford as well.
After spending an enjoyable evening with the Brouards, Beauford offered to paint Geneviève’s portrait. He intended it to be a gift, but he did not have the money to purchase the canvas. So Geneviève went with him to the art supply store and paid for the canvas that he selected.
Geneviève would then go to Beauford’s studio on rue Vercingétorix every Saturday morning to sit for her portrait. Each time, she sat in the same armchair – the chair that Beauford had all of his subjects sit in when he captured their likenesses on canvas.
The result was the painting shown below.
(1964) Oil on canvas
15 x 12.6 inches; 40 x 32 cm
Signed on back: Beauford Delaney 1964
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image by Discover Paris!
It is one of Geneviève’s most treasured remembrances of Beauford.
Les Amis dedicates this article to Jean-Claude Brouard, who passed away on May 27, 2014. May you rest in peace, Jean-Claude.
Beauford and the Brouards - Part 1
I have published several articles about Robert Tricoire and his collection of Beauford’s work. Thanks to him, I had the pleasure of meeting Geneviève and Jean-Claude Brouard, who were also friends of Beauford. The Brouards graciously invited Robert, James LeGros (a principal member of Beauford’s tutelle), and me to an amazing lunch in honor of Beauford at their home in Fontainebleau.
Around the table at the Brouards
From left to right – Robert Tricoire, Geneviève Brouard, James K. LeGros, Monique Y. Wells, Jean-Claude Brouard
Photo by Christian Parramon
I was particularly interested in meeting Geneviève because she is the founder of the French non-profit association Les Amis de James Keville LeGros. She is working to create a catalogue raisonnée of Jim’s art. I hope that Les Amis de Beauford Delaney will be able to do the same for Beauford in the near future.
Geneviève and Jean-Claude met Beauford through Jim LeGros. They, Jim and his wife Bunny, and Beauford went on to forge an enduring friendship. Robert Tricoire also met Beauford because of Jim. Though Beauford was considerably older than them when they met, his humor and his gentle spirit drew them to him. I was honored to listen to them talk about their experiences with Beauford and to laugh with them as they walked down memory lane.
We met at the Brouards’ splendid home on a beautiful sunny afternoon. As we enjoyed our appetizers, they laid out numerous documents and photos of Beauford. They allowed me to photograph the ones for which they did not have copies.
Several of these photos were snapped around the table at which we were about to dine. At the time they were taken, Beauford had stopped shaving himself and having his hair colored (Bunny LeGros used to do this for him).
Bunny LeGros, Jean-Claude Brouard, and Beauford
Image courtesy of Geneviève Brouard
Beauford, Jim LeGros, and Geneviève Brouard
© Discover Paris!
Geneviève recounted the story of one of her most cherished memories of Beauford – that of Beauford inspiring her father to get up and dance the Charleston in his house slippers! She regrets to this day that no photos were taken of the occasion.
Jim LeGros’ painting, 96 Cases, hangs in the Brouard dining room. A mini-portrait of Beauford figures among the many images that comprise this work (5th row, 9th image from the left), as do a mini-portrait of Geneviève (second row, 8th image from the left) and one of Jean-Claude (third row, 11th image from the left). Jim LeGros placed his own image and signed the painting in the bottom row at the far right.
96 Cases
(1975) Acrylic on canvas
25.2 x 48.8 inches ; 64 x 124 cm
Signed at lower right: JKL X -75
© James Keville LeGros
Image by Discover Paris!
Geneviève noted that a photo appearing in David Leeming’s biography of Beauford, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, is incorrectly described as having been taken at Beauford’s studio. In fact, the photo was taken in her dining room – 96 Cases is clearly visible on the wall behind Beauford.
Photo of Beauford at the Brouards’ dining room table
Image courtesy of Geneviève Brouard
We moved to the dining room to continue the meal and the conversation. Geneviève recalled that Beauford had joined the group and gone to see the movie La Grande Bouffe at a cinema near Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Près. The star-studded film (a drama) was considered quite risqué at the time – the plot concerned four men who decided to retire to a private villa and eat themselves to death. Beauford – who Geneviève noted was frequently hungry – watched scene after scene of these men stuffing themselves at tables overflowing with food and began to laugh. His laughter was so infectious that the entire audience began to laugh!
Geneviève shared another story that she remembered concerning Beauford and food. Beauford was frequently invited to eat by friends, not only because they enjoyed his company, but also because they knew that he did not eat regularly because of his poverty. At one such gathering, someone commented to Beauford that he should invite everyone next time. He quickly accepted and went on to organize a simple meal at his studio on rue Vercingétorix. Paella was the main course. Everyone sat on the floor around Beauford’s bed and each person served himself / herself from a communal dish that passed from hand to hand. When Beauford feared that there was not enough food to satisfy everyone, he opened a can of peas and everyone was served directly from the can!
In Part 2 of this article, I’ll share more stories about Beauford and the Brouards.
Les Amis dedicates this article to Jean-Claude Brouard, who passed away on May 27, 2014. May you rest in peace, Jean-Claude.
From left to right – Robert Tricoire, Geneviève Brouard, James K. LeGros, Monique Y. Wells, Jean-Claude Brouard
Photo by Christian Parramon
I was particularly interested in meeting Geneviève because she is the founder of the French non-profit association Les Amis de James Keville LeGros. She is working to create a catalogue raisonnée of Jim’s art. I hope that Les Amis de Beauford Delaney will be able to do the same for Beauford in the near future.
Geneviève and Jean-Claude met Beauford through Jim LeGros. They, Jim and his wife Bunny, and Beauford went on to forge an enduring friendship. Robert Tricoire also met Beauford because of Jim. Though Beauford was considerably older than them when they met, his humor and his gentle spirit drew them to him. I was honored to listen to them talk about their experiences with Beauford and to laugh with them as they walked down memory lane.
We met at the Brouards’ splendid home on a beautiful sunny afternoon. As we enjoyed our appetizers, they laid out numerous documents and photos of Beauford. They allowed me to photograph the ones for which they did not have copies.
Several of these photos were snapped around the table at which we were about to dine. At the time they were taken, Beauford had stopped shaving himself and having his hair colored (Bunny LeGros used to do this for him).
Image courtesy of Geneviève Brouard
© Discover Paris!
Geneviève recounted the story of one of her most cherished memories of Beauford – that of Beauford inspiring her father to get up and dance the Charleston in his house slippers! She regrets to this day that no photos were taken of the occasion.
Jim LeGros’ painting, 96 Cases, hangs in the Brouard dining room. A mini-portrait of Beauford figures among the many images that comprise this work (5th row, 9th image from the left), as do a mini-portrait of Geneviève (second row, 8th image from the left) and one of Jean-Claude (third row, 11th image from the left). Jim LeGros placed his own image and signed the painting in the bottom row at the far right.
(1975) Acrylic on canvas
25.2 x 48.8 inches ; 64 x 124 cm
Signed at lower right: JKL X -75
© James Keville LeGros
Image by Discover Paris!
Geneviève noted that a photo appearing in David Leeming’s biography of Beauford, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, is incorrectly described as having been taken at Beauford’s studio. In fact, the photo was taken in her dining room – 96 Cases is clearly visible on the wall behind Beauford.
Image courtesy of Geneviève Brouard
We moved to the dining room to continue the meal and the conversation. Geneviève recalled that Beauford had joined the group and gone to see the movie La Grande Bouffe at a cinema near Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Près. The star-studded film (a drama) was considered quite risqué at the time – the plot concerned four men who decided to retire to a private villa and eat themselves to death. Beauford – who Geneviève noted was frequently hungry – watched scene after scene of these men stuffing themselves at tables overflowing with food and began to laugh. His laughter was so infectious that the entire audience began to laugh!
Geneviève shared another story that she remembered concerning Beauford and food. Beauford was frequently invited to eat by friends, not only because they enjoyed his company, but also because they knew that he did not eat regularly because of his poverty. At one such gathering, someone commented to Beauford that he should invite everyone next time. He quickly accepted and went on to organize a simple meal at his studio on rue Vercingétorix. Paella was the main course. Everyone sat on the floor around Beauford’s bed and each person served himself / herself from a communal dish that passed from hand to hand. When Beauford feared that there was not enough food to satisfy everyone, he opened a can of peas and everyone was served directly from the can!
In Part 2 of this article, I’ll share more stories about Beauford and the Brouards.
Les Amis dedicates this article to Jean-Claude Brouard, who passed away on May 27, 2014. May you rest in peace, Jean-Claude.
Les Amis Pays Homage to Darthea Speyer
Darthea Speyer passed away on May 20, 2014, at the age of 95. She was one of Beauford's strongest and most faithful supporters during his Paris years.
Beauford and Darthea Speyer (left) at American Cultural Center event
Image courtesy of Robert Tricoire
Reproduced with permission by the U. S. Embassy in Paris
Darthea grew up surrounded by art. Her mother was a painter and a sculptress. Both of her parents collected art and Darthea began her own collection at the tender age of 15. Her sister is a painter and her brother was an architect who went on to become the curator of 20th-century Painting and Sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Darthea studied art history at New York University. She came to Paris as a cultural attaché for the United States Information Services (USIS) in 1950 and began to encourage interest in American art among the French. She opened the American Cultural Center on rue de Dragon in 1957 and the Galerie Darthea Speyer on rue Jacques Callot (designed by her brother, James) in 1968. She commissioned many paintings by Beauford (including the portrait represented in the image below) and showed his works at both of these venues.
Image courtesy of Robert Tricoire
Reproduced with permission by the U. S. Embassy in Paris
Darthea grew up surrounded by art. Her mother was a painter and a sculptress. Both of her parents collected art and Darthea began her own collection at the tender age of 15. Her sister is a painter and her brother was an architect who went on to become the curator of 20th-century Painting and Sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Darthea studied art history at New York University. She came to Paris as a cultural attaché for the United States Information Services (USIS) in 1950 and began to encourage interest in American art among the French. She opened the American Cultural Center on rue de Dragon in 1957 and the Galerie Darthea Speyer on rue Jacques Callot (designed by her brother, James) in 1968. She commissioned many paintings by Beauford (including the portrait represented in the image below) and showed his works at both of these venues.
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Galerie Darthea Speyer
Through her work, American artists became much better known and solicited in France.
Due to failing health, she closed her gallery in early 2010 and returned permanently to the United States. Her treasure trove of art was sold at auction at Christie's Paris. Several of Beauford's paintings were among the collection.
To read more about Darthea and Beauford, click HERE.
Sold!!! Two Delaneys at Swann Auction Galleries June 2014 African American Fine Art Auction
Both of the Beauford Delaney paintings made available for purchase during Swann Auction Galleries' "The Shape of Things to Come" African American Fine Art Auction sold on Tuesday, June 10, 2014.
The untitled abstract (Lot 16), shown below, is an oil painting on wove paper. Affixed to card stock, it is signed and dated in ink on the mount at the lower left.
Untitled (Abstract composition)
(1958) Oil on wove paper
750x560 mm; 29 1/2x22 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This painting sold for $10,000, buyer's premium included*.
The second painting, Gaggame (Lot 62), is a watercolor on thin wove paper. It is signed, titled, dated and inscribed "France" in blue ink and ball point pen at the lower right.
Gaggame
(1969) Watercolor on wove paper
240x320 mm; 9 3/8x12 1/2 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for $5000, buyer's premium included*.
*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 on top of the hammer price. Swann's premium is 20%. Swann Auction Galleries now reports the "hammer price" and the price that include the buyer's premium in its online catalog.
The untitled abstract (Lot 16), shown below, is an oil painting on wove paper. Affixed to card stock, it is signed and dated in ink on the mount at the lower left.
(1958) Oil on wove paper
750x560 mm; 29 1/2x22 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This painting sold for $10,000, buyer's premium included*.
The second painting, Gaggame (Lot 62), is a watercolor on thin wove paper. It is signed, titled, dated and inscribed "France" in blue ink and ball point pen at the lower right.
(1969) Watercolor on wove paper
240x320 mm; 9 3/8x12 1/2 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for $5000, buyer's premium included*.
*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 on top of the hammer price. Swann's premium is 20%. Swann Auction Galleries now reports the "hammer price" and the price that include the buyer's premium in its online catalog.
Beauford at Swann Auction Galleries: June 2014 Sale
Swann Auction Galleries is having a summer sale of African American Fine Art this year. Called "The Shape of Things to Come," it will take place at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, June 10, 2014.
Two Beauford Delaney paintings will be auctioned at the event. One is abstract and the other is figurative.
The abstract painting (Lot 16) is untitled. Affixed to card stock, it is signed and dated in ink on the mount at the lower left. It comes to the auction block from a private collection in New York.
Untitled (Abstract composition)
(1958) Oil on wove paper
750x560 mm; 29 1/2x22 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated value of this work is $10000 - $15000.
Gaggame (Lot 62) is a watercolor on thin wove paper. Signed, titled, dated and inscribed "France" in blue ink and ball point pen at the lower right, it also comes to auction from a private collection in New York.
Gaggame
(1969) Watercolor on wove paper
240x320 mm; 9 3/8x12 1/2 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated value of this work is $5000 - $7000.
For more information, contact Alaina McEachin at .
Two Beauford Delaney paintings will be auctioned at the event. One is abstract and the other is figurative.
The abstract painting (Lot 16) is untitled. Affixed to card stock, it is signed and dated in ink on the mount at the lower left. It comes to the auction block from a private collection in New York.
(1958) Oil on wove paper
750x560 mm; 29 1/2x22 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated value of this work is $10000 - $15000.
Gaggame (Lot 62) is a watercolor on thin wove paper. Signed, titled, dated and inscribed "France" in blue ink and ball point pen at the lower right, it also comes to auction from a private collection in New York.
(1969) Watercolor on wove paper
240x320 mm; 9 3/8x12 1/2 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated value of this work is $5000 - $7000.
For more information, contact Alaina McEachin at .
Astonishing Sale of a Beauford Delaney Abstract
The Beauford Delaney abstract shown in the image below was auctioned by Drouot on April 5, 2014 in Lyon, France.
Image by Discover Paris!
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
While it was no surprise that the painting sold, what astonished Drouot was the price for which it sold. The estimated sale price was 700 euros (approximately $950), but when all was said and done, the work fetched a handsome 20,400 euros* (approximately $27,760)!
The untitled abstract measures 22x33 cm (8x13 inches) and is signed and inscribed "Bon Nassaine Hovard" on the back of the canvas. It came from the Darthea Speyer Gallery in Paris.
The article in La Gazette Drouot describes an intense bidding war over the painting that took place between those in the room and potential buyers on several phone lines. The magazine says that the purchase price "pulverized" the estimates for the sale.
Image by Discover Paris!
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Presumably, the successful buyer lives in the U. S. - the article says that the painting will cross the Atlantic as a result of the sale.
*Buyer's premium included
Beauford's Abstraction Sells at Skinner Auction in Boston
A few weeks ago, Kathy Wong - Specialist, American & European Works of Art Skinner, Inc. - contacted Les Amis to inform me of the impending sale of a beautiful Beauford Delaney abstract at auction on May 16, 2014. I immediately asked about publishing a blog post about the painting and any back story associated with it. The consignor of the painting (who wishes to remain anonymous) shared the following:
Abstraction
Signed and dated "Beauford Delaney 1969" l.r.
Identified on a label from Galerie Darthea Speyer, Paris,
affixed to the backing.
Gouache on paper, sight size 25 3/4 x 19 1/2 in. (65.4 x 49.5 cm), framed
Image courtesy of Skinner
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Signature for Abstraction
Image courtesy of Skinner
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Abstraction was made available for sale as Lot 627 during Skinner Auction American & European Works of Art - 2728B in Boston on May 16th. It sold for $11,685, buyer's premium* included. The estimated sale price was $5,000-7,000.
*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 on top of the hammer price. Skinner's premium is 23% for sales up to and including $100,000.
Signed and dated "Beauford Delaney 1969" l.r.
Identified on a label from Galerie Darthea Speyer, Paris,
affixed to the backing.
Gouache on paper, sight size 25 3/4 x 19 1/2 in. (65.4 x 49.5 cm), framed
Image courtesy of Skinner
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
My ex-husband was a stringer for Time Magazine in London in 1973. He was assigned an article about African-American expats in Europe, and I was lucky enough to go along for the ride to Paris, the French Riviera, and Switzerland. He interviewed Beauford Delaney, Josephine Baker, James Baldwin, and many others on that assignment.
Mr. Delaney was in a difficult phase in his life, and was to be institutionalized fairly shortly after we met him. We took him to dinner and enjoyed a long wonderful evening of stories and anecdotes about the contrast of life in the US and France for African Americans. We walked him back to his attic in Montparnasse and climbed the 5 or 6 stories with him to be sure he was safely home.
As we turned to leave he reached into a stack of rolled up drawings and handed one to me. That's when we both determined to acquire more of his work and support him as much as we could.
Of course, we were very young and unable to afford even the low cost of his paintings then, but it remained a dream and we did, along the way, buy several pieces, including the lovely gouache I'm selling, and a portrait of James Baldwin along with a few others that belong to my ex. I still have the charcoal drawing.
Image courtesy of Skinner
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
At the time we were told of the painting I'm selling, in the mid 1990's, we would have bought anything by Delaney.
As I mentioned earlier, the French government had been holding his work in probate for many years, and there was nothing on the market. The Studio Museum of Harlem had a wonderful retrospective of his work in 1978, the year before he died, and we began discussions with the museum to buy one of the large landscapes from that exhibit. Then Mr. Delaney died and France stepped in and our negotiations ground to a slow and agonizing halt.
It was at least a decade before there was any chance of getting a piece by him. We eventually got the small gouache in the mid 90's and I was happy for the chance of having a Delaney after all that time.
I adore the painting. It is always a patch of sunlight wherever it is hung, and brightens everything in the room.
Abstraction was made available for sale as Lot 627 during Skinner Auction American & European Works of Art - 2728B in Boston on May 16th. It sold for $11,685, buyer's premium* included. The estimated sale price was $5,000-7,000.
*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 on top of the hammer price. Skinner's premium is 23% for sales up to and including $100,000.
James LeGros Remembers Beauford - Part 2
In Part 1 of James LeGros Remembers Beauford, I presented Jim's recollections of his first meeting with Beauford, Beauford's visits to his home in Vélizy, and his thoughts about Beauford's personality and his habits. In Part 2, I share information that Jim provided about Beauford's tutelle - the guardianship that the City of Paris created to protect Beauford's interests when he was a patient at Sainte-Anne's Hospital.
Profile of Beauford Delaney - detail
Multiple images
1973 Acrylic on canvas
© James K. LeGros
Image by Discover Paris!
Jim was one of seven persons selected by the City of Paris to participate in a tutelle - an official guardianship formed to look after Beauford's person and affairs when he was committed to Sainte-Anne's Hospital. He received a letter from the Mairie of the 14th arrondissement, dated 9 January 1976, inviting him to participate in a meeting to be convened at the Mairie on January 26 for the purpose of establishing the guardianship.
This was a "command performance" - the group being formed was permanent and those selected to participate would have been fined had they missed this meeting without an appropriate excuse.
Tutelle invitation letter
© Discover Paris!
Mairie of the 14th arrondissement
© Discover Paris!
Jim recalls that of the the remaining six persons in the tutelle, he knew only James Baldwin and Bernard Hassell well. He had a passing acquaintance with Ahmed Bioud and Darthea Speyer, and only met Burt Reinfrank and Solange du Closel at this first meeting.
Jim was named as Beauford's subrogé-tuteur, or surrogate guardian. His role was to defend Beauford's interests in the event that the guardians of his person (Bernard Hassell) and his belongings (James Baldwin) ever acted in a way that was counter to Beauford's best interests.
Two days after the meeting on January 26, Jim received a letter stating that Beauford's dossier had been transferred to the Mairie of the 5th arrondissement because this was where Bernard Hassell lived.
Beauford was able to stay in Sainte-Anne's because Solange du Closel enrolled him in a health care program for artists. Jim would visit him there several times during the four years that he lived there. He saw his friend's mental and physical capacity slowly slip away.
In March 1978, a year before Beauford died, the hospital sent Jim a letter expressing their grave concern about Beauford's declining health.
Letter to James LeGros from Sainte-Anne's Hospital
© Discover Paris!
Jim continued to visit Beauford after his friend no longer recognized him and even after Beauford fell into a state of semi-consciousness. He recalls being ushered to Beauford's room by a nurse on one of these visits to find a photographer snapping multiple photos of an unaware Beauford. The whereabouts of the photographer and these photos remain unknown.
On March 27, 1979, Sainte-Anne's addressed a letter to Jim to inform him of Beauford's death the day before.
Letter to James LeGros announcing Beauford's death
© Discover Paris!
Jim was the only member of the tutelle to attend Beauford's funeral and burial.
Profile of Beauford Delaney - detail
Multiple images
1973 Acrylic on canvas
© James K. LeGros
Image by Discover Paris!
Jim was one of seven persons selected by the City of Paris to participate in a tutelle - an official guardianship formed to look after Beauford's person and affairs when he was committed to Sainte-Anne's Hospital. He received a letter from the Mairie of the 14th arrondissement, dated 9 January 1976, inviting him to participate in a meeting to be convened at the Mairie on January 26 for the purpose of establishing the guardianship.
This was a "command performance" - the group being formed was permanent and those selected to participate would have been fined had they missed this meeting without an appropriate excuse.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Jim recalls that of the the remaining six persons in the tutelle, he knew only James Baldwin and Bernard Hassell well. He had a passing acquaintance with Ahmed Bioud and Darthea Speyer, and only met Burt Reinfrank and Solange du Closel at this first meeting.
Jim was named as Beauford's subrogé-tuteur, or surrogate guardian. His role was to defend Beauford's interests in the event that the guardians of his person (Bernard Hassell) and his belongings (James Baldwin) ever acted in a way that was counter to Beauford's best interests.
Two days after the meeting on January 26, Jim received a letter stating that Beauford's dossier had been transferred to the Mairie of the 5th arrondissement because this was where Bernard Hassell lived.
Beauford was able to stay in Sainte-Anne's because Solange du Closel enrolled him in a health care program for artists. Jim would visit him there several times during the four years that he lived there. He saw his friend's mental and physical capacity slowly slip away.
In March 1978, a year before Beauford died, the hospital sent Jim a letter expressing their grave concern about Beauford's declining health.
© Discover Paris!
Jim continued to visit Beauford after his friend no longer recognized him and even after Beauford fell into a state of semi-consciousness. He recalls being ushered to Beauford's room by a nurse on one of these visits to find a photographer snapping multiple photos of an unaware Beauford. The whereabouts of the photographer and these photos remain unknown.
On March 27, 1979, Sainte-Anne's addressed a letter to Jim to inform him of Beauford's death the day before.
© Discover Paris!
Jim was the only member of the tutelle to attend Beauford's funeral and burial.
Rachel Cohen's Tribute to Beauford
Rachel Cohen is a writer and a professor at Sarah Lawrence College. She contacted me a few weeks ago in anticipation of her reading from her book A Chance Meeting and the discussion about Beauford and James Baldwin that was scheduled for the New York Live Arts Festival in April. She wrote a wonderful article about Beauford's work on her blog called Abstraction and Eyes, which inspired me to ask her for the following interview:
Les Amis: What inspired you to include Beauford in your book?
R. C.: For my book, I knew I wanted to include chapters about James Baldwin, a writer who has had a strong influence on me since I studied him carefully when I was a first-year student at college. But I was having trouble finding ways to write about Baldwin, so complex in life and on the page. I read the biography of James Baldwin by David Leeming, and that was where I first encountered Delaney. Leeming makes clear what a profound influence Delaney had on Baldwin, and also tells the incredible story of Leeming driving Delaney to meet Baldwin in Istanbul – something wonderfully vivid about the relations among all three of those men comes across in that book. After I read those accounts, I knew that to write well about James Baldwin, I needed to show him in relation to Delaney. Gradually, as I read, I got more and more interested in Delaney himself, and I also learned a huge amount from Leeming’s book on Delaney, Amazing Grace.
Cover of Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
Les Amis: What (if anything) was so compelling about him that you included him in two chapters?
R. C.: The book is structured so that each figure appears in at least two chapters – it was important to me to find a way to convey the different aspects of people that come forward in different situations and with different company. Biography tends to present tight, overly-consistent pictures of people, and I thought that changing juxtapositions would open up new perspectives. I wrote about Delaney with James Baldwin and also with W.E. B. Du Bois, two very different people, who meant very different things to Delaney, and I hoped that would allow me to show both the tender and interior person he was able to be with Baldwin, and the more mystifying, solitary figure he presented in the world of African-American intellectuals and artists that he traveled in. One way that Beauford Delaney was different than some of the other figures I wrote about was that for him it wasn’t just difficult, but really almost impossibly painful, to try to hold these different aspects of himself together.
Les Amis: When did you first come to know about Beauford’s art?
R. C.: I learned about it first from reading. One of my friends, the poet and artist John Jay Frazier, had seen The Color Yellow show and had the catalog, and I studied that, and looked at what works I could. John read the chapters I had written about Delaney when I was done and that was a great help.
Les Amis: Have you seen many of his works in person?
R. C.: No, sadly, I haven’t. The two big shows in recent years, in Minneapolis and New York, both came after I’d published my book, and I wasn’t able to get to either of them. That was a really wonderful thing about the recent experience of presenting on Baldwin and Delaney at the Live Arts Festival, “The Fire This Time!” – we were on stage with two wonderful paintings – the portrait of James Baldwin in yellow from 1965, and a painting from the Rosa Parks series. In person, the paintings are alive in an extraordinary way – you can feel the movement in the paint, and you can also feel a lot of touching and interesting elements in the atmosphere – the background of the Rosa Parks painting seemed to me saturated in memories of the South, and of Knoxville, where Beauford Delaney grew up.
Portrait of James Baldwin
1965
Oil on canvas
25.5 x 21.25 inches
Signed and dated lower left
Image courtesy of Levis Fine Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Two Women on a Bench
1970
Oil on canvas
21.25 x 25 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Les Amis: I am intrigued by your focus on eyes in your recent blog post about Beauford. Please give me your comments about the following post on the Les Amis blog: You've Got the Eye.
R. C.: This is a very interesting post – there is clearly something about the eyes in Delaney’s work that many of us want to try to get at! I think your point about the asymmetries in the Delaney self-portraits is perceptive. In most portraits, the two eyes of the sitter will look quite different – an artist friend of mine once explained to me that otherwise the effect when you look at the painting is that the pair of eyes are following you – but I think you’re right that this is extremely pronounced in Delaney’s case and seems to suggest something about what he thought people could see and understand of the world, and how well they could be seen by others.
Les Amis: Do you have a preference between Beauford’s portraits and his abstract works? If so, why?
R. C.: I like both the kinds of works very much. An interesting thing that came out in the discussion at the Live Arts Panel was when Diedra Harris-Kelley, of the Romare Bearden Foundation and herself a painter, insisted that it was a mistake to make a strong distinction between the so-called “realistic” portraits and the abstract paintings. She said that in both kinds of work Delaney is concerned with edges and areas of color. I said that I had found helpful the words of the French critic Jean Guichard-Meili, who described Delaney’s painting in terms of “convection.” I said that maybe this consistent concern with the movement of paint, whether in realistic portraits or abstract paintings, was in some way analogous to the way James Baldwin’s prose moves, whether in the more political essays, or in the more imaginative fiction.
Les Amis: Would you consider the chapters in your book to be a tribute to Beauford and his work? If so, in what way?
R. C.: Certainly, but it is maybe more important to me that the book as a whole is a tribute to ideas about love and friendship that Delaney and Baldwin believed in and lived in their relationship to each other. Delaney wrote in his journal that “love when unimpeded realizes the miraculous.” Throughout my book, I wanted to show moments where a depth of understanding or generosity, found in the company of other people, helped writers and artists to do the work that mattered most to them.
Les Amis: Any final thoughts?
R. C.: Only that when I started writing about Delaney, more than fifteen years ago, I never would have thought that I’d have the chance to sit with two of his paintings and talk about his life and work with David Leeming, whose books I so much admire. Both Baldwin and Delaney were very present in that room. For me it was as if I had been writing toward them for a long time and it was a great privilege to get that close to their presences.
Les Amis: What inspired you to include Beauford in your book?
R. C.: For my book, I knew I wanted to include chapters about James Baldwin, a writer who has had a strong influence on me since I studied him carefully when I was a first-year student at college. But I was having trouble finding ways to write about Baldwin, so complex in life and on the page. I read the biography of James Baldwin by David Leeming, and that was where I first encountered Delaney. Leeming makes clear what a profound influence Delaney had on Baldwin, and also tells the incredible story of Leeming driving Delaney to meet Baldwin in Istanbul – something wonderfully vivid about the relations among all three of those men comes across in that book. After I read those accounts, I knew that to write well about James Baldwin, I needed to show him in relation to Delaney. Gradually, as I read, I got more and more interested in Delaney himself, and I also learned a huge amount from Leeming’s book on Delaney, Amazing Grace
. 
Les Amis: What (if anything) was so compelling about him that you included him in two chapters?
R. C.: The book is structured so that each figure appears in at least two chapters – it was important to me to find a way to convey the different aspects of people that come forward in different situations and with different company. Biography tends to present tight, overly-consistent pictures of people, and I thought that changing juxtapositions would open up new perspectives. I wrote about Delaney with James Baldwin and also with W.E. B. Du Bois, two very different people, who meant very different things to Delaney, and I hoped that would allow me to show both the tender and interior person he was able to be with Baldwin, and the more mystifying, solitary figure he presented in the world of African-American intellectuals and artists that he traveled in. One way that Beauford Delaney was different than some of the other figures I wrote about was that for him it wasn’t just difficult, but really almost impossibly painful, to try to hold these different aspects of himself together.
Les Amis: When did you first come to know about Beauford’s art?
R. C.: I learned about it first from reading. One of my friends, the poet and artist John Jay Frazier, had seen The Color Yellow show and had the catalog, and I studied that, and looked at what works I could. John read the chapters I had written about Delaney when I was done and that was a great help.
Les Amis: Have you seen many of his works in person?
R. C.: No, sadly, I haven’t. The two big shows in recent years, in Minneapolis and New York, both came after I’d published my book, and I wasn’t able to get to either of them. That was a really wonderful thing about the recent experience of presenting on Baldwin and Delaney at the Live Arts Festival, “The Fire This Time!” – we were on stage with two wonderful paintings – the portrait of James Baldwin in yellow from 1965, and a painting from the Rosa Parks series. In person, the paintings are alive in an extraordinary way – you can feel the movement in the paint, and you can also feel a lot of touching and interesting elements in the atmosphere – the background of the Rosa Parks painting seemed to me saturated in memories of the South, and of Knoxville, where Beauford Delaney grew up.
1965
Oil on canvas
25.5 x 21.25 inches
Signed and dated lower left
Image courtesy of Levis Fine Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
1970
Oil on canvas
21.25 x 25 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Les Amis: I am intrigued by your focus on eyes in your recent blog post about Beauford. Please give me your comments about the following post on the Les Amis blog: You've Got the Eye.
R. C.: This is a very interesting post – there is clearly something about the eyes in Delaney’s work that many of us want to try to get at! I think your point about the asymmetries in the Delaney self-portraits is perceptive. In most portraits, the two eyes of the sitter will look quite different – an artist friend of mine once explained to me that otherwise the effect when you look at the painting is that the pair of eyes are following you – but I think you’re right that this is extremely pronounced in Delaney’s case and seems to suggest something about what he thought people could see and understand of the world, and how well they could be seen by others.
Les Amis: Do you have a preference between Beauford’s portraits and his abstract works? If so, why?
R. C.: I like both the kinds of works very much. An interesting thing that came out in the discussion at the Live Arts Panel was when Diedra Harris-Kelley, of the Romare Bearden Foundation and herself a painter, insisted that it was a mistake to make a strong distinction between the so-called “realistic” portraits and the abstract paintings. She said that in both kinds of work Delaney is concerned with edges and areas of color. I said that I had found helpful the words of the French critic Jean Guichard-Meili, who described Delaney’s painting in terms of “convection.” I said that maybe this consistent concern with the movement of paint, whether in realistic portraits or abstract paintings, was in some way analogous to the way James Baldwin’s prose moves, whether in the more political essays, or in the more imaginative fiction.
Les Amis: Would you consider the chapters in your book to be a tribute to Beauford and his work? If so, in what way?
R. C.: Certainly, but it is maybe more important to me that the book as a whole is a tribute to ideas about love and friendship that Delaney and Baldwin believed in and lived in their relationship to each other. Delaney wrote in his journal that “love when unimpeded realizes the miraculous.” Throughout my book, I wanted to show moments where a depth of understanding or generosity, found in the company of other people, helped writers and artists to do the work that mattered most to them.
Les Amis: Any final thoughts?
R. C.: Only that when I started writing about Delaney, more than fifteen years ago, I never would have thought that I’d have the chance to sit with two of his paintings and talk about his life and work with David Leeming, whose books I so much admire. Both Baldwin and Delaney were very present in that room. For me it was as if I had been writing toward them for a long time and it was a great privilege to get that close to their presences.
James LeGros Remembers Beauford - Part 1
Several days ago, I had the great pleasure of spending the afternoon with one of Beauford's dearest friends, James K. (Jim) LeGros. Jim is a painter who came to Paris in the 1950s and studied at the Académie Julian under the G. I. Bill. Over coffee, cornbread, and fig preserves, he, his granddaughter Maud, and I talked about life in Paris after the Second World War, what it means to be an artist, and of course, Beauford.
Portrait Beauford Delaney
(1972) Pastel on Paper
© James K. LeGros
Jim was introduced to Beauford by their mutual friend, Larry Calcagno. Beauford lived in a room on the top floor of the Hôtel des Ecoles in Montparnasse at the time. Jim remembers Beauford as wearing a long robe with decorated sleeves and having his hair slicked back, which gave him an exotic appearance. Though there was a great difference in their ages, Jim and his wife Bunny (now deceased) would become two of Beauford's greatest friends.
Jim and Bunny moved into a large home in the Paris suburb of Vélizy in 1959. It is bordered on two sides by woods and a huge pond called the "Etang d'Ecrivisses." Because of these idyllic surroundings, Beauford began to refer to Jim and Bunny as "the dear friends in the country."
The LeGros house
© Discover Paris!
In Beauford's time, Vélizy was much less developed than it is now. The road between the pond and the rear of the house had not yet been paved and the pond had not been "gentrified."
Woods and pond behind the LeGros house
© Discover Paris!
Beauford visited so frequently that the LeGros designated a room on the first floor just for him. Jim painted the portrait shown above as Beauford sat on the living room couch - the same couch that I sat upon when I conducted my interview with Jim!
Jim acknowledged Beauford's beatific image as portrayed in David Leeming's biography Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney. He affirmed that Beauford was quite gentle and never spoke ill of others. He said that the French described him as "doux," which translates into "soft" or "sweet" in English.
But he would not go so far as to call Beauford a "saint." He was well aware of Beauford's frailties, particularly regarding his consumption of alcohol. He talked a bit about Beauford's night life, saying that Beauford would often "just be getting started" with his socializing at 1 AM or 2 AM and that he frequented several private clubs that one could not enter without "knowing the right people." He said that Beauford had incredible stamina, not only with regard to walking (Beauford's walking feats were legendary and Jim could not keep up with him), but also with regard to drinking. Beauford's alcohol consumption seriously undermined his health and caused him to be hospitalized on more than one occasion.
Jim said that Beauford had a profound effect on people. He spoke of his first solo art exhibit that took place in 1963 at La Case d'Arts, a gallery located at 3 / 3 bis, rue des Beaux Arts in the 6th arrondissment (now Galerie Loft La Case d'Arts). Beauford attended the opening. Jim laughingly said that even though it was his show, Beauford was the center of attention there!
Beauford and James LeGros (center) Image courtesy of James K. LeGros
Jim described Beauford's hands, saying that Beauford had long, "spatula-like" fingers. He said that Beauford would often touch people gently with his forefinger and middle finger to emphasize a point. He said that when Beauford touched you, "You were touched!"
Though Jim and Beauford were active artists, they rarely spoke to each other about their work. When Beauford did remark about Jim's art, it was to comment that Jim could increase the amount of light in his workspace if he would cover the surfaces with sheets and newspaper.
Jim said that Beauford's conversation was primarily philosophical - he preferred to discuss his observations on life and on human behavior. Jim recalled a conversation that he had with Beauford when he accompanied Beauford to a dentist's office in rue Saint-Denis. The two men observed a woman who was feeding pigeons nearby. Beauford remarked "If only we knew what these pigeons know..." referring to the fact that the birds knew how to be fed without having to struggle or come up with their own resources. Jim observed that Beauford's existence somewhat mirrored that of the pigeons - he was frequently "taken care of" by others, whether that meant being invited for a meal or receiving a gift of cash, clothing, or art supplies.
Jim was one of seven persons selected by the City of Paris to participate in a tutelle - an official guardianship formed to look after Beauford's affairs when he was committed to Sainte-Anne's Hospital. In fact, Jim was named as Beauford's subrogé-tuteur, or surrogate guardian. His role was to defend Beauford's interests in the event that the guardians of his person (Bernard Hassell) and his belongings (James Baldwin) ever acted in a way that was counter to Beauford's best interests.
In Part 2 of this article, look for additional information about the tutelle.
(1972) Pastel on Paper
© James K. LeGros
Jim was introduced to Beauford by their mutual friend, Larry Calcagno. Beauford lived in a room on the top floor of the Hôtel des Ecoles in Montparnasse at the time. Jim remembers Beauford as wearing a long robe with decorated sleeves and having his hair slicked back, which gave him an exotic appearance. Though there was a great difference in their ages, Jim and his wife Bunny (now deceased) would become two of Beauford's greatest friends.
Jim and Bunny moved into a large home in the Paris suburb of Vélizy in 1959. It is bordered on two sides by woods and a huge pond called the "Etang d'Ecrivisses." Because of these idyllic surroundings, Beauford began to refer to Jim and Bunny as "the dear friends in the country."
© Discover Paris!
In Beauford's time, Vélizy was much less developed than it is now. The road between the pond and the rear of the house had not yet been paved and the pond had not been "gentrified."
© Discover Paris!
Beauford visited so frequently that the LeGros designated a room on the first floor just for him. Jim painted the portrait shown above as Beauford sat on the living room couch - the same couch that I sat upon when I conducted my interview with Jim!
Jim acknowledged Beauford's beatific image as portrayed in David Leeming's biography Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
. He affirmed that Beauford was quite gentle and never spoke ill of others. He said that the French described him as "doux," which translates into "soft" or "sweet" in English. But he would not go so far as to call Beauford a "saint." He was well aware of Beauford's frailties, particularly regarding his consumption of alcohol. He talked a bit about Beauford's night life, saying that Beauford would often "just be getting started" with his socializing at 1 AM or 2 AM and that he frequented several private clubs that one could not enter without "knowing the right people." He said that Beauford had incredible stamina, not only with regard to walking (Beauford's walking feats were legendary and Jim could not keep up with him), but also with regard to drinking. Beauford's alcohol consumption seriously undermined his health and caused him to be hospitalized on more than one occasion.
Jim said that Beauford had a profound effect on people. He spoke of his first solo art exhibit that took place in 1963 at La Case d'Arts, a gallery located at 3 / 3 bis, rue des Beaux Arts in the 6th arrondissment (now Galerie Loft La Case d'Arts). Beauford attended the opening. Jim laughingly said that even though it was his show, Beauford was the center of attention there!
Jim described Beauford's hands, saying that Beauford had long, "spatula-like" fingers. He said that Beauford would often touch people gently with his forefinger and middle finger to emphasize a point. He said that when Beauford touched you, "You were touched!"
Though Jim and Beauford were active artists, they rarely spoke to each other about their work. When Beauford did remark about Jim's art, it was to comment that Jim could increase the amount of light in his workspace if he would cover the surfaces with sheets and newspaper.
Jim said that Beauford's conversation was primarily philosophical - he preferred to discuss his observations on life and on human behavior. Jim recalled a conversation that he had with Beauford when he accompanied Beauford to a dentist's office in rue Saint-Denis. The two men observed a woman who was feeding pigeons nearby. Beauford remarked "If only we knew what these pigeons know..." referring to the fact that the birds knew how to be fed without having to struggle or come up with their own resources. Jim observed that Beauford's existence somewhat mirrored that of the pigeons - he was frequently "taken care of" by others, whether that meant being invited for a meal or receiving a gift of cash, clothing, or art supplies.
Jim was one of seven persons selected by the City of Paris to participate in a tutelle - an official guardianship formed to look after Beauford's affairs when he was committed to Sainte-Anne's Hospital. In fact, Jim was named as Beauford's subrogé-tuteur, or surrogate guardian. His role was to defend Beauford's interests in the event that the guardians of his person (Bernard Hassell) and his belongings (James Baldwin) ever acted in a way that was counter to Beauford's best interests.
In Part 2 of this article, look for additional information about the tutelle.
Beauford at Swann Auction Galleries: October 2013 and February 2014
Beauford's work continues to be listed and sold at Swann Auction Galleries' semi-annual African American Fine Art sale.
Three of his paintings were placed "on the block" during the "Point of Departure: Postwar African-American Fine Art" sale in October 2013. One of them, Embrun, was exhibited at the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. It was purchased for $10,000.*
Embrun
(1963) Watercolor on wove paper
641x501 mm; 25 1/4x19 3/4 inches
Signed and dated "July 19, 1963" in ink, lower right
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
In February 2014, a single painting was listed during the "Shadows Uplifted: The Rise of African-American Fine Art sale.
+Sale+on+Feb+13+2014.jpg)
Untitled (Portrait of a Woman with Hair Ribbon)
(ca 1940) Watercolor on wove paper
641x483 mm; 25 1/4x19 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
A work of color pastels on pale gray wove paper, it came from a private collection. The seller acquired it directly from Beauford's brother Joseph.
It sold for $4,500.*
The next African American Fine Art Sale will be held in June 2014. For more information, contact Alaina McEachin at .
*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 on top of the hammer price. Swann's premium is 20%. The prices indicated in this article are hammer prices.
Three of his paintings were placed "on the block" during the "Point of Departure: Postwar African-American Fine Art" sale in October 2013. One of them, Embrun, was exhibited at the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. It was purchased for $10,000.*
(1963) Watercolor on wove paper
641x501 mm; 25 1/4x19 3/4 inches
Signed and dated "July 19, 1963" in ink, lower right
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
In February 2014, a single painting was listed during the "Shadows Uplifted: The Rise of African-American Fine Art sale.
+Sale+on+Feb+13+2014.jpg)
(ca 1940) Watercolor on wove paper
641x483 mm; 25 1/4x19 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
A work of color pastels on pale gray wove paper, it came from a private collection. The seller acquired it directly from Beauford's brother Joseph.
It sold for $4,500.*
The next African American Fine Art Sale will be held in June 2014. For more information, contact Alaina McEachin at .
*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 on top of the hammer price. Swann's premium is 20%. The prices indicated in this article are hammer prices.
A Plaque for Beauford: Latest News
I am thrilled to announce that the City of Paris has granted approval for the placement of a plaque honoring Beauford! It will be affixed to the façade of the two-star Hôtel Odessa, 28, rue d'Odessa, in the 14th arrondissement.
The hotel is modernizing its appearance. When I first visited several months ago, the entrance to the lobby was shaded by a brown awning and the space above the door was opaque. The old model of the Paris tourism plaque was displayed to the left of the door.
Hôtel Odessa Entrance
© Discover Paris!
Now a new, transparent canopy graces the entryway and a glass panel above the door allow more light to enter the lobby. A sleek, new plaque provides details of the hotel's classification for tourists.
Recently renovated entryway at Hôtel Odessa
© Discover Paris!
New canopy at Hôtel Odessa
© Discover Paris!
Beauford's plaque will be placed to the right of the entryway so as to be readily visible to all who pass by.
The next steps will be to determine the final dimensions of the plaque and the material from which it will be constructed.
I will post information about progress on the installation as soon as it becomes available.
The hotel is modernizing its appearance. When I first visited several months ago, the entrance to the lobby was shaded by a brown awning and the space above the door was opaque. The old model of the Paris tourism plaque was displayed to the left of the door.
© Discover Paris!
Now a new, transparent canopy graces the entryway and a glass panel above the door allow more light to enter the lobby. A sleek, new plaque provides details of the hotel's classification for tourists.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Beauford's plaque will be placed to the right of the entryway so as to be readily visible to all who pass by.
The next steps will be to determine the final dimensions of the plaque and the material from which it will be constructed.
I will post information about progress on the installation as soon as it becomes available.
Beauford at New York Live Arts Festival
Two quintessential paintings by Beauford will be displayed on April 24, 2014 in conjunction with a panel discussion on James Baldwin at the upcoming New York Live Arts Festival.
Portrait of James Baldwin
1965
Oil on canvas
25.5 x 21.25 inches
Signed and dated lower left
Image courtesy of Levis Fine Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Two Women on a Bench
1970
Oil on canvas
21.25 x 25 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The 1965 Portrait of James Baldwin is one of several portraits* that Beauford painted of Baldwin. Two Women on a Bench is a painting from Beauford's Rosa Parks Series.
Following are the details about the event:
"Baldwin & Delaney"
Apr 24 at 2pm
$10
New York Live Arts Theater
Rachel Cohen, whose critically acclaimed A Chance Meeting braids a sequence of seminal encounters across American cultural history, including Baldwin’s with both Richard Avedon and Norman Mailer, will read from a third chapter, focusing on the young writer’s life-transforming encounter with the sublime painter Beauford Delaney, at the latter’s Greenwich Village apartment. Following her reading, Cohen will engage Diedra Harris-Kelley, Co-Director of the Romare Bearden Foundation and Baldwin and Delaney biographer David Leeming, in a conversation about Delaney’s enduring importance in Baldwin’s life.
To purchase tickets for this event, click here.
*For more information on Beauford's portraits of James Baldwin, click on the links below:
Beauford's Portraits of James Baldwin - Part 1
Beauford's Portraits of James Baldwin - Part 2
1965
Oil on canvas
25.5 x 21.25 inches
Signed and dated lower left
Image courtesy of Levis Fine Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
1970
Oil on canvas
21.25 x 25 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The 1965 Portrait of James Baldwin is one of several portraits* that Beauford painted of Baldwin. Two Women on a Bench is a painting from Beauford's Rosa Parks Series.
Following are the details about the event:
"Baldwin & Delaney"
Apr 24 at 2pm
$10
New York Live Arts Theater
Rachel Cohen, whose critically acclaimed A Chance Meeting braids a sequence of seminal encounters across American cultural history, including Baldwin’s with both Richard Avedon and Norman Mailer, will read from a third chapter, focusing on the young writer’s life-transforming encounter with the sublime painter Beauford Delaney, at the latter’s Greenwich Village apartment. Following her reading, Cohen will engage Diedra Harris-Kelley, Co-Director of the Romare Bearden Foundation and Baldwin and Delaney biographer David Leeming, in a conversation about Delaney’s enduring importance in Baldwin’s life.
To purchase tickets for this event, click here.
*For more information on Beauford's portraits of James Baldwin, click on the links below:
Beauford's Portraits of James Baldwin - Part 1
Beauford's Portraits of James Baldwin - Part 2
Visiting Thiais Cemetery - Part 2
Last week, I reported on the new tramway that runs past Thiais Cemetery, making it easier than ever to visit Beauford's final resting place.
This week, I am sharing photos of the cemetery that I took in late March. They capture some of the foliage and flora that reflect the arrival of spring.
This is the conservation office, where cemetery records are held.
Conservation Office
© Discover Paris!
Division 17 is one of two military divisions at the cemetery. In one corner, there is an area devoted to Muslims who gave their lives for France.
Division 17 - entrance
© Discover Paris!
Division 17 - Christian and Jewish graves
© Discover Paris!
Muslim graves
© Discover Paris!
Muslim tombstone
© Discover Paris!
Some divisions have beautiful flowering trees and bushes.
Division 49
© Discover Paris!
Division 56
© Discover Paris!
Many have patches of wildflowers that make a lovely, colorful carpet among the graves.
Wildflowers
© Discover Paris!
In Division 94, the Jardin de Souvenir is where the ashes of two African-American friends of Beauford - Larry Potter and Leroy Haynes - were scattered after their concessions at Thiais Cemetery and Père Lachaise Cemetery, respectively, were not renewed. Larry Potter was an abstract artist. Leroy Haynes was a restaurant owner, boxer, and actor.
Jardin de Souvenir
© Discover Paris!
In Division 86, where Beauford is buried, this tomb is overlain with an explosion of yellow daffodils. It is only a stone's throw from Beauford's gravesite.
Daffodils covering a grave
© Discover Paris!
As yellow was Beauford's favorite color, I am sure that he would have loved to see this!
Beauford's tombstone is as pristine today as it was when it was laid in 2010.
Beauford's tombstone - March 2014
© Discover Paris!
The cemetery is an oasis of calm. Though it takes planning to come here, the effort is well worth it!
This week, I am sharing photos of the cemetery that I took in late March. They capture some of the foliage and flora that reflect the arrival of spring.
This is the conservation office, where cemetery records are held.
© Discover Paris!
Division 17 is one of two military divisions at the cemetery. In one corner, there is an area devoted to Muslims who gave their lives for France.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Some divisions have beautiful flowering trees and bushes.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Many have patches of wildflowers that make a lovely, colorful carpet among the graves.
© Discover Paris!
In Division 94, the Jardin de Souvenir is where the ashes of two African-American friends of Beauford - Larry Potter and Leroy Haynes - were scattered after their concessions at Thiais Cemetery and Père Lachaise Cemetery, respectively, were not renewed. Larry Potter was an abstract artist. Leroy Haynes was a restaurant owner, boxer, and actor.
© Discover Paris!
In Division 86, where Beauford is buried, this tomb is overlain with an explosion of yellow daffodils. It is only a stone's throw from Beauford's gravesite.
© Discover Paris!
As yellow was Beauford's favorite color, I am sure that he would have loved to see this!
Beauford's tombstone is as pristine today as it was when it was laid in 2010.
© Discover Paris!
The cemetery is an oasis of calm. Though it takes planning to come here, the effort is well worth it!
Visiting Thiais Cemetery - Part 1
I visited Thiais Cemetery last week, just a few days before the 35th anniversary of Beauford's death.
A new tramway (T7) now runs past the cemetery, making the trip from central Paris faster, easier, and more pleasant than ever before. I documented the route to encourage those of you who would like to make the trip but are hesitant to do so because the cemetery is located outside the Paris city limits.
The route is simple. Take metro line 7, direction Villejuif, to the end of the line.
Metro stops indicated on panel above door on metro Line 7
© Discover Paris!
Follow the signs to the sortie (exit) for avenue de Stalingrad.
Sign on quay indicating avenue de Stalingrad exit
© Discover Paris!
Sign indicating avenue de Stalingrad exit
© Discover Paris!
Close-up of sign indicating avenue de Stalingrad exit
© Discover Paris!
Take the escalator to leave the station.
Escalator to avenue de Stalingrad exit
© Discover Paris!
The tram runs directly in front of the metro station. The shelter is located across the track and slightly to the left. Walk across the track (being careful to look for traffic before you cross) to board the tram. Take the train going in the direction of Athis Mons...
and exit at the stop called Auguste Perret.
Tram stops indicated on panel above door on T7
© Discover Paris!
Panel indicating next tram stop on ceiling of T7
© Discover Paris!
The cemetery is behind a cement wall across the busy route de Fontainebleau.
A new tramway (T7) now runs past the cemetery, making the trip from central Paris faster, easier, and more pleasant than ever before. I documented the route to encourage those of you who would like to make the trip but are hesitant to do so because the cemetery is located outside the Paris city limits.
The route is simple. Take metro line 7, direction Villejuif, to the end of the line.
© Discover Paris!
Follow the signs to the sortie (exit) for avenue de Stalingrad.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Take the escalator to leave the station.
© Discover Paris!
The tram runs directly in front of the metro station. The shelter is located across the track and slightly to the left. Walk across the track (being careful to look for traffic before you cross) to board the tram. Take the train going in the direction of Athis Mons...
and exit at the stop called Auguste Perret.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
The cemetery is behind a cement wall across the busy route de Fontainebleau.
© Discover Paris!
Next week, I'll share photos of the cemetery itself.
Beauford's Gravesite on Thiais Cemetery "Celebrity" List
As a follow-up to the letter that Les Amis de Beauford Delaney received in July 2013, indicating that Beauford's grave would be preserved in perpetuity by the City of Paris at Thiais Cemetery, we have received the recently revised map of the cemetery. Beauford's gravesite is cited on the list of "most visited" graves. It's actually the first site noted on the list!
Map of Thiais Cemetery and list of most visited graves
Beauford’s grave is located in Division 86. It is in the second row, Tomb number 45.
Les Amis once again acknowledges Mme Marilyn Pin, deputy director of the cemetery, for her efforts in making this happen. Thanks to her, Beauford's grave will remain intact at Thiais Cemetery unless members of his family deem otherwise.
To read more about the cemetery, click HERE.
Beauford’s grave is located in Division 86. It is in the second row, Tomb number 45.
Les Amis once again acknowledges Mme Marilyn Pin, deputy director of the cemetery, for her efforts in making this happen. Thanks to her, Beauford's grave will remain intact at Thiais Cemetery unless members of his family deem otherwise.
To read more about the cemetery, click HERE.
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 2
Last week I shared some photos of the grounds of Saint Anne's Hospital, which was Beauford's last residence prior to his death.
Saint Anne's provides cutting edge therapy in the fields of psychiatry and neuroscience today. I want to share some information about the institution's history and its current status within the city of Paris with you in this post.
Insignia - Saint Anne's Hospital
© Discover Paris!
The Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne is built on land that has served as a hospital since the 13th century. Marguerite de Provence, wife of King Louis IX (Saint Louis) had a "health house" (maison de santé) constructed on the property. Anne d'Autriche, wife of Louis XIII and mother of the "Sun King," Louis XIV, built the first true hospital here. The current facility owes its name to her - it was originally called Saint Anne's farm.
In 1863, Napoleon III decided that a psychiatric hospital should be built here. He assigned the edification of the facility to Baron Haussmann, the same man who is largely responsible for Paris' current urban design. Haussmann placed architect Charles-Auguste Questel in charge of the project and work proceeded over a period of four years. Most of the buildings that were put into service in 1867 still exist and constitute the architectural patrimony of the hospital.
Questel's original layout
© Discover Paris!
Saint Anne's was inscribed on the list of historical monuments in France on November 26, 1979, just over a month before Beauford died.
The campus covers 13 hectares (32 acres), with over seven hectares (17 acres) of protected green space.
Courtyard flanked by trees and flower beds
© Discover Paris!
The principal thoroughfare is being renovated to respect as much of Questel's original layout as possible: on site parking is being minimized; flower beds, gardens, and esplanades are being re-established; and original ground cover is being restored.
Over 40 "remarkable trees," complete with signage that presents genus, species, and land of origin, dot the campus and dozens of new trees are scheduled to be planted. Over 10 botanical trails are envisioned as well.
Bird house and flowering trees
© Discover Paris!
A small public park can be found near the main entrance on rue Cabanis.
Parc Charles Baudelaire
© Discover Paris!
The most attractive views of buildings and the best piece of sculpture on the grounds can be found in the Cour Maurice Ravel.
View of Cour Maurice Ravel
© Discover Paris!
New buildings (including social housing) are being constructed, but they are relegated to the periphery of the campus. The older buildings are being completely refurbished inside so that the facilities are completely modern.
Pavilion Benjamin Ball under restoration
© Discover Paris!
All aspects of the design are being undertaken with the intent to maintain Saint Anne's as an integral part of the fabric of the surrounding neighborhood.
Click on the link below to read the first post about Saint Anne's Hospital:
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 1
Saint Anne's provides cutting edge therapy in the fields of psychiatry and neuroscience today. I want to share some information about the institution's history and its current status within the city of Paris with you in this post.
© Discover Paris!
The Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne is built on land that has served as a hospital since the 13th century. Marguerite de Provence, wife of King Louis IX (Saint Louis) had a "health house" (maison de santé) constructed on the property. Anne d'Autriche, wife of Louis XIII and mother of the "Sun King," Louis XIV, built the first true hospital here. The current facility owes its name to her - it was originally called Saint Anne's farm.
In 1863, Napoleon III decided that a psychiatric hospital should be built here. He assigned the edification of the facility to Baron Haussmann, the same man who is largely responsible for Paris' current urban design. Haussmann placed architect Charles-Auguste Questel in charge of the project and work proceeded over a period of four years. Most of the buildings that were put into service in 1867 still exist and constitute the architectural patrimony of the hospital.
© Discover Paris!
Saint Anne's was inscribed on the list of historical monuments in France on November 26, 1979, just over a month before Beauford died.
The campus covers 13 hectares (32 acres), with over seven hectares (17 acres) of protected green space.
© Discover Paris!
The principal thoroughfare is being renovated to respect as much of Questel's original layout as possible: on site parking is being minimized; flower beds, gardens, and esplanades are being re-established; and original ground cover is being restored.
Over 40 "remarkable trees," complete with signage that presents genus, species, and land of origin, dot the campus and dozens of new trees are scheduled to be planted. Over 10 botanical trails are envisioned as well.
© Discover Paris!
A small public park can be found near the main entrance on rue Cabanis.
© Discover Paris!
The most attractive views of buildings and the best piece of sculpture on the grounds can be found in the Cour Maurice Ravel.
© Discover Paris!
New buildings (including social housing) are being constructed, but they are relegated to the periphery of the campus. The older buildings are being completely refurbished inside so that the facilities are completely modern.
© Discover Paris!
All aspects of the design are being undertaken with the intent to maintain Saint Anne's as an integral part of the fabric of the surrounding neighborhood.
Click on the link below to read the first post about Saint Anne's Hospital:
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 1
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 1
Beauford spent the last 3 1/2 years of his life at the Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne (Saint Anne's Hospital) in Paris' 14th arrondissement. I had the opportunity to visit the grounds just a few days ago.
Centre Hospitalier Sainte Anne - Main Entrance
© Discover Paris!
I was surprised to find that Saint Anne's feels more like a college campus than a hospital. There are numerous benches for sitting and relaxing...
Parc Charles Baudelaire
© Discover Paris!
stand-alone buildings...
Esquirol, Magnan, and Morel Pavilions
© Discover Paris!
courtyards complete with statuary...
Central Pharmacy and Maurice Ravel courtyard
© Discover Paris!
and covered walkways.
Intersection of covered walkways
© Discover Paris!
A large 19th-century chapel can be found behind the pharmacy.
Chapel
© Discover Paris!
With newly planted flower beds and sprays of daffodil and crocus dotting the lawns, my stroll through the grounds on that warm spring day was altogether pleasant!
Daffodils
© Discover Paris!
Next week, I'll bring you information on the history of the hospital, the protected green spaces on the grounds, and additional photos.
Insignia - Saint Anne's Hospital
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
I was surprised to find that Saint Anne's feels more like a college campus than a hospital. There are numerous benches for sitting and relaxing...
© Discover Paris!
stand-alone buildings...
© Discover Paris!
courtyards complete with statuary...
© Discover Paris!
and covered walkways.
© Discover Paris!
A large 19th-century chapel can be found behind the pharmacy.
© Discover Paris!
With newly planted flower beds and sprays of daffodil and crocus dotting the lawns, my stroll through the grounds on that warm spring day was altogether pleasant!
© Discover Paris!
Next week, I'll bring you information on the history of the hospital, the protected green spaces on the grounds, and additional photos.
© Discover Paris!
Higher Ground: Artist Spotlight on Beauford at the Knoxville Museum of Art
The Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) is placing an "Artist Spotlight" on Beauford by displaying a small collection of his work through June 2014. Called Higher Ground, the spotlight features six works from several collections. Two of these paintings and the descriptions that accompany them in the exposition are shown below.
Distant Horizons
(1952) Oil on canvas
16 x 20 inches
Larry and Brenda Thompson Collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
By the early 1950s, Beauford Delaney became determined to pursue his dream of moving from New York to Paris. In order to prepare for the move, he made arrangements in June of 1953 to store the paintings in his studio at 713 Broadway with various friends. Delaney’s friends also organized a fund-raiser to help finance the trip. The door prize was Delaney's recent painting, Distant Horizons.
Untitled
(1963) Watercolor on paper
32 ½ x 26 ½ inches
Tennessee State Museum, Nashville
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
By the time he left for Paris in 1953, Delaney was already well along a path of experimentation with abstraction, which would become the dominant mode of his work for the remainder of his career. Although he continued to produce portraits and landscapes, the central subject of his work became luminous color applied with explosive brushwork in a manner that consumed all references to the visible world.
************
The Knoxville Museum of Art has worked diligently to call attention to the artistic accomplishments of both brothers by hosting or organizing such exhibitions as Beauford Delaney: An Introduction (1997), Joseph Delaney: Works on Paper (2002), Beauford Delaney: From New York to Paris (2005). Since February 2013, the KMA has also served as the repository for the contents of the estate of Beauford Delaney. In exchange, the estate has made available to the KMA key works for display and possible acquisition. The KMA wishes to acknowledge the estate and its key role in this special display.
At present, the KMA collection does not include any works by Beauford Delaney. Acquiring a significant group of his paintings is one of the KMA’s primary acquisitions goals.
For more information, contact:
Stephen C. Wicks
Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator
1050 World's Fair Park Drive
Knoxville, TN 37916
865-934-2040
www.knoxart.org
(1952) Oil on canvas
16 x 20 inches
Larry and Brenda Thompson Collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
By the early 1950s, Beauford Delaney became determined to pursue his dream of moving from New York to Paris. In order to prepare for the move, he made arrangements in June of 1953 to store the paintings in his studio at 713 Broadway with various friends. Delaney’s friends also organized a fund-raiser to help finance the trip. The door prize was Delaney's recent painting, Distant Horizons.
(1963) Watercolor on paper
32 ½ x 26 ½ inches
Tennessee State Museum, Nashville
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
By the time he left for Paris in 1953, Delaney was already well along a path of experimentation with abstraction, which would become the dominant mode of his work for the remainder of his career. Although he continued to produce portraits and landscapes, the central subject of his work became luminous color applied with explosive brushwork in a manner that consumed all references to the visible world.
The Knoxville Museum of Art has worked diligently to call attention to the artistic accomplishments of both brothers by hosting or organizing such exhibitions as Beauford Delaney: An Introduction (1997), Joseph Delaney: Works on Paper (2002), Beauford Delaney: From New York to Paris (2005). Since February 2013, the KMA has also served as the repository for the contents of the estate of Beauford Delaney. In exchange, the estate has made available to the KMA key works for display and possible acquisition. The KMA wishes to acknowledge the estate and its key role in this special display.
At present, the KMA collection does not include any works by Beauford Delaney. Acquiring a significant group of his paintings is one of the KMA’s primary acquisitions goals.
For more information, contact:
Stephen C. Wicks
Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator
1050 World's Fair Park Drive
Knoxville, TN 37916
865-934-2040
www.knoxart.org
Three Exquisite Delaneys Hang at the MRG Exposition Beyond the Spectrum
The current exposition at the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery in Manhattan - Beyond the Spectrum - features numerous paintings and sculptures by African-American artists who produce(d) abstract œuvre. Because Rosenfeld is an avid and longstanding promoter of Beauford's work, it is not surprising that Beauford's paintings figure among those presented at this show.
The following three Delaney paintings hang in the exposition alongside works by Hale Woodruff, Alma Thomas, Charles Alston, and other artists:
Untitled [MR153], c.1954
oil on canvas
59 x 23 1/4 inches, signed
Private Collection; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled [MR50], c.1961
oil on canvas
76 3/4 x 51 inches
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The following three Delaney paintings hang in the exposition alongside works by Hale Woodruff, Alma Thomas, Charles Alston, and other artists:
oil on canvas
59 x 23 1/4 inches, signed
Private Collection; Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
oil on canvas
76 3/4 x 51 inches
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
oil on canvas
25 1/2 x 21 1/4 inches, signed and dated
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
In the context of Beyond the Spectrum, Rosenfeld granted an exclusive video interview to galleryIntell on the subject of African-American abstract art and the artists who chose this genre of expression for their work.
Screenshot printed with the permission of galleryIntell
In Part 1 of the interview, he differentiates the path of artists like Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden, who painted to explore and celebrate the "black experience," with those who chose to paint abstractly.
In Part 2, he talks specifically about Beauford, mentioning the influence of Monet's Water Lily paintings on the profound importance of light in Beauford's art.
Part 3 of the interview will be released in the near future. For more information, visit http://www.galleryintell.com/category/galleries/new-york/.
Beyond the Spectrum: Abstraction in African American Art, 1950-1975 runs through March 8, 2014.
Michael Rosenfeld Gallery
100 Eleventh Avenue @ 19th
New York, NY 10011
Telephone: 212.247.0082
Fax: 212.247.0402
E-mail: INFO[at]MICHAELROSENFELDART[dot]COM
Internet: WWW.MICHAELROSENFELDART.COM