Beauford's Portrait of Irene Rose
Beauford's magnificent portrait of his friend Irene Rose is one of works being shown at the ACA Galleries exhibition On Such a Night as This.
Portrait of Irene Rose
(1944) Oil on board
45 1/2 in x 35 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of ACA Galleries, New York
The exhibition takes its name from Romare Bearden's 1975 collage on board, which is displayed in the show. Other artists whose works are displayed include John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Loïs Mailou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, Edmonia Lewis, Norman Lewis, Henry O. Tanner, and Hale Woodruff.
Irene and Billy Rose were friends of Beauford from Philadelphia, introduced to him by Dorothy Gates. They would maintain a lifelong friendship. With Gates, Irene drove Beauford to Saratoga for his 1950 fellowship stay at Yaddo. She visited him in Paris in 1955, when he lived at the Hôtel des Ecoles. Billy Rose gave Beauford the raincoat that Beauford turned into canvas in 1954.
Portrait of Irene Rose is currently held in a private collection. It is displayed in ACA Galleries' viewing room during the exhibition.
Originally scheduled to run from November 10 - December 22, 2016, On Such a Night as This has been extended through January 28, 2017.
ACA Galleries
529 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
Telephone: 212-206-8080
e-mail:
(1944) Oil on board
45 1/2 in x 35 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of ACA Galleries, New York
The exhibition takes its name from Romare Bearden's 1975 collage on board, which is displayed in the show. Other artists whose works are displayed include John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Loïs Mailou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, Edmonia Lewis, Norman Lewis, Henry O. Tanner, and Hale Woodruff.
Irene and Billy Rose were friends of Beauford from Philadelphia, introduced to him by Dorothy Gates. They would maintain a lifelong friendship. With Gates, Irene drove Beauford to Saratoga for his 1950 fellowship stay at Yaddo. She visited him in Paris in 1955, when he lived at the Hôtel des Ecoles. Billy Rose gave Beauford the raincoat that Beauford turned into canvas in 1954.
Portrait of Irene Rose is currently held in a private collection. It is displayed in ACA Galleries' viewing room during the exhibition.
Originally scheduled to run from November 10 - December 22, 2016, On Such a Night as This has been extended through January 28, 2017.
ACA Galleries
529 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
Telephone: 212-206-8080
e-mail:
Case Antiques Auction of Beauford Delaney Abstract
An unusual Beauford Delaney abstract is up for auction at Case Antiques in Knoxville, TN:
Abstract Still Life Composition
(1976) Oil on board, acrylic and mixed media
Signed and dated lower left "Beauford Delaney 1976"
13 7/8" H x 19 5/8"
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This piece is dated 1976, which is the year after Beauford was committed to Sainte-Anne's Hospital. It is the first piece I recall seeing that dates from the last four years of his life.
Abstract Still Life Composition (detail)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The provenance is listed as "Private South Carolina collection, originally purchased from the Tree Gallery in Chicago, Illinois."
I had hoped to interview Jim Romano, owner of the Tree Gallery, to learn how he acquired the painting. The Tree Gallery was located at 613 Tree Studios of the historically-classified Tree Studios Building and Annexes in Chicago's River North district. This property was renovated in the early 2000s and all occupants were forced to vacate the premises.
Upon researching Romano, I learned that he died in 2007.
Case Antiques has sold the following Beauford Delaney paintings in the past:
Untitled
Watercolor on paper
Signed and dated lower left in red ink, "Beauford Delaney 1971"
Photo courtesy of Case Antiques
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Portrait of Delia Delaney
(1964) Oil on canvas
Knoxville Museum of Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (Abstract of Face)
Oil on fabric pillowcase
Photo courtesy of Case Antiques
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for Acrylic Still Life Composition is $4,000 - $6,000.
The auction is scheduled for January 21, 2017. For additional information, contact Case Antiques at
.
(1976) Oil on board, acrylic and mixed media
Signed and dated lower left "Beauford Delaney 1976"
13 7/8" H x 19 5/8"
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This piece is dated 1976, which is the year after Beauford was committed to Sainte-Anne's Hospital. It is the first piece I recall seeing that dates from the last four years of his life.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The provenance is listed as "Private South Carolina collection, originally purchased from the Tree Gallery in Chicago, Illinois."
I had hoped to interview Jim Romano, owner of the Tree Gallery, to learn how he acquired the painting. The Tree Gallery was located at 613 Tree Studios of the historically-classified Tree Studios Building and Annexes in Chicago's River North district. This property was renovated in the early 2000s and all occupants were forced to vacate the premises.
Upon researching Romano, I learned that he died in 2007.
Case Antiques has sold the following Beauford Delaney paintings in the past:
Watercolor on paper
Signed and dated lower left in red ink, "Beauford Delaney 1971"
Photo courtesy of Case Antiques
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1964) Oil on canvas
Knoxville Museum of Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Oil on fabric pillowcase
Photo courtesy of Case Antiques
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for Acrylic Still Life Composition is $4,000 - $6,000.
The auction is scheduled for January 21, 2017. For additional information, contact Case Antiques at
.
Beauford at the American Cultural Center's Paris Celebration of Henry Miller
Henry Miller and Beauford met for the first time in New York during the early 1940s. Miller visited Beauford's Greene Street studio in the fall of 1943 and Beauford painting a stunning portrait of him in 1944.
Beauford showed the painting during a group exhibition in New York in 1945 and had it shipped to Miller's home in Big Sur in 1946. An image of the portrait was included in a 1971 Playboy article about Miller.
Photo of Henry Miller at his home in Big Sur
standing in front of Beauford's portrait of him
Photo from Beauford Delaney archives
reproduced by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image @Wells International Foundation
Beauford and Miller developed a deep and lifelong friendship and Beauford was one of the persons Miller sought out whenever he visited Paris.
So it is perhaps not surprising that when the American Cultural Center in Paris organized a birthday celebration for Miller in January 1972, Beauford would be invited to participate in the festivities.
Don Foresta was the director of the American Cultural Center, AKA "The Dragon Center," at the time. I met him in Paris and he shared the story of this event for publication in the blog.
Foresta took on the directorship of the Center in 1971 as a long-time diplomat of the U.S. Foreign Service. Shortly thereafter, he was approached by Robert Snyder, Miller's son-in-law, about screening Snyder's 1969 documentary entitled "The Henry Miller Odyssey." Inspired by Snyder's request, Foresta organized a birthday celebration for Miller that took place at the Center in January 1972. (Miller was born on December 26, 1891.)
Snyder told Foresta about Beauford and Foresta met Beauford shortly thereafter. He visited Beauford at the rue Vercingétorix studio and found him to be quite serious and not very talkative.
Foresta went on to invite four artists who knew Miller and whose work Miller appreciated to contribute works to be shown at the week-long event: Beauford, Brassaï (Gyula Halász), Michonze, and Hans Reichel. Their exhibition was called Les Amis Parisiens de Henry Miller.
The Center published a catalog of sorts, which included a printed list of the seven works that Beauford contributed to the show and a full-page color reproduction of Beauford's portrait of Miller that is signed by Beauford in blue ink at the bottom margin of the page.
Portrait of Henry Miller
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image (detail) from Abe Books Web site
Miller's favorite music was played on piano and French translations of some of his texts were read.
While the description of the event in Beauford'd biography, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, indicates that Miller attended the event, Foresta says that Miller could not travel to Paris to celebrate his birthday. Both sources state that Miller shipped Beauford's portrait to Paris and that it served as the centerpiece of the art exhibition.
Beauford wrote a tribute to Miller for his 80th birthday, which I published previously on the Les Amis blog. Read it HERE.
"Henry Miller 80," the document that the American Cultural Center printed for the event, is a collector's item. It is available for purchase at Abe Books and at Amazon.com.
Beauford showed the painting during a group exhibition in New York in 1945 and had it shipped to Miller's home in Big Sur in 1946. An image of the portrait was included in a 1971 Playboy article about Miller.
standing in front of Beauford's portrait of him
Photo from Beauford Delaney archives
reproduced by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image @Wells International Foundation
Beauford and Miller developed a deep and lifelong friendship and Beauford was one of the persons Miller sought out whenever he visited Paris.
So it is perhaps not surprising that when the American Cultural Center in Paris organized a birthday celebration for Miller in January 1972, Beauford would be invited to participate in the festivities.
Don Foresta was the director of the American Cultural Center, AKA "The Dragon Center," at the time. I met him in Paris and he shared the story of this event for publication in the blog.
Foresta took on the directorship of the Center in 1971 as a long-time diplomat of the U.S. Foreign Service. Shortly thereafter, he was approached by Robert Snyder, Miller's son-in-law, about screening Snyder's 1969 documentary entitled "The Henry Miller Odyssey." Inspired by Snyder's request, Foresta organized a birthday celebration for Miller that took place at the Center in January 1972. (Miller was born on December 26, 1891.)
Snyder told Foresta about Beauford and Foresta met Beauford shortly thereafter. He visited Beauford at the rue Vercingétorix studio and found him to be quite serious and not very talkative.
Foresta went on to invite four artists who knew Miller and whose work Miller appreciated to contribute works to be shown at the week-long event: Beauford, Brassaï (Gyula Halász), Michonze, and Hans Reichel. Their exhibition was called Les Amis Parisiens de Henry Miller.
The Center published a catalog of sorts, which included a printed list of the seven works that Beauford contributed to the show and a full-page color reproduction of Beauford's portrait of Miller that is signed by Beauford in blue ink at the bottom margin of the page.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image (detail) from Abe Books Web site
Miller's favorite music was played on piano and French translations of some of his texts were read.
While the description of the event in Beauford'd biography, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, indicates that Miller attended the event, Foresta says that Miller could not travel to Paris to celebrate his birthday. Both sources state that Miller shipped Beauford's portrait to Paris and that it served as the centerpiece of the art exhibition.
Beauford wrote a tribute to Miller for his 80th birthday, which I published previously on the Les Amis blog. Read it HERE.
"Henry Miller 80," the document that the American Cultural Center printed for the event, is a collector's item. It is available for purchase at Abe Books and at Amazon.com.
Beauford at the Musée du quai Branly's Exhibition The Color Line
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Beauford's Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald is a sparkling gem among the works of fine art being displayed at the exhibition entitled The Color Line, which is currently being shown at the Musée du quai Branly Jacques Chirac in Paris.
On loan from the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, South Carolina, it hangs in the "Black is Beautiful" section of the exhibition.
The SCAD Museum of Art describes the painting as follows:
Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald encapsulates Beauford Delaney’s range of artistic styles, marrying gestural abstract mark making with portraiture. His figurative works, which included portraits of other notable artists of the time such as Duke Ellington and Marian Anderson, turned ever more abstract and into complete non-representation after Delaney moved from New York to Paris in the early 1950s. This portrait parallels this stylistic shift as the characteristics of Ms. Fitzgerald’s face subtly emerge from, or disappear into, the expansive field of color and texture around her.
(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
The Color Line is an exhibition about U.S. history in which an inordinate number of works of fine art are hung. It will be on display through January 15, 2017.
The Color Line
Musée du quai Branly Jacques Chirac
37, quai Branly
75007 Paris
Telephone: 01.56.61.70.00
Internet: http://www.quaibranly.fr
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday - 11 AM to 7 PM; Thursday through Saturday - 11 AM to 9 PM. Closed Mondays.
Entry fee: 10€
Reduced fee: 7€
Les Amis de Beauford Delaney is taking off for the holidays and will be back online in January 2017.
For a jazzy start to your Christmas weekend, click HERE to enjoy a song by Ella!
Beauford at the Studio Museum in Harlem's Circa 1970 Exhibition
Circa 1970 presents paintings, photographs, drawings, prints, and sculpture from the Studio Museum in Harlem's collection. Forty-one (41) works by twenty-six (26) artists were selected by Lauren Haynes to explore the historical, socio-political, and cultural landscapes of the period between 1970 and 1979. Hayes was formerly Associate Curator of the Permanent Collection at The Studio Museum in Harlem and is now Curator of Contemporary Art at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Beauford's Portrait of a Young Musician was selected as the signature painting for promoting the exhibition, which includes works by artists such as David Hammons and Barbara Chase-Riboud, as well as personal friends of Beauford such as Ed Clark and Romare Bearden.
(1970) Acrylic on canvas
51 x 38 in; 129.5 x 96.5 cm
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Studio Museum in Harlem; Gift of Ms. Ogust Delaney Stewart, Knoxville, TN 2004.2.27
Photo: Marc Bernier
The portrait was first shown at the Studio Museum during the first retrospective of Beauford's work that took place from April 9-July 2, 1978. That exhibition was curated by the late Dr. Richard A. Long.
The information panel for Circa 1970 refers to the 1970s as a decade of increased social consciousness and awareness that allowed for greater inclusivity for black artists in the mainstream art world. While Beauford had been living in Paris for almost 20 years by this time, he benefited somewhat from this "opening." In the biography Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, author David Leeming writes that 1970 and 1971 were "years of success of sorts":
Georgia O'Keeffe's portrait of him was on display at the Whitney Museum in New York, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery asked to borrow the Marian Anderson portrait that only a few years earlier they had declined to purchase, . . . [and] his portrait of Henry Miller was in the November 1971 issue of Playboy magazine.
In France, the solo exhibition that Darthea Speyer organized for him in Paris in 1973 inspired a positive review written by French journalist Jacques Michel for Le Monde.
Circa 1970
November 17, 2016 - March 5, 2017
The Studio Museum in Harlem
144 West 125th Street
New York, New York 10027
Museum Hours
Wednesday: 5pm–7pm, Members Only
Thursday: 12pm–9pm
Friday: 12pm–9pm
Saturday: 10am–6pm
Sunday: 12pm–6pm
The Museum is closed on Christmas Day.
Beauford's Rehearsal
At the recent Art Basel Miami Beach Fair, Michael Rosenfeld Gallery's (MRG) Jazz and Improvisation checklist included eleven Beauford Delaney works. Among them was Rehearsal, an image of which is shown below.
Rehearsal
(1952) oil on canvas
36 1/8" x 30 1/8" / 91.8 x 76.5 cm
signed and dated
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
This painting was enjoyed by two private collectors prior to finding its way to MRG. Among the gallery's notes about the work is the following statement:
Rehearsal was one of the paintings shown at Beauford's final solo exhibition at the Roko Gallery in New York (December 29, 1952 - January 22, 1953). In her Art News article about the exhbition, Betty Holloway described the painting has having a "solemn" mood.
In 1994, Rehearsal was displayed in New York once again - this time at the Philippe Briet Gallery. The solo show was called Beauford Delaney: The New York Years (1929-1952). It consisted of 47 works that Beauford created between 1929 and 1953.
Eleanor Heartney wrote an insightful review of the exhibition (Art in America, November 1994), which included multiple works inspired by musical themes. She says the following about Rehearsal:
She then goes on to briefly discuss Beauford's "disappearance from the consciousness of the New York art world," attributing it in part to Beauford's emigration from New York to Paris at precisely the time when New York was becoming recognized as "the world's cultural capital."
Michael Rosenfeld Gallery
100 11th Avenue at 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
Internet: http://michaelrosenfeldart.com
(1952) oil on canvas
36 1/8" x 30 1/8" / 91.8 x 76.5 cm
signed and dated
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
This painting was enjoyed by two private collectors prior to finding its way to MRG. Among the gallery's notes about the work is the following statement:
Rehearsal is extremely autobiographical and the church choir subject is one that naturally resonated with Delaney. His father Samuel Delaney was a Methodist minister, and his favorite brother, Samuel Emery Delaney, was a gospel singer and a member of a jubilee quartet that traveled throughout the South singing spirituals and gospels. Delaney himself loved to sing and occasionally gave recitals in New York clubs and concert halls.
Rehearsal was one of the paintings shown at Beauford's final solo exhibition at the Roko Gallery in New York (December 29, 1952 - January 22, 1953). In her Art News article about the exhbition, Betty Holloway described the painting has having a "solemn" mood.
In 1994, Rehearsal was displayed in New York once again - this time at the Philippe Briet Gallery. The solo show was called Beauford Delaney: The New York Years (1929-1952). It consisted of 47 works that Beauford created between 1929 and 1953.
Eleanor Heartney wrote an insightful review of the exhibition (Art in America, November 1994), which included multiple works inspired by musical themes. She says the following about Rehearsal:
In a different mood, Rehearsal (1952) depicts a gospel choir practicing beneath the gothic arches of brilliantly colored church windows.
She then goes on to briefly discuss Beauford's "disappearance from the consciousness of the New York art world," attributing it in part to Beauford's emigration from New York to Paris at precisely the time when New York was becoming recognized as "the world's cultural capital."
Michael Rosenfeld Gallery
100 11th Avenue at 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
Internet: http://michaelrosenfeldart.com
Beauford Honored in Portraiture
Over the years, I've had the pleasure of bringing you stories about people who loved Beauford and / or admired his work and who chose to express their feelings by painting a portrait of him. I thought it would be nice to gather images of some of these portraits into a single post and share the links to the original stories.
Enjoy!
October 6, 2012
Beauford in Blue: Story of a Portrait
Beauford Delaney
Shawn Olszewski
(2010) Oil bar and oil pastel on canvas
December 29, 2012
A Birthday Card for Beauford
Beauford Delaney
Joseph Langley
(2012) Acrylic and pencil on canvas
May 3, 2014
James LeGros Remembers Beauford - Part 1
Portrait Beauford Delaney
(1972) Pastel on paper
© James K. LeGros
November 8, 2014
Nell Painter on Beauford
Beauford Delaney at Yaddo Pink 2014
Nell Painter
(2014) Digital and manual collage on paper
October 29, 2016
From Knoxville to Paris - Part 2
Portrait of Beauford Delaney
Daniel Craft
(2016) Acrylic on canvas
© Wells International Foundation
Enjoy!
October 6, 2012
Beauford in Blue: Story of a Portrait
Shawn Olszewski
(2010) Oil bar and oil pastel on canvas
December 29, 2012
A Birthday Card for Beauford
Joseph Langley
(2012) Acrylic and pencil on canvas
May 3, 2014
James LeGros Remembers Beauford - Part 1
(1972) Pastel on paper
© James K. LeGros
November 8, 2014
Nell Painter on Beauford
Nell Painter
(2014) Digital and manual collage on paper
October 29, 2016
From Knoxville to Paris - Part 2
Daniel Craft
(2016) Acrylic on canvas
© Wells International Foundation
Beauford's 1959 Thanksgiving
Beauford was living in the Paris suburb of Clamart in 1959. His address was 68, rue Paul Vaillant Couturier.
68, rue Paul Vaillant Couturier, Clamart
© Discover Paris!
Both Beauford and his dear friend, James Baldwin, were in a fragile emotional state during the weeks and months leading up to Thanksgiving that year. Both men benefited from an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner party that Baldwin organized in Beauford's honor.
David A. Leeming, author of Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, says that the party was "memorable, and Beauford demonstrated his happiness by for the first time in years singing some of the old songs with Baldwin."
Fern Marja Eckman, author of The Furious Passage of James Baldwin, provides readers with greater detail. She notes that Baldwin lived "about a block away" from Beauford, in a flat located above a country restaurant. Baldwin had the owners of the restaurant, whom he called Pierrot and Pierrette, prepare the meal under his supervision. Eckman quotes one of the invitees for the evening, a Belgian writer and director named Robert Cordier, to paint a picture of the festivities:
Happy Thanksgiving weekend from Les Amis de Beauford Delaney!
© Discover Paris!
Both Beauford and his dear friend, James Baldwin, were in a fragile emotional state during the weeks and months leading up to Thanksgiving that year. Both men benefited from an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner party that Baldwin organized in Beauford's honor.
David A. Leeming, author of Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, says that the party was "memorable, and Beauford demonstrated his happiness by for the first time in years singing some of the old songs with Baldwin."
Fern Marja Eckman, author of The Furious Passage of James Baldwin, provides readers with greater detail. She notes that Baldwin lived "about a block away" from Beauford, in a flat located above a country restaurant. Baldwin had the owners of the restaurant, whom he called Pierrot and Pierrette, prepare the meal under his supervision. Eckman quotes one of the invitees for the evening, a Belgian writer and director named Robert Cordier, to paint a picture of the festivities:
Jimmy took over the whole restaurant for Thanksgiving ... The table was carefully arranged with autumn decorations. It was really a banquet for twenty people. Jimmy's a gourmet, a connoisseur of wine and cognac. That was a great night!
Happy Thanksgiving weekend from Les Amis de Beauford Delaney!
From Paris to Knoxville - Part 5
A couple of days before I arrived in Knoxville, I received the image below in an e-mail from Knoxville Museum of Art curator Stephen Wicks. His message said "I guess this is yet another sign that our efforts to raise Beauford's visibility here are starting to pay off."
Market House Café menu
Image courtesy of Knoxville Museum of Art
"This" refers to the handwritten menu from a Knoxville eatery called the Market House Café. If you look closely, you will see that the fourth item on the breakfast menu is the "Beaufort Delaney Abstract Strata"!
Beauford's name is misspelled "Beaufort" on the board. But it is spelled correctly on the Market House Café Web site:
Market House Café online menu
Screenshot from Market House Café Web site
On my first full day in Knoxville, I spent most of the day visiting Beauford's archives. For lunch, we ordered take-out from the Market Street Café and partook of a wide selection of items from their menu. Though breakfast was officially over, the kitchen prepared a special Beauford Delaney Abstract Strata for me. It was a frittata made of egg, bacon, spinach, tomato, and feta cheese.
Beauford Delaney Abstract Strata
© Wells International Foundation
And it was wonderful!
I spoke with Andy Pirkle, one of the kitchen managers at the Market House Café, to get more information about this dish. I learned that it is prepared as an open-faced omelet (frittata) and finished in the oven, like a strata. It is a popular item, being made with anything that is available in the kitchen on a given day. Customers enjoy the luxury of having their dish prepared to order and cooked in full view. It is therefore very unlikely that you'll have the same ingredients in your Strata from one visit to the next unless you specifically ask for them.
The Market House Café has a business model based on the strategy "Eat local, be local, and know about local" and many of its dishes are named after local celebrities. The Beauford Delaney Abstract Strata has been on the menu since the café opened on December 22, 2015. At that time, it was simply called the "Beauford Delaney Frittata."
Pirkle did not create the café's menu and was not aware that Beauford was an artist - he thought Beauford may have been in politics! When I explained that Beauford was a painter and pointed out that the menu describes the preparation of the strata as "depending on the artistic nature of the day," he immediately asked if Beauford were an abstract expressionist painter. I confirmed that he was.
Pirkle was appreciative, saying he's in the process of learning about all the people and places for which dishes on the café's menu are named. This will allow him to knowledgeably discuss the café's offerings with its clientele.
What a creative way to honor Beauford!
Market House Café
36 Market Square
Knoxville, TN 37902
Telephone: 865-444-5949
Internet: http://www.markethousecafe.com/
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 2 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 3 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 4 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Image courtesy of Knoxville Museum of Art
"This" refers to the handwritten menu from a Knoxville eatery called the Market House Café. If you look closely, you will see that the fourth item on the breakfast menu is the "Beaufort Delaney Abstract Strata"!
Beauford's name is misspelled "Beaufort" on the board. But it is spelled correctly on the Market House Café Web site:
Screenshot from Market House Café Web site
On my first full day in Knoxville, I spent most of the day visiting Beauford's archives. For lunch, we ordered take-out from the Market Street Café and partook of a wide selection of items from their menu. Though breakfast was officially over, the kitchen prepared a special Beauford Delaney Abstract Strata for me. It was a frittata made of egg, bacon, spinach, tomato, and feta cheese.
© Wells International Foundation
And it was wonderful!
I spoke with Andy Pirkle, one of the kitchen managers at the Market House Café, to get more information about this dish. I learned that it is prepared as an open-faced omelet (frittata) and finished in the oven, like a strata. It is a popular item, being made with anything that is available in the kitchen on a given day. Customers enjoy the luxury of having their dish prepared to order and cooked in full view. It is therefore very unlikely that you'll have the same ingredients in your Strata from one visit to the next unless you specifically ask for them.
The Market House Café has a business model based on the strategy "Eat local, be local, and know about local" and many of its dishes are named after local celebrities. The Beauford Delaney Abstract Strata has been on the menu since the café opened on December 22, 2015. At that time, it was simply called the "Beauford Delaney Frittata."
Pirkle did not create the café's menu and was not aware that Beauford was an artist - he thought Beauford may have been in politics! When I explained that Beauford was a painter and pointed out that the menu describes the preparation of the strata as "depending on the artistic nature of the day," he immediately asked if Beauford were an abstract expressionist painter. I confirmed that he was.
Pirkle was appreciative, saying he's in the process of learning about all the people and places for which dishes on the café's menu are named. This will allow him to knowledgeably discuss the café's offerings with its clientele.
What a creative way to honor Beauford!
Market House Café
36 Market Square
Knoxville, TN 37902
Telephone: 865-444-5949
Internet: http://www.markethousecafe.com/
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 2 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 3 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 4 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
From Paris to Knoxville - Part 4
Thursday, October 20 was the biggest day of my trip to Knoxville.
That morning, I visited the L&N STEM Academy, a magnet high school in the Knox County School system that focuses on the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math. It provides an integrated curriculum and project-based instruction.
L&N STEM Academy
© Wells International Foundation
Even though the name implies that the arts are not a focus of the curriculum, I found that L&N has a marvelous and robust arts program!
Students work on self-portraits at L&N STEM Academy
© Wells International Foundation
I was given a tour by London, a brilliant student who wants to specialize in graphic design. He perfectly articulated why arts are so important for STEM activities - they encourage the creativity and innovation required for scientific discovery and invention.
London, a student at L&N STEM Academy
© Wells International Foundation
I then sat down with a staff member to learn about the curriculum and the school's ranking in the Tennessee education system (6th in the entire state.)
If you're wondering why I chose to visit a STEM school as part of this trip, let me inform (or remind) you that the Global Educator Program that was held during the Paris exhibition was all about STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education. A similar program will be organized at the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) when the exhibition comes to Knoxville in 2018.
After a strategy-planning lunch with KMA Executive Director David Butler, Link Sylvia Peters, and attorney Melinda Meador (all of whom came to Paris for the opening of Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color), I was taken to City Hall to meet Knoxville's mayor!
The Honorable Madeline Rogero and Senior Director of Community Development Avice Reid welcomed us to the mayor's spacious suite of offices and listened to Executive Director Butler, Link Peters, and me tell the story of our passion for Beauford and why making Knoxville a resource center for him is in everyone's best interest. From the point of view of tourism, scholarship, and historical preservation, we all agreed that Knoxville should be an essential destination for anyone wanting to learn about Beauford.
From left to right: Avice Reid, Monique Y. Wells,
Mayor Madeline Rogero, Sylvia Peters, David Butler
© Wells International Foundation
The final event of the day was my presentation on Beauford's Paris at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The evening was entitled "From Paris to Knoxville" and KMA's auditorium was filled with people who were anxious to see images of several of Beauford's Paris haunts.
Stephen Wicks, Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator for the museum, served as MC for the evening.
Stephen Wicks, Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator
Knoxville Museum of Art
© Wells International Foundation
Beck Cultural Exchange Center's CEO, Reneé Kesler, addressed the audience to share why preserving the Delaney family home is so important to the history of Knoxville.
Reneé Kesler, CEO of Beck Cultural Exchange Center
© Wells International Foundation
Then I delivered my presentation.
Monique delivering presentation "From Paris to Beyond"
© Wells International Foundation
To close the evening, Knoxville Links Chapter President Avice Reid told the audience how the chapter intends to support the initiative by raising funds to bring Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color to KMA. She presented Executive Director Butler with a $5000 down payment on the monies they intend to raise.
Presenting the check
© Wells International Foundation
All in all, tremendous momentum has been created for the Beauford Delaney in America initiative!
Next week: Beauford on the menu.
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 2 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 3 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
That morning, I visited the L&N STEM Academy, a magnet high school in the Knox County School system that focuses on the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math. It provides an integrated curriculum and project-based instruction.
© Wells International Foundation
Even though the name implies that the arts are not a focus of the curriculum, I found that L&N has a marvelous and robust arts program!
© Wells International Foundation
I was given a tour by London, a brilliant student who wants to specialize in graphic design. He perfectly articulated why arts are so important for STEM activities - they encourage the creativity and innovation required for scientific discovery and invention.
© Wells International Foundation
I then sat down with a staff member to learn about the curriculum and the school's ranking in the Tennessee education system (6th in the entire state.)
If you're wondering why I chose to visit a STEM school as part of this trip, let me inform (or remind) you that the Global Educator Program that was held during the Paris exhibition was all about STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education. A similar program will be organized at the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) when the exhibition comes to Knoxville in 2018.
After a strategy-planning lunch with KMA Executive Director David Butler, Link Sylvia Peters, and attorney Melinda Meador (all of whom came to Paris for the opening of Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color), I was taken to City Hall to meet Knoxville's mayor!
The Honorable Madeline Rogero and Senior Director of Community Development Avice Reid welcomed us to the mayor's spacious suite of offices and listened to Executive Director Butler, Link Peters, and me tell the story of our passion for Beauford and why making Knoxville a resource center for him is in everyone's best interest. From the point of view of tourism, scholarship, and historical preservation, we all agreed that Knoxville should be an essential destination for anyone wanting to learn about Beauford.
Mayor Madeline Rogero, Sylvia Peters, David Butler
© Wells International Foundation
The final event of the day was my presentation on Beauford's Paris at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The evening was entitled "From Paris to Knoxville" and KMA's auditorium was filled with people who were anxious to see images of several of Beauford's Paris haunts.
Stephen Wicks, Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator for the museum, served as MC for the evening.
Knoxville Museum of Art
© Wells International Foundation
Beck Cultural Exchange Center's CEO, Reneé Kesler, addressed the audience to share why preserving the Delaney family home is so important to the history of Knoxville.
© Wells International Foundation
Then I delivered my presentation.
© Wells International Foundation
To close the evening, Knoxville Links Chapter President Avice Reid told the audience how the chapter intends to support the initiative by raising funds to bring Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color to KMA. She presented Executive Director Butler with a $5000 down payment on the monies they intend to raise.
© Wells International Foundation
All in all, tremendous momentum has been created for the Beauford Delaney in America initiative!
Next week: Beauford on the menu.
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 2 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 3 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
From Paris to Knoxville - Part 3
After my visit to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, I had lunch with the docents at the Knoxville Museum of Art. Over soup, sandwiches, and iced tea, I spoke with them about my "Beauford Delaney journey" - beginning with the story of the tombstone. They eagerly posed question after question about Beauford's life and work and I responded just as eagerly. By the time lunch was ending, the room was abuzz with talk of planning a KMA docent trip to Paris!
KMA Docent Lunch
© Wells International Foundation
That afternoon, Link Sylvia Peters and I went to the East Tennessee History Center. This magnificent building houses the Museum of East Tennessee History, the McClung Historical Collection (the genealogy and history research branch of the Knox County Public Library), and the Knox County archives. Steve Cotham, manager of the historical collection, gave us the grand tour of the facility. He shared information about not only the content of the museum exhibitions and the library stacks, but also anecdotes about the history and architecture of the building itself. He explained that the History Center wants to become the permanent home of the Beauford Delaney archives in Knoxville.
East Tennessee History Center
© Wells International Foundation
That evening, I was honored to attend a dinner at the home of Patricia and Alan Rutenberg. Invitees included several persons who visited Paris for the opening of Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color in February; members of the Knoxville chapter of The Links, Incorporated - including Chapter President Avice Reid, who serves as Senior Director of Community Relations for the Knoxville mayor's office; and educators from Knoxville schools. Once again, I shared my "Beauford Delaney journey" and responded to questions from the guests. Several of the attendees told me that they planned to attend the presentation that I was scheduled to give at the Knoxville Museum of Art the following evening.
Monique (seated, third from left) and Knoxville Links
© Wells International Foundation
Next week: the KMA presentation.
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 2 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
© Wells International Foundation
That afternoon, Link Sylvia Peters and I went to the East Tennessee History Center. This magnificent building houses the Museum of East Tennessee History, the McClung Historical Collection (the genealogy and history research branch of the Knox County Public Library), and the Knox County archives. Steve Cotham, manager of the historical collection, gave us the grand tour of the facility. He shared information about not only the content of the museum exhibitions and the library stacks, but also anecdotes about the history and architecture of the building itself. He explained that the History Center wants to become the permanent home of the Beauford Delaney archives in Knoxville.
© Wells International Foundation
That evening, I was honored to attend a dinner at the home of Patricia and Alan Rutenberg. Invitees included several persons who visited Paris for the opening of Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color in February; members of the Knoxville chapter of The Links, Incorporated - including Chapter President Avice Reid, who serves as Senior Director of Community Relations for the Knoxville mayor's office; and educators from Knoxville schools. Once again, I shared my "Beauford Delaney journey" and responded to questions from the guests. Several of the attendees told me that they planned to attend the presentation that I was scheduled to give at the Knoxville Museum of Art the following evening.
© Wells International Foundation
Next week: the KMA presentation.
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
Read Part 2 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
From Paris to Knoxville - Part 2
An important part of my visit to Knoxville was having the occasion to visit places important to Beauford's life there.
I had long since learned that the original family home at 815 East Vine Street had been destroyed and that the Delaneys moved to a house on Dandridge Avenue.
What I didn't know was why the original home was destroyed. I learned all about this through a visit to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center.
Beck Cultural Exchange Center (rear)
© Wells International Foundation
Beck's president and CEO, Rev. Reneé Kesler, welcomed Link Sylvia Peters (my gracious hostess for this trip) and me to the Center on Wednesday morning. Rev. Kesler explained how the process of urban renewal, also known as "urban removal," decimated the geographical area occupied by African Americans in Knoxville from 1959 to 1974. The original Delaney home disappeared along with hundreds of others, as did the Delaney barbershop, which was run by Beauford's older brother, Emery. It was located in the front room of the Vine Street house.
The urban renewal of Knoxville is featured in one of several permanent exhibitions at the Center.
"Urban Removal" in Knoxville
Image from Beck Cultural Center Web site
Rev. Kesler gave us a complete tour of the Center, including "The Gallery," where several works of art are displayed. Many of these were created by Beauford's brother, Joseph. There is also a portrait of Beauford in that room, inspired by the first meeting for the Beauford Delaney in America project that took place at Beck on June 2, 2016.
Portrait of Beauford Delaney
Daniel Craft
(2016) Acrylic on canvas
© Wells International Foundation
We then went next door, where it just so happens that the "new" Delaney home is located. The family relocated there at some point between 1964 and 1969 and resided there when Beauford returned to Knoxville for a Christmas visit in 1969. Beck currently owns this property and is making plans to restore it.
Delaney home on Dandridge Avenue
© Wells International Foundation
Rear of Delaney homestead (left) viewed from Beck Center
© Wells International Foundation
The family's place of worship - the Lennon-Seney United Methodist Church - is located just a block down the street. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit it.
I found the Beck Cultural Exchange Center to be a treasure trove of information and artifacts that preserves the legacy of Knoxville's African-American community. It is well positioned for the vital role it will play in the Beauford Delaney in America initiative.
Beck is a Charter Member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Beck Cultural Exchange Center
1927 Dandridge Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37915
Telephone: (865)524-8461
Internet: http://www.beckcenter.net/
Beck Cultural Exchange Center sign
© Wells International Foundation
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
I had long since learned that the original family home at 815 East Vine Street had been destroyed and that the Delaneys moved to a house on Dandridge Avenue.
What I didn't know was why the original home was destroyed. I learned all about this through a visit to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center.
© Wells International Foundation
Beck's president and CEO, Rev. Reneé Kesler, welcomed Link Sylvia Peters (my gracious hostess for this trip) and me to the Center on Wednesday morning. Rev. Kesler explained how the process of urban renewal, also known as "urban removal," decimated the geographical area occupied by African Americans in Knoxville from 1959 to 1974. The original Delaney home disappeared along with hundreds of others, as did the Delaney barbershop, which was run by Beauford's older brother, Emery. It was located in the front room of the Vine Street house.
The urban renewal of Knoxville is featured in one of several permanent exhibitions at the Center.
Image from Beck Cultural Center Web site
Rev. Kesler gave us a complete tour of the Center, including "The Gallery," where several works of art are displayed. Many of these were created by Beauford's brother, Joseph. There is also a portrait of Beauford in that room, inspired by the first meeting for the Beauford Delaney in America project that took place at Beck on June 2, 2016.
Daniel Craft
(2016) Acrylic on canvas
© Wells International Foundation
We then went next door, where it just so happens that the "new" Delaney home is located. The family relocated there at some point between 1964 and 1969 and resided there when Beauford returned to Knoxville for a Christmas visit in 1969. Beck currently owns this property and is making plans to restore it.
© Wells International Foundation
© Wells International Foundation
The family's place of worship - the Lennon-Seney United Methodist Church - is located just a block down the street. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit it.
I found the Beck Cultural Exchange Center to be a treasure trove of information and artifacts that preserves the legacy of Knoxville's African-American community. It is well positioned for the vital role it will play in the Beauford Delaney in America initiative.
Beck is a Charter Member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Beck Cultural Exchange Center
1927 Dandridge Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37915
Telephone: (865)524-8461
Internet: http://www.beckcenter.net/
© Wells International Foundation
Read Part 1 of "From Paris to Knoxville" by clicking HERE.
From Paris to Knoxville - Part 1
I took my first trip to Beauford's hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee this week. What a great pleasure to visit this beautiful city, where Beauford was born and made his first strides as an artist!
I spent much of the first two days of my visit at the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA).
Knoxville Museum of Art
© Discover Paris!
Here, I was thrilled to be able to stand before the three Beauford Delaney paintings* that are on permanent display in KMA's Higher Ground exhibition. Higher Ground showcases some of the best works by East Tennessee artists, including Beauford's first mentor, Lloyd Branson.
Portrait of Delia Delaney
(1933) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Dante Pavone as Christ
(1948) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Scattered Light
(1964) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
I also had the pleasure of meeting Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, the attorney who represents Beauford's estate. He graciously granted me access to Beauford's archives.
Derek Spratley and Monique Wells
© Discover Paris!
I saw countless photos, several paintings and works on paper, and a mere fraction of the documents that cast light upon the minute details of Beauford's life. There wasn't nearly enough time to go through the entire archive, so I definitely plan to return.
The week's activities included visits to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, the East Tennessee History Center, the office of Mayor Madeline Rogero, and the L&N Stem Academy. It culminated with the kickoff event for the initiative to bring the Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition to KMA as part of a larger movement to raise Knoxville's awareness of Beauford and to honor him there.
Look for more details in the next Les Amis blog post.
*Click HERE for details about Portrait of Delia Delaney and Dante Pavone as Christ. Click HERE for details about Scattered Light.
I spent much of the first two days of my visit at the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA).
© Discover Paris!
Here, I was thrilled to be able to stand before the three Beauford Delaney paintings* that are on permanent display in KMA's Higher Ground exhibition. Higher Ground showcases some of the best works by East Tennessee artists, including Beauford's first mentor, Lloyd Branson.
(1933) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1948) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1964) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
I also had the pleasure of meeting Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, the attorney who represents Beauford's estate. He graciously granted me access to Beauford's archives.
© Discover Paris!
I saw countless photos, several paintings and works on paper, and a mere fraction of the documents that cast light upon the minute details of Beauford's life. There wasn't nearly enough time to go through the entire archive, so I definitely plan to return.
The week's activities included visits to the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, the East Tennessee History Center, the office of Mayor Madeline Rogero, and the L&N Stem Academy. It culminated with the kickoff event for the initiative to bring the Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition to KMA as part of a larger movement to raise Knoxville's awareness of Beauford and to honor him there.
Look for more details in the next Les Amis blog post.
*Click HERE for details about Portrait of Delia Delaney and Dante Pavone as Christ. Click HERE for details about Scattered Light.
Amaranth Ehrenhalt Remembers Beauford
I do not know if i "want to paint" or do not "want to paint". It is just something that I do - like breathing and moving, walking and talking. I can not imagine my life without it.
-- Amaranth Ehrenhalt
This quote can be found on the Web site of Amaranth Ehrenhalt - painter, sculptor, photographer, and tapistry maker. Ehrenhalt is a seasoned, yet contemporary artist whose works were recently on display in the Works in Progress exhibition at Lawrence Art Gallery. Her description of herself could just as easily be ascribed to Beauford.
"Amara" graciously responded to my request for an interview. She told me that she met Beauford some time around the late 50's - early 60's at a cafe, especially known by artists and writers, possibly Le Select. She was living and working in Paris at the time and did not know anything about him prior to that meeting. She and Beauford participated in exhibitions from time to time and had a friend in common - painter and writer Arlene Hiquily.
© Discover Paris!
Amara's most vivid memory of Beauford is of seeing him at the Select, when he came over to the table where she was sitting with others and helped himself to any of the drinks that were unfinished. She said "this was tolerated with amusement because he was such a fine and serious artist."
SOLD: Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man)
Beauford's Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man) (Lot 21) sold at Swann Auction Galleries' autumn African-American Fine Art sale on Thursday, October 6, 2016.
Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man)
(circa 1930-35) Color pastels and charcoal on
gray, textured wove paper
597x445 mm; 23x17 1/2 inches
Signed in charcoal at lower left
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The purchase price was $5000 (buyer's premium included).
Beauford created a niche for himself during his early years in New York by painting pastel and charcoal portraits. He began at Billy Pierce's Dancing School, applying the skills that he learned at the schools he attended in Boston. Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man) is representative of this period of Beauford's career.
(circa 1930-35) Color pastels and charcoal on
gray, textured wove paper
597x445 mm; 23x17 1/2 inches
Signed in charcoal at lower left
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The purchase price was $5000 (buyer's premium included).
Beauford created a niche for himself during his early years in New York by painting pastel and charcoal portraits. He began at Billy Pierce's Dancing School, applying the skills that he learned at the schools he attended in Boston. Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man) is representative of this period of Beauford's career.
Beauford at Swann Auction Galleries: October 2016 Sale
Swann Auction Galleries is having its autumn sale of African-American Fine Art at 2:30 PM on Thursday, October 6, 2016.
Beauford's Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man) (Lot 21) is available for purchase at this sale.
Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man)
(circa 1930-35) Color pastels and charcoal on
gray, textured wove paper
597x445 mm; 23x17 1/2 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It is signed in charcoal at the lower left.
This portrait is an early work of Beauford, likely made soon after he moved from Knoxville to New York City. It is currently part of a private collection; the owner obtained the work from Beauford's brother, Joseph. Its estimated value is $6,000 - $9,000.
Preview dates for the show are as follows: Saturday, October 1 from 12 PM - 5 PM; Monday, October 3 from 3 PM - 5 PM; and Thursday, October 6 from 10 AM - noon.
For more information, contact Nigel Freeman at
.
Beauford's Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man) (Lot 21) is available for purchase at this sale.
(circa 1930-35) Color pastels and charcoal on
gray, textured wove paper
597x445 mm; 23x17 1/2 inches
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It is signed in charcoal at the lower left.
This portrait is an early work of Beauford, likely made soon after he moved from Knoxville to New York City. It is currently part of a private collection; the owner obtained the work from Beauford's brother, Joseph. Its estimated value is $6,000 - $9,000.
Preview dates for the show are as follows: Saturday, October 1 from 12 PM - 5 PM; Monday, October 3 from 3 PM - 5 PM; and Thursday, October 6 from 10 AM - noon.
For more information, contact Nigel Freeman at
.
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 3
Beauford's friend, Jean-Loup Msika, recently shared with me information about the whereabouts of Beauford's room at Saint Anne's Hospital in Paris' 14th arrondissement. We had hoped to visit the location together, but massive renovation is currently underway in that area of the hospital grounds.
Msika provided me with a map of the grounds and showed me where Beauford's room was located. It was in a building in the southeast corner of the property (see the red circle on the map below).
Map of Saint Anne's Hospital (2012)
Here are photos of the façades of Pavillon Benjamin Ball and Pavillon Piera Aulagnier, the two buildings that create a boundary of sorts for the area where Beauford stayed. I took these pictures during a visit to the hospital in March 2014. Construction had already begun in the Ball Pavilion.
Pavillon Benjamin Ball
© Discover Paris!
Pavillon Piera Aulagnier
© Discover Paris!
Msika told me that Beauford shared a room with several other patients. There was a glass door that led to a garden where patients could go at will. It was in this area that the famous photograph of Beauford and James Baldwin was taken.
Beauford and Baldwin, 1976
Photo by Max Petrus
Click on the links below to read the first two posts about Saint Anne's Hospital:
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 1
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 2
Msika provided me with a map of the grounds and showed me where Beauford's room was located. It was in a building in the southeast corner of the property (see the red circle on the map below).
Here are photos of the façades of Pavillon Benjamin Ball and Pavillon Piera Aulagnier, the two buildings that create a boundary of sorts for the area where Beauford stayed. I took these pictures during a visit to the hospital in March 2014. Construction had already begun in the Ball Pavilion.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Msika told me that Beauford shared a room with several other patients. There was a glass door that led to a garden where patients could go at will. It was in this area that the famous photograph of Beauford and James Baldwin was taken.
Photo by Max Petrus
Click on the links below to read the first two posts about Saint Anne's Hospital:
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 1
Beauford's Paris: Saint Anne's Hospital - Part 2
Beauford and Palmer Hayden
Beauford met Palmer Hayden during his early New York years. They, along with painters Ellis Wilson and Joseph Delaney (Beauford's brother) formed a group called "The Saints."
Beauford and Hayden became lifelong friends. It was Hayden who first gave Beauford the idea to travel to France.
The photograph below was taken at Washington Square in New York City, a location where outdoor art fairs were held for several years.
Photo from the National Archives, Harmon Collection
Thanks to a tip from friend and colleague Michele Simms-Burton, I am able to share a silent video clip during which you can see Beauford and Hayden at this very scene! In the still frame for the video, you can see Beauford walking toward Hayden as Hayden sits at his easel.
Click on the image below to watch the 1:25 minute segment, which is part of a longer video called "A Study of Negro Artists (1936)." Beauford appears for a few seconds beginning at 0:50 seconds into the clip.
Beauford's Story Featured in the New York Times
Several months ago, through an introduction by global connector and Renaissance woman, Silver Wainhouse, I met journalist Jake Cigainero. The three of us sat at one of my favorite Paris meeting places and chatted for what seemed to be hours about why I am so passionate about Beauford Delaney. I told him about the grave site project, the Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color , the fact that eleven persons from Beauford's home town came to the opening of the show, and much more.
When we parted, Jake told me he thought the story would be of interest to the New York Times. He said he'd pitch it and keep me posted.
In late July, I took Silver and Jake on the "Beauford Delaney's Montparnasse" walk that I created for the Paris exhibition. Jake confirmed that the Times was indeed interested in the story and told me that he would interview many others to write it. He would subsequently call me twice for fact-checking sessions regarding what I shared in our initial meeting as well as during the walk, which I greatly appreciated!
On August 6, I published a blog post about the Beauford Delaney in America initiative that would revive Beauford's legacy in his home town of Knoxville, TN.
On September 8, the New York Times published an article that picked up the thread of that post. I was thrilled to discover just how many people Jake interviewed and the research he conducted to write this expansive and thorough piece about Beauford's life and legacy.
Read the article here:
Beauford Delaney Returns to the Scene
The same day this article appeared, I booked a round-trip ticket to Knoxville so I can attend October events that will spearhead the fundraising campaign to bring Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color to the Knoxville Museum of Art.
Knoxville Museum of Art
I'm looking forward to seeing KMA's collection of Beauford's work as well as visiting his archives and seeing his hometown for the first time!
When we parted, Jake told me he thought the story would be of interest to the New York Times. He said he'd pitch it and keep me posted.
In late July, I took Silver and Jake on the "Beauford Delaney's Montparnasse" walk that I created for the Paris exhibition. Jake confirmed that the Times was indeed interested in the story and told me that he would interview many others to write it. He would subsequently call me twice for fact-checking sessions regarding what I shared in our initial meeting as well as during the walk, which I greatly appreciated!
On August 6, I published a blog post about the Beauford Delaney in America initiative that would revive Beauford's legacy in his home town of Knoxville, TN.
On September 8, the New York Times published an article that picked up the thread of that post. I was thrilled to discover just how many people Jake interviewed and the research he conducted to write this expansive and thorough piece about Beauford's life and legacy.
Read the article here:
Beauford Delaney Returns to the Scene
The same day this article appeared, I booked a round-trip ticket to Knoxville so I can attend October events that will spearhead the fundraising campaign to bring Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color to the Knoxville Museum of Art.
I'm looking forward to seeing KMA's collection of Beauford's work as well as visiting his archives and seeing his hometown for the first time!
Mailing List: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color Traveling Exhibition
Centre Georges Pompidou -- Paris, France
© Estate of Beauford Delaney by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator
Image by Discover Paris!
After a spectacular run at Reid Hall, Columbia Global Centers | Paris, the Wells International Foundation and Les Amis are taking Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color to museums in the U.S. and Europe. Sign up below to get the latest news on where the show will travel!
BEAUFORD DELANEY:
Resonance of Form and
Vibration of Color
Sign up below to get weekly updates on the show!