Beauford and Bernard Hassell
Bernard Hassell was one of James Baldwin's closest friends. He eventually became one of Beauford's closest friends as well, and cared for Beauford when Beauford was physically ill or mentally fragile. The French government named him one of the trustees of Beauford's affairs when Beauford was committed to Sainte-Anne's Hospital in 1975.
Today, I'm sharing images of three of Beauford's Bernard Hassell portraits.
Bernard Hassell
(Undated) Oil on canvas
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Portrait of Bernard Hassell
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Bernard Hassell
(ca. 1971) Oil on canvas
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The undated portrait may have been painted in 1966. Biographer David Leeming notes that when he stayed with Beauford prior to driving him to Istanbul for a visit with James Baldwin, Beauford showed him "an amazing profusion of yellow abstractions intermingled with extraordinary portraits whom the painter identified as Walter Anderson, James Baldwin, Bernard Hassell, and many others."
This portrait of Bernard Hassell was shown in the Beauford Delaney: A Retrospective [50 Years of Light] exhibition at the Philippe Briet Gallery in New York in February - March 1991.
In June 1968, Hassell took Beauford to the south of France after finding him wandering the streets in confusion after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leeming indicates that they stayed in three places over a period of six weeks, including a "castle" in Avignon. In the 1968 portrait of Hassell, perhaps Beauford is portraying him in the image of this or another building in which they resided during this extended trip.
The inscription in this portrait seems to indicate "Sadagne France." This may be a reference to the town of Châteauneuf de Gadagne, which is not far from Avignon.
In 1971, Beauford once again suffered serious psychological trauma upon learning of the death of his nephew, Sam (Junior). Biographer Leeming describes him as going into "several weeks of steep decline" as a result. James Baldwin learned of Beauford's condition and had him brought to Baldwin's new home in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, where Hassell had taken up residence in the gatehouse.
Today, I'm sharing images of three of Beauford's Bernard Hassell portraits.
(Undated) Oil on canvas
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(ca. 1971) Oil on canvas
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The undated portrait may have been painted in 1966. Biographer David Leeming notes that when he stayed with Beauford prior to driving him to Istanbul for a visit with James Baldwin, Beauford showed him "an amazing profusion of yellow abstractions intermingled with extraordinary portraits whom the painter identified as Walter Anderson, James Baldwin, Bernard Hassell, and many others."
This portrait of Bernard Hassell was shown in the Beauford Delaney: A Retrospective [50 Years of Light] exhibition at the Philippe Briet Gallery in New York in February - March 1991.
In June 1968, Hassell took Beauford to the south of France after finding him wandering the streets in confusion after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leeming indicates that they stayed in three places over a period of six weeks, including a "castle" in Avignon. In the 1968 portrait of Hassell, perhaps Beauford is portraying him in the image of this or another building in which they resided during this extended trip.
The inscription in this portrait seems to indicate "Sadagne France." This may be a reference to the town of Châteauneuf de Gadagne, which is not far from Avignon.
In 1971, Beauford once again suffered serious psychological trauma upon learning of the death of his nephew, Sam (Junior). Biographer Leeming describes him as going into "several weeks of steep decline" as a result. James Baldwin learned of Beauford's condition and had him brought to Baldwin's new home in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, where Hassell had taken up residence in the gatehouse.
I Will Not Be Moved - A Look at Beauford's Rosa Parks Series
I have had the pleasure of meeting University of Tennessee Knoxville professor Mary Campbell many times. She is an avid aficionado of Beauford and his work and is currently writing a book about him.
Professor Campbell brings students to Paris for a study abroad art history experience each year. Last summer, Wells International Foundation intern Maija Brennan presented her online exhibition of Beauford's portraiture to Campbell's students.
Campbell's son was part of the Classes Duo Paris/Knoxville program and was one of the children who came to Paris in October 2018 to meet the Paris elementary school students who participated in the program.
In the video below, Campbell delivers a virtual "Cocktails & Conversation" presentation for the Knoxville Museum of Art that provides a wonderful overview of Beauford's career as an artist and takes a deep dive into his Rosa Parks series. She asserts her theory that Beauford's Rosa Parks paintings are actually self-portraits.
One might think this strange, but when you look at the 1962 self-portrait below, you may be more willing to entertain this notion.
Self Portrait, 1962
Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney; Private Collection
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
In her presentation, Campbell thoroughly examines the three oil paintings and numerous sketches of Rosa Parks that are presented in Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door, the magnificent KMA exhibition that is currently on view at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
I encourage you to watch her in this ~47-minute video and come to your own conclusion!
Professor Campbell brings students to Paris for a study abroad art history experience each year. Last summer, Wells International Foundation intern Maija Brennan presented her online exhibition of Beauford's portraiture to Campbell's students.
Campbell's son was part of the Classes Duo Paris/Knoxville program and was one of the children who came to Paris in October 2018 to meet the Paris elementary school students who participated in the program.
In the video below, Campbell delivers a virtual "Cocktails & Conversation" presentation for the Knoxville Museum of Art that provides a wonderful overview of Beauford's career as an artist and takes a deep dive into his Rosa Parks series. She asserts her theory that Beauford's Rosa Parks paintings are actually self-portraits.
One might think this strange, but when you look at the 1962 self-portrait below, you may be more willing to entertain this notion.
Self Portrait, 1962
Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney; Private Collection
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
In her presentation, Campbell thoroughly examines the three oil paintings and numerous sketches of Rosa Parks that are presented in Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door, the magnificent KMA exhibition that is currently on view at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
I encourage you to watch her in this ~47-minute video and come to your own conclusion!
Atlas Obscura Features Beauford's Grave - What's Next?
Atlas Obscura published a wonderful article about Beauford's gravesite on August 21, 2020:
Grave of Beauford Delaney
Serendipitously, the publication coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the laying of Beauford's tombstone. I went to Thiais Cemetery to check on the finishing touches for the stone on August 18, 2010 and took several photos to document the completion of the work.
One of these is presented in the Atlas Obscura article.
Portrait of Beauford Delaney on the tombstone at Thiais Cemetery
(ca. 1950)
Possibly by Gjon Mili
"Grave of Beauford Delaney" pays particular attention to the role that Sue Canterbury plays in the story of the stone. Currently The Pauline Gill Sullivan Associate Curator of American Art at the Dallas Museum of Art, Canterbury was a curator at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts when she granted Les Amis a two-part interview about the ArtsMIA exhibition called From New York to Paris that we published as "Anatomy of an Art Exhibition":
Anatomy of an Art Exhibition - Part 1
Anatomy of an Art Exhibition - Part 2
The Atlas Obscura article also mentions Zachary Miller's filming of the gravesite ceremony for posterity.
Zachary Miller filming graveside ceremony
(2010) Franz Fox Kennedy
Miller is now producing the full-length documentary entitled Beauford Delaney: So Splendid a Journey, the trailer for which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019.
When Les Amis was founded in 2009, we set out to achieve four goals:
1) Placement and maintenance of a tombstone for the grave of painter Beauford Delaney, who is buried at the Parisian Cemetery of Thiais.
2) Payment of the renewal fees for his grave.
3) Organization of commemorative or educational events in his honor.
4) Inform the press and the media of his life and accomplishments.
The Knoxville, TN chapter of The Links, Incorporated generously donated funds to cover the next ten years of maintenance on Beauford's tombstone. This gift fulfills Goal 1 for the next several years.
The Paris Cemetery system placed Beauford's grave on its "celebrity list" in 2014, eliminating the need to pay for renewal fees for his grave. This fulfills Goal 2.
Goals 3 and 4 are ongoing!
The Atlas Obscura article represents our latest accomplishment regarding informing the press and media of Beauford's life and accomplishments (Goal 4).
For Goal 3, our most important work at present is the production of Beauford Delaney: So Splendid a Journey and the screening of this documentary at film festivals and local theaters in the U.S. and Europe. We are part of the IFP (Independent Filmmaker Project) Fiscal Sponsorship program for 2020 and US dollar donations for the film are tax deductible.
Watch the trailer (and give to support the project if you desire) here:
Beauford Delaney: So Splendid a Journey
We're looking forward to another ten years of shining glorious light on Beauford's story and his œuvre!
Grave of Beauford Delaney
Serendipitously, the publication coincides with the 10-year anniversary of the laying of Beauford's tombstone. I went to Thiais Cemetery to check on the finishing touches for the stone on August 18, 2010 and took several photos to document the completion of the work.
One of these is presented in the Atlas Obscura article.
(ca. 1950)
Possibly by Gjon Mili
"Grave of Beauford Delaney" pays particular attention to the role that Sue Canterbury plays in the story of the stone. Currently The Pauline Gill Sullivan Associate Curator of American Art at the Dallas Museum of Art, Canterbury was a curator at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts when she granted Les Amis a two-part interview about the ArtsMIA exhibition called From New York to Paris that we published as "Anatomy of an Art Exhibition":
Anatomy of an Art Exhibition - Part 1
Anatomy of an Art Exhibition - Part 2
The Atlas Obscura article also mentions Zachary Miller's filming of the gravesite ceremony for posterity.
(2010) Franz Fox Kennedy
Miller is now producing the full-length documentary entitled Beauford Delaney: So Splendid a Journey, the trailer for which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019.
When Les Amis was founded in 2009, we set out to achieve four goals:
1) Placement and maintenance of a tombstone for the grave of painter Beauford Delaney, who is buried at the Parisian Cemetery of Thiais.
2) Payment of the renewal fees for his grave.
3) Organization of commemorative or educational events in his honor.
4) Inform the press and the media of his life and accomplishments.
The Knoxville, TN chapter of The Links, Incorporated generously donated funds to cover the next ten years of maintenance on Beauford's tombstone. This gift fulfills Goal 1 for the next several years.
The Paris Cemetery system placed Beauford's grave on its "celebrity list" in 2014, eliminating the need to pay for renewal fees for his grave. This fulfills Goal 2.
Goals 3 and 4 are ongoing!
The Atlas Obscura article represents our latest accomplishment regarding informing the press and media of Beauford's life and accomplishments (Goal 4).
For Goal 3, our most important work at present is the production of Beauford Delaney: So Splendid a Journey and the screening of this documentary at film festivals and local theaters in the U.S. and Europe. We are part of the IFP (Independent Filmmaker Project) Fiscal Sponsorship program for 2020 and US dollar donations for the film are tax deductible.
Watch the trailer (and give to support the project if you desire) here:
Beauford Delaney: So Splendid a Journey
We're looking forward to another ten years of shining glorious light on Beauford's story and his œuvre!
Museums Use Beauford's Art to Reach Out to Children
The Classes Duo Paris/Knoxville program - a collaboration between the Wells International Foundation and the City of Paris' CASPE 6/14 department - is the largest program to date that has used Beauford's art to engage children. Works selected for lessons during the course of this two-year program included Beauford's Portrait of Marian Anderson, Untitled (Trees), and Greece.
Portrait of Marian Anderson
(1965) Oil on canvas
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
J. Harwood and Louise B. Cochrane Fund for American Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (Trees)
(c. 1945) Oil on canvas
29 1/8" x 23 1/8", signed
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
Grèce
(1967) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Recently, three museums have selected a Beauford Delaney work in their collection to support their outreach to children.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is using Portrait of Marian Anderson as part of a lesson that teaches small children about portraiture as they explore the museum's galleries.
https://www.vmfa.museum/learn/resources/early-childhood-lesson-concept-portraits/
In June 2020, the Brooklyn Museum selected Untitled (Fang, Crow, and Fruit) to create a lesson that provides step-by-step instructions for children ages 2–6 to create offering/honoring bowls and for kids ages 7 and up to create still life drawings.
Untitled (Fang, Crow and Fruit)
(1945) Oil on canvas
25 x 30 in. (63.5 x 76.2 cm)
Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum Fund for African American Art, A. Augustus Healy Fund, and Ella C. Woodward Memorial Fund , 2014.73.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esq., Court Appointed Administrator
https://brooklynmuseum.tumblr.com/post/621087915437670400/mini-art-lesson-tuesday-june-16-2020-our-mini
In March 2020, the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina was inspired by Beauford's Untitled (1959; shown at the Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition in Paris) to encourage children of all ages to make "marble prints" with shaving cream.
Untitled
(1959) Oil on canvas
Mint Museum, Charlotte
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
https://mintmuseum.org/abstract-shaving-cream-prints/
This exercise looks like great fun!
(1965) Oil on canvas
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
J. Harwood and Louise B. Cochrane Fund for American Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(c. 1945) Oil on canvas
29 1/8" x 23 1/8", signed
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
(1967) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Recently, three museums have selected a Beauford Delaney work in their collection to support their outreach to children.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is using Portrait of Marian Anderson as part of a lesson that teaches small children about portraiture as they explore the museum's galleries.
https://www.vmfa.museum/learn/resources/early-childhood-lesson-concept-portraits/
In June 2020, the Brooklyn Museum selected Untitled (Fang, Crow, and Fruit) to create a lesson that provides step-by-step instructions for children ages 2–6 to create offering/honoring bowls and for kids ages 7 and up to create still life drawings.
(1945) Oil on canvas
25 x 30 in. (63.5 x 76.2 cm)
Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum Fund for African American Art, A. Augustus Healy Fund, and Ella C. Woodward Memorial Fund , 2014.73.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esq., Court Appointed Administrator
https://brooklynmuseum.tumblr.com/post/621087915437670400/mini-art-lesson-tuesday-june-16-2020-our-mini
In March 2020, the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina was inspired by Beauford's Untitled (1959; shown at the Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color exhibition in Paris) to encourage children of all ages to make "marble prints" with shaving cream.
(1959) Oil on canvas
Mint Museum, Charlotte
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
https://mintmuseum.org/abstract-shaving-cream-prints/
This exercise looks like great fun!
A Study in Portraiture - One Year Later
Just over a year ago, I had the pleasure to announce the opening of the virtual exhibition entitled Beauford Delaney: A Study in Portraiture on the Wells International Foundation's (WIF) Web site.
Curator Maija Brennan was a rising senior at Smith College when she created the exhibition during her 2019 WIF summer internship in Paris. Now employed as an oral history researcher focused on the history of African American art and artists at The HistoryMakers in Chicago, IL, she attributes her interest and skills in this area to the knowledge she acquired while working on A Study in Portraiture.
The HistoryMakers is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational institution committed to preserving and making widely accessible the untold personal stories of well-known and unsung African Americans. Their mission is to create a more inclusive record of American history.
Today, I'm bringing you a few of the portraits that Brennan selected for the virtual exhibition. Click on the hyperlinked title for each image to go to the exhibition and read the information there.
Charcoal on paper Knoxville Museum of Art 2017 purchase with funds provided by the Rachael Patterson Young Art Acquisition Reserve © Estate of Beauford Delaney by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator Image courtesy of the Knoxville Museum of Art
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(circa 1930-35) Color pastels and charcoal on gray, textured wove paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
(1967) Oil on canvas
Image courtesy of Levis Fine Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1965) Oil on canvas
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Seventeen (17) additional portraits are featured in A Study in Portraiture. I strongly encourage you to visit the Wells International Foundation's Website to see them!
Beauford Delaney: A Study in Portraiture
Beauford and Marcel Duchamp
Thanks to Peter Stebbins, President of the Lily and Earle M. Pilgrim Art Foundation, I was recently able to publish an article about Vincent Livelli's recollections of Beauford during Beauford's New York years.
Stebbins also graciously connected me with Kate Prendergast and Jane Barrell Yadav, the daughters of painter Marcia Marcus. Marcus and Lily & Earle Pilgrim were dear friends and Marcus' daughters are passionately working to preserve their mother's legacy.
Marcus had the extraordinary opportunity to photograph Beauford with French artist and writer Marcel Duchamp. Her daughters kindly allowed me to publish the photo below and shared the story of how the opportunity came to be.
Marcel Duchamp (center) and Beauford (lower right), 1953
© Marcia Marcus / Artists Rights Society (ARS)
Image courtesy of Kate Prendergast
An article that describes the events of that day states that:
"In March 1953, Michael Freilich, owner of the Roko Gallery in Greenwich Village, asked twenty-eight year-old Victor Obsatz to photograph Marcel Duchamp in his apartment at 210 West 14th Street. A double exposure occurred by chance, creating an overlay of Duchamp’s playful smile and iconic profile ....
"The work has since become one of the most well-known and sought-after images of the artist, and has been reproduced in many texts on Duchamp, Dada, and Surrealism, including the National Portrait Gallery’s 2009 exhibition catalogue “Inventing Marcel Duchamp: The Dynamics of Portraiture.”
Though the article mentions neither Marcus nor Beauford, both were present that day. Obsatz, who was Marcus' classmate at Cooper Union, took a photo of her sitting next to Duchamp on a sofa, with her camera lying between them.
According to biographer David Leeming
, Beauford met Duchamp in New York when he visited Freilich's home. Duchamp and Freilich lived in the same building at the time.
Portrait of a man in red / Michael Frelich
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
By permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Obsatz invited Marcus to assist him at the photo shoot and Marcus took several photos of Duchamp with her camera. She is the author of the photo that places Beauford at the scene. She later became known for double imagery (reflections - shadow - mirrors) in her paintings.
Click HERE to see a couple of the photos Marcus took that day, as well as Obsatz's photograph of her and Duchamp.
The phrasing of the Moeller Fine Art article regarding the location of the photo shoot is ambiguous - it could be taken to mean that the group met at Freilich's apartment or at Duchamp's place.
Note that Beauford's Still Life with Pears is partly visible on the wall to the left of Duchamp in Marcus' photograph.
Still Life with Pears
(1946) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It is certainly possible that Duchamp owned the painting. But given that Freilich had been showing Beauford's work at the Roko Gallery since 1949, it seems more likely that Still Life with Pears would hang in Freilich's apartment. (To the best of my knowledge, this work remains in a private collection.)
Kate Prendergast found the image of Duchamp and Beauford in her mother's archived materials. In a telephone interview that she recorded with Obsatz in July 2016, he mentions that Freilich introduced him to Duchamp and indicates that Beauford was present during the shoot.
Had it not been for the legacy work that Marcus' daughters are pursuing, we may never have known about Beauford's involvement in this moment in art history!
Stebbins also graciously connected me with Kate Prendergast and Jane Barrell Yadav, the daughters of painter Marcia Marcus. Marcus and Lily & Earle Pilgrim were dear friends and Marcus' daughters are passionately working to preserve their mother's legacy.
Marcus had the extraordinary opportunity to photograph Beauford with French artist and writer Marcel Duchamp. Her daughters kindly allowed me to publish the photo below and shared the story of how the opportunity came to be.
© Marcia Marcus / Artists Rights Society (ARS)
Image courtesy of Kate Prendergast
An article that describes the events of that day states that:
"In March 1953, Michael Freilich, owner of the Roko Gallery in Greenwich Village, asked twenty-eight year-old Victor Obsatz to photograph Marcel Duchamp in his apartment at 210 West 14th Street. A double exposure occurred by chance, creating an overlay of Duchamp’s playful smile and iconic profile ....
"The work has since become one of the most well-known and sought-after images of the artist, and has been reproduced in many texts on Duchamp, Dada, and Surrealism, including the National Portrait Gallery’s 2009 exhibition catalogue “Inventing Marcel Duchamp: The Dynamics of Portraiture.”
Though the article mentions neither Marcus nor Beauford, both were present that day. Obsatz, who was Marcus' classmate at Cooper Union, took a photo of her sitting next to Duchamp on a sofa, with her camera lying between them.
According to biographer David Leeming
, Beauford met Duchamp in New York when he visited Freilich's home. Duchamp and Freilich lived in the same building at the time. 
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
By permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Obsatz invited Marcus to assist him at the photo shoot and Marcus took several photos of Duchamp with her camera. She is the author of the photo that places Beauford at the scene. She later became known for double imagery (reflections - shadow - mirrors) in her paintings.
Click HERE to see a couple of the photos Marcus took that day, as well as Obsatz's photograph of her and Duchamp.
The phrasing of the Moeller Fine Art article regarding the location of the photo shoot is ambiguous - it could be taken to mean that the group met at Freilich's apartment or at Duchamp's place.
Note that Beauford's Still Life with Pears is partly visible on the wall to the left of Duchamp in Marcus' photograph.
(1946) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It is certainly possible that Duchamp owned the painting. But given that Freilich had been showing Beauford's work at the Roko Gallery since 1949, it seems more likely that Still Life with Pears would hang in Freilich's apartment. (To the best of my knowledge, this work remains in a private collection.)
Kate Prendergast found the image of Duchamp and Beauford in her mother's archived materials. In a telephone interview that she recorded with Obsatz in July 2016, he mentions that Freilich introduced him to Duchamp and indicates that Beauford was present during the shoot.
Had it not been for the legacy work that Marcus' daughters are pursuing, we may never have known about Beauford's involvement in this moment in art history!
In a Mood
In last week's blog post, "Silencing the Voices," I talked frankly about Beauford's life journey with mental illness and the role it played in his artistic production.
I quoted Beauford's friend, Richard A. Long, who expressed his opinion that much of what Beauford created during his Clamart years reflected melancholy. And I promised to share several images of Beauford's work from this period so that you can draw your own conclusions about the mood that these works might convey.
I have previously explored the subject of Beauford's illness and its effect on his work in posts entitled "Capturing the Shock of Life" and "Melancholy, Sorrow, and Joy." I've republished images from these posts below. Click on the hyperlinked article titles centered above the images to read the original articles.
CAPTURING THE SHOCK OF LIFE
Untitled (Green Drip Abstraction)
(1958) Gouache on wove paper
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (Yellow Abstraction)
(c. 1958-1959) Oil on paper, laid down on canvas
Image courtesy of Aaron Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (Abstract composition)
(1958) Oil on wove paper
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Clamart Red
(1958) Oil on canvas
On loan from a private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
MELANCHOLY, SORROW, AND JOY - PART 2
Untitled
(1961) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled
(1961) Mixed media on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
I'm posting additional images and article hyperlinks from previous posts with the same intent:
BEAUFORD IN INK
Untitled
(1961) Ink, inkwash, and aquarelle on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
MORE BEAUFORD DELANEY WORKS AT AUCTION
Untitled
Aquarelle signed et dated 1961, lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
BEAUFORD'S SOLO SHOW AT THE PAUL FACCHETTI GALLERY
Untitled
(1960) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
CASE ANTIQUES OPENS BIDDING ON THREE BEAUFORD DELANEY WORKS
Untitled
Watercolor and gouache on paper (recto)
Signed and dated lower right in black ink, "Beauford Delaney 61"
Photo courtesy of Case Antiques
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Find additional images at the links below (look at the works mentioned below).
Swann Auction Galleries African American Fine Art Sale - Results Are in
Untitled (Composition in Green, Red and Black)
What Sold at Swann Auction Galleries' October 2017 African American Fine Art Sale
Untitled (Brown and Orange Abstraction)
Beauford at Swann Auction Galleries: April 2016 Sale Results
Untitled (Composition in Purple, Blue and Green))
Untitled (Abstract in Mustard Yellow and Gray Green, Mallorca)
I quoted Beauford's friend, Richard A. Long, who expressed his opinion that much of what Beauford created during his Clamart years reflected melancholy. And I promised to share several images of Beauford's work from this period so that you can draw your own conclusions about the mood that these works might convey.
I have previously explored the subject of Beauford's illness and its effect on his work in posts entitled "Capturing the Shock of Life" and "Melancholy, Sorrow, and Joy." I've republished images from these posts below. Click on the hyperlinked article titles centered above the images to read the original articles.
(1958) Gouache on wove paper
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(c. 1958-1959) Oil on paper, laid down on canvas
Image courtesy of Aaron Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1958) Oil on wove paper
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1958) Oil on canvas
On loan from a private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1961) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1961) Mixed media on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
I'm posting additional images and article hyperlinks from previous posts with the same intent:
(1961) Ink, inkwash, and aquarelle on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Aquarelle signed et dated 1961, lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1960) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Watercolor and gouache on paper (recto)
Signed and dated lower right in black ink, "Beauford Delaney 61"
Photo courtesy of Case Antiques
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Find additional images at the links below (look at the works mentioned below).
Swann Auction Galleries African American Fine Art Sale - Results Are in
Untitled (Composition in Green, Red and Black)
What Sold at Swann Auction Galleries' October 2017 African American Fine Art Sale
Untitled (Brown and Orange Abstraction)
Beauford at Swann Auction Galleries: April 2016 Sale Results
Untitled (Composition in Purple, Blue and Green))
Untitled (Abstract in Mustard Yellow and Gray Green, Mallorca)
Silencing the Voices
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month (formerly known as Minority Mental Health Month). It is the perfect time to shine a light on Beauford's epic struggle to deal with his inner voices - the voices that drove him to attempt suicide and fueled the expression of his creative genius.
Self-portrait
(1970) Gouache on paper
Collection of David A. Leeming
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Biographer David Leeming mentions Beauford's voices several times in Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney. As early as the first page of the first chapter of the biography, he talks about "the inner voices that in the early years only teased him [Beauford] but later gradually took over his mind." He indicates that Beauford began hearing whispering "voices of despair" while living in Knoxville and says that Beauford's only defense against them was his art.
Leeming says that by 1958, Beauford's purpose for painting shifted from attempting to ward off the voices to capturing their essence. Beauford wrote to his friend, Larry Wallrich, that year to say that he was "still trying to bring together color compositions from the strange and many-faceted thing that is my life."
Beauford's voices became more active and aggressive when he traveled. During his trip to Greece in July 1961, they taunted and threatened him mercilessly, until he jumped overboard from the ship on which he sailed from Brindisi to Patras. Fortunately, the ship was docked at Patras and Beauford was rescued (he could not swim). He was briefly hospitalized and through arrangements made by the American Consultate, he traveled to Athens, where he was met by someone from the U.S. Embassy. In the hotel room that had been reserved for him there, his voices berated and threatened him again, and he attempted suicide by slashing his wrists with a penknife. He was taken to the Embassy and authorities there had him admitted to a mental hospital.
Darthea Speyer, a devoted friend and patron, had organized Beauford's trip to Greece. She was notified of what happened and had Beauford moved to a private clinic, where he stayed for several weeks. She then organized his return to Paris, which took place on August 21, 1961.
Beauford's friends did their best to support him during the remainder of the summer and fall, but he remained physically and mentally fragile. Thanks to the intervention of Mme Solange du Closel and Dr. Ahmed Bioud, two dear friends, he was admitted to the psychiatric clinic at Nogent-sur-Marne in December 1961. Mme du Closel and her husband then purchased the apartment that Beauford would use as a studio upon his release from the clinic until he was permanently committed to Hôpital Sainte-Anne in 1975.
Beauford and James Baldwin
at Sainte Anne's Hospital, 1976
Photo by Max Petrus
Beauford had several "episodes" between his release from the Nogent clinic and his admission to Sainte Anne's Hospital. Leeming's most vivid description of these pertains to the one that he personally witnessed in 1966, when James Baldwin charged him with fetching Beauford from Paris and driving him to Istanbul. Beauford could only find relief from the voices if Leeming lay in bed with him:
"I got into his cot with him and together, in each other's arms, we held off the voices, which by now, I had begun to hear, too."
Richard A. Long, the friend of Beauford who organized the 1978 retrospective of Beauford's work at the Studio Museum in Harlem, wrote that Beauford's works from the Clamart years (1956-1961) were characterized by a
"frequent overtone of melancholy, imposed either by a somber palette or by the sheer power of clashing color-masses. Interspersed with these are the occasional journeys into blinding yellow and pink light..."
I don't know that Beauford's Clamart works frequently express melancholy, but I have noted that several works dated 1958 through 1961 are quite dark and brooding. I'll present images of some of these in next week's blog.
(1970) Gouache on paper
Collection of David A. Leeming
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Biographer David Leeming mentions Beauford's voices several times in Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
. As early as the first page of the first chapter of the biography, he talks about "the inner voices that in the early years only teased him [Beauford] but later gradually took over his mind." He indicates that Beauford began hearing whispering "voices of despair" while living in Knoxville and says that Beauford's only defense against them was his art.Leeming says that by 1958, Beauford's purpose for painting shifted from attempting to ward off the voices to capturing their essence. Beauford wrote to his friend, Larry Wallrich, that year to say that he was "still trying to bring together color compositions from the strange and many-faceted thing that is my life."
Beauford's voices became more active and aggressive when he traveled. During his trip to Greece in July 1961, they taunted and threatened him mercilessly, until he jumped overboard from the ship on which he sailed from Brindisi to Patras. Fortunately, the ship was docked at Patras and Beauford was rescued (he could not swim). He was briefly hospitalized and through arrangements made by the American Consultate, he traveled to Athens, where he was met by someone from the U.S. Embassy. In the hotel room that had been reserved for him there, his voices berated and threatened him again, and he attempted suicide by slashing his wrists with a penknife. He was taken to the Embassy and authorities there had him admitted to a mental hospital.
Darthea Speyer, a devoted friend and patron, had organized Beauford's trip to Greece. She was notified of what happened and had Beauford moved to a private clinic, where he stayed for several weeks. She then organized his return to Paris, which took place on August 21, 1961.
Beauford's friends did their best to support him during the remainder of the summer and fall, but he remained physically and mentally fragile. Thanks to the intervention of Mme Solange du Closel and Dr. Ahmed Bioud, two dear friends, he was admitted to the psychiatric clinic at Nogent-sur-Marne in December 1961. Mme du Closel and her husband then purchased the apartment that Beauford would use as a studio upon his release from the clinic until he was permanently committed to Hôpital Sainte-Anne in 1975.
at Sainte Anne's Hospital, 1976
Photo by Max Petrus
Beauford had several "episodes" between his release from the Nogent clinic and his admission to Sainte Anne's Hospital. Leeming's most vivid description of these pertains to the one that he personally witnessed in 1966, when James Baldwin charged him with fetching Beauford from Paris and driving him to Istanbul. Beauford could only find relief from the voices if Leeming lay in bed with him:
"I got into his cot with him and together, in each other's arms, we held off the voices, which by now, I had begun to hear, too."
Richard A. Long, the friend of Beauford who organized the 1978 retrospective of Beauford's work at the Studio Museum in Harlem, wrote that Beauford's works from the Clamart years (1956-1961) were characterized by a
"frequent overtone of melancholy, imposed either by a somber palette or by the sheer power of clashing color-masses. Interspersed with these are the occasional journeys into blinding yellow and pink light..."
I don't know that Beauford's Clamart works frequently express melancholy, but I have noted that several works dated 1958 through 1961 are quite dark and brooding. I'll present images of some of these in next week's blog.
Beauford at Case Antiques Auction - Result
Case Antiques recently held its Two-Day Summer Fine Art, Antique, and Jewelry Auction and sold Beauford's 1964 Composition, a "watercolor on paper abstract expressionist painting featuring green, red, orange, and yellow brushstrokes ... "
Lot 150
Composition
(1964) Watercolor on paper
Signed and dated, lower right
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for this work was $4000 to $4400. The purchase price was $15,600.00, including a 20% buyer's premium.
To see images of Beauford's work auctioned by Case Antiques in the past, click here.
Composition
(1964) Watercolor on paper
Signed and dated, lower right
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for this work was $4000 to $4400. The purchase price was $15,600.00, including a 20% buyer's premium.
To see images of Beauford's work auctioned by Case Antiques in the past, click here.
Beauford at Artcurial Auction - Results
The Artcurial Contemporary Art auction took place in Paris on July 9, 2020. Three Beauford Delaney Abstract Expressionist oils were offered for sale. All of them sold for well above the estimated list price.
The estimated price for Lot 267, Untitled, was 60,000€ to 80,000€.
Lot 267
Untitled
(1958) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The painting sold for 356,200€.
The estimated price for Lot 268, Untitled, was 30,000€ to 40,000€.
Lot 268
Untitled
(1960) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for 104,000€.
The estimated price for Lot 269, Untitled, was 50,000€ to 70,000€.
Lot 269
Untitled
(1961) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated, lower left; signed and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This work (which happens to be my favorite among the three that were offered during this auction) sold for 467,800€.
All sale prices listed include Value Added Tax and a 20% buyer's fee.
For more information about this sale, click here.
The estimated price for Lot 267, Untitled, was 60,000€ to 80,000€.
Untitled
(1958) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The painting sold for 356,200€.
The estimated price for Lot 268, Untitled, was 30,000€ to 40,000€.
Untitled
(1960) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
It sold for 104,000€.
The estimated price for Lot 269, Untitled, was 50,000€ to 70,000€.
Untitled
(1961) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated, lower left; signed and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This work (which happens to be my favorite among the three that were offered during this auction) sold for 467,800€.
All sale prices listed include Value Added Tax and a 20% buyer's fee.
For more information about this sale, click here.
Sales and More Sales
No fewer than four auction houses have presented or are preparing to present Beauford's work at contemporary art sales since late June.
On June 23, Delon-Hoebanx sold a beautiful yellow and green oil painting for 55,000€ during its XIX AND MODERN PAINTINGS & MODERN SCULPTURES sale. The estimated sale price was 10K€ - 15K€. See an image of the work here.
On July 1, Tajan sold all four works on paper presented during its Contemporary Art sale. I wrote about these works in the blog post entitled "Four Beauford Delaney Works on Paper to Be Auctioned."
See the results of the sale here.
In upcoming auctions:
July 9
Artcurial has included three beautiful Abstract Expressionist oils in its Contemporary Art sale.
Beauford Delaney expert Sylvain Briet provided Artcurial with commentary on the works. He indicated that Lot 267 - Untitled - was shown at solo exhibition of Beauford's work organized by Paul Facchetti in June-July 1960, but that it is not certain whether Lot 268, also Untitled, was part of that show.
Lot 267
Untitled
(1958) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 60,000€ to 80,000€.
Lot 268
Untitled
(1960) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 30,000€ to 40,000€.
Beauford painted the untitled work assigned Lot Number 269 during the year that he traveled to Greece and attempted suicide. According to
biographer David Leeming, he participated in three group shows earlier that year - one in London and two in Paris. Briet does not comment on whether this painting might have been shown at one or more of these exhibitions.
Lot 269
Untitled
(1961) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated, lower left; signed and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 50,000€ to 70,000€
For more information about this sale, click here.
July 11-12
During its Two-Day Summer Fine Art, Antique, and Jewelry Auction, Case Antiques is offering Composition, a "watercolor on paper abstract expressionist painting featuring green, red, orange, and yellow brushstrokes ... Float mounted onto ivory cardstock and housed in a contemporary silver and gilt frame," which is dated "1964."
This was a productive year for Beauford. He received a Fairfield Foundation grant and participated in numerous shows, the most important of which was a solo exhibition at the Galerie Lambert.
Lot 150
Composition
(1964) Watercolor on paper
Signed and dated, lower right
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: $4000 to $4400.
For more information about this sale, click here.
On June 23, Delon-Hoebanx sold a beautiful yellow and green oil painting for 55,000€ during its XIX AND MODERN PAINTINGS & MODERN SCULPTURES sale. The estimated sale price was 10K€ - 15K€. See an image of the work here.
On July 1, Tajan sold all four works on paper presented during its Contemporary Art sale. I wrote about these works in the blog post entitled "Four Beauford Delaney Works on Paper to Be Auctioned."
See the results of the sale here.
In upcoming auctions:
July 9
Artcurial has included three beautiful Abstract Expressionist oils in its Contemporary Art sale.
Beauford Delaney expert Sylvain Briet provided Artcurial with commentary on the works. He indicated that Lot 267 - Untitled - was shown at solo exhibition of Beauford's work organized by Paul Facchetti in June-July 1960, but that it is not certain whether Lot 268, also Untitled, was part of that show.
Untitled
(1958) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 60,000€ to 80,000€.
Untitled
(1960) Oil on canvas
Signed, dated and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 30,000€ to 40,000€.
Beauford painted the untitled work assigned Lot Number 269 during the year that he traveled to Greece and attempted suicide. According to
biographer David Leeming
, he participated in three group shows earlier that year - one in London and two in Paris. Briet does not comment on whether this painting might have been shown at one or more of these exhibitions.Untitled
(1961) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated, lower left; signed and located on the back
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: 50,000€ to 70,000€
For more information about this sale, click here.
July 11-12
During its Two-Day Summer Fine Art, Antique, and Jewelry Auction, Case Antiques is offering Composition, a "watercolor on paper abstract expressionist painting featuring green, red, orange, and yellow brushstrokes ... Float mounted onto ivory cardstock and housed in a contemporary silver and gilt frame," which is dated "1964."
This was a productive year for Beauford. He received a Fairfield Foundation grant and participated in numerous shows, the most important of which was a solo exhibition at the Galerie Lambert.
Composition
(1964) Watercolor on paper
Signed and dated, lower right
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Estimated sale price: $4000 to $4400.
For more information about this sale, click here.
Dive In with the Stanley - Beauford's "Untitled (Paris)" Examined
In December 2011, I published an article about where in the U.S. Midwest Beauford's work could be found. Here's a quote from that post:
"The University of Iowa Museum of Art holds an untitled Beauford Delaney painting that dates from 1929. It is classified as a drawing, and is not currently on view. The orange and brown hues in this work remind me of autumn."
A few days ago, I received a Google Alert about Beauford entitled "Dive In with the Stanley" that stated the following:
"This week Lauren and Uri consider Beauford Delaney's watercolor Untitled (Paris). They will go live on Instagram at 7:00 p.m. on June 23."
I contacted Elizabeth Wallace, Communications Director at the Stanley Museum at the University of Iowa to inquire about the presentation. I was told that Director Lauren Lessing was hosting the Instagram Live session and that it would be posted on the museum's Instagram account for viewing after the session was over. Director Lessing contacted me as well.
I viewed the recording two nights ago and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Director Lessing began by describing Beauford as "one of the most versatile and interesting artists of the 20th century." She talked about how he frequently alternated painting styles and how this makes his work difficult to date when Beauford did not indicate a date on a particular work.
Director Lauren Lessing and Untitled (African Sculpture)
Screenshot from Instagram Live recording
Lessing then indicated that Untitled (Paris) might not have been painted in 1929, which is the date I was given when I researched my 2011 article. She presented three additional possibilities for the year Beauford produced the painting: 1952, 1962, and 1969.
In the midst of technical difficulties and the exuberance of the family dog, Lessing invited viewers to share their thoughts about the colors in the work and presented a thorough overview of the four phases of Beauford's life as an artist. She wove artists such as John Singer Sargent, Marsden Hartley, and Sam Gilliam into her narrative and showed several works by Beauford to illustrate the salient points she made.
She concluded that Beauford likely created Untitled (Paris) in 1962.
I contacted Director Lessing to ask several questions inspired by her presentation and she was kind enough to quickly answer them for me. Find them below.
Les Amis: Is Untitled (Paris) currently on display at the Stanley?
Lessing: No. Because it is a work on paper we allow it plenty of rest between exhibitions to protect it from damage caused by UV light. At the moment, very little of our collection is on view as we are preparing to move into a new building that is under construction and that will open in 2022.
Artist's rendering of new Stanley Museum of Art
Image courtesy of BNIM
Les Amis: Is there a routine established whereby the work is on display for a certain period of time each year?
Lessing: No, but once we are in our building the painting will be accessible. We will simply bring it out of storage and show it in our studio classroom upon request to whoever makes an appointment to see it. It may be on view in our galleries during our inaugural exhibition, September 2022-August 2023, but that is still coming together.
Les Amis: When was the date of this work called into question and why? When I received information about it almost 10 years ago, I was told that the date was 1929.
Lessing: The confusion comes from the date inscribed in the lower left corner. It’s just very faint and unclear. The third digit could be a 2, a 5, or a 6. The last digit could be a 2 or a 9. While Delaney studied with a painter who loved atmospheric effects in the 1920s, I think our painting is an abstract work rather than a hazy landscape, so I think it was painted in the 60s. If I had to guess, I’d say ‘62 but it could be ‘69. If we can find a detail of the date, we will send it your way. You’re familiar with his hand, and could probably solve this for us.
Les Amis: Are the dates you give during the presentation based on the appearance of the notation that Beauford made?
Lessing: Yes.
Signature and date for Untitled (Paris)
Les Amis: Can you share references that describe the relationship between James Lechay and Beauford?
Lessing: James Lechay gave us the painting and I don’t believe we know how he got it. But he was working as an artist in New York when Delaney was also there, and they shared several friends, so I like the idea that they knew one another. A little research could confirm this. I’m certain that Lechay admired Delaney’s work. There are similarities between the two artists’ styles, and I think Delaney was likely an influence on Lechay.
Les Amis: Is the museum looking to acquire additional Beauford Delaney works?
Lessing: Although our acquisition funds are limited, we would love to have additional works by Delaney in our collection.
Les Amis: If so, are you looking for a specific "type" of work (figurative versus abstract; portrait versus landscape; oil versus watercolor or gouache)?
Lessing: He was such a versatile and innovative painter, and his oeuvre is incredibly rich and varied. I do love his portraits, and having one would be a nice complement to our abstract painting, but one of the larger abstractions in oil would also be fabulous, as would a drawing.
Director Lauren Lessing and Portrait of Gaylord
Screenshot from Instagram Live recording
Les Amis: Who is the audience for "Dive In with the Stanley?"
Lessing: Whoever tunes in! It is pitched toward a general audience, and Instagram itself tends to draw younger people, but I’m always surprised by who turns up—artists, curators, art historians, and parents at home with their children. We never know.
Les Amis: What do viewers believe is the year that Untitled (Paris) was painted?
Lessing: Most people said 1962, but I may have predetermined that.
Les Amis: Are Beauford's life and work part of any curriculum taught at the University of Iowa?
Lessing: Yes. We use works in our collection to support teaching across the curriculum. Our beautiful Delaney painting has been seen by students in studio art and art history courses, and it also has much to teach students in American Studies and African American Studies courses.
Watch the Instagram Live episode here: UIStanleyMuseum
"The University of Iowa Museum of Art holds an untitled Beauford Delaney painting that dates from 1929. It is classified as a drawing, and is not currently on view. The orange and brown hues in this work remind me of autumn."
Untitled
(1929) Watercolor
The University of Iowa Museum of Art
Gift of the Estate of James Lechay, 2003.5
Gift of the Estate of James Lechay, 2003.5
A few days ago, I received a Google Alert about Beauford entitled "Dive In with the Stanley" that stated the following:
"This week Lauren and Uri consider Beauford Delaney's watercolor Untitled (Paris). They will go live on Instagram at 7:00 p.m. on June 23."
I contacted Elizabeth Wallace, Communications Director at the Stanley Museum at the University of Iowa to inquire about the presentation. I was told that Director Lauren Lessing was hosting the Instagram Live session and that it would be posted on the museum's Instagram account for viewing after the session was over. Director Lessing contacted me as well.
I viewed the recording two nights ago and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Director Lessing began by describing Beauford as "one of the most versatile and interesting artists of the 20th century." She talked about how he frequently alternated painting styles and how this makes his work difficult to date when Beauford did not indicate a date on a particular work.
Screenshot from Instagram Live recording
Lessing then indicated that Untitled (Paris) might not have been painted in 1929, which is the date I was given when I researched my 2011 article. She presented three additional possibilities for the year Beauford produced the painting: 1952, 1962, and 1969.
In the midst of technical difficulties and the exuberance of the family dog, Lessing invited viewers to share their thoughts about the colors in the work and presented a thorough overview of the four phases of Beauford's life as an artist. She wove artists such as John Singer Sargent, Marsden Hartley, and Sam Gilliam into her narrative and showed several works by Beauford to illustrate the salient points she made.
She concluded that Beauford likely created Untitled (Paris) in 1962.
I contacted Director Lessing to ask several questions inspired by her presentation and she was kind enough to quickly answer them for me. Find them below.
Les Amis: Is Untitled (Paris) currently on display at the Stanley?
Lessing: No. Because it is a work on paper we allow it plenty of rest between exhibitions to protect it from damage caused by UV light. At the moment, very little of our collection is on view as we are preparing to move into a new building that is under construction and that will open in 2022.
Image courtesy of BNIM
Les Amis: Is there a routine established whereby the work is on display for a certain period of time each year?
Lessing: No, but once we are in our building the painting will be accessible. We will simply bring it out of storage and show it in our studio classroom upon request to whoever makes an appointment to see it. It may be on view in our galleries during our inaugural exhibition, September 2022-August 2023, but that is still coming together.
Les Amis: When was the date of this work called into question and why? When I received information about it almost 10 years ago, I was told that the date was 1929.
Lessing: The confusion comes from the date inscribed in the lower left corner. It’s just very faint and unclear. The third digit could be a 2, a 5, or a 6. The last digit could be a 2 or a 9. While Delaney studied with a painter who loved atmospheric effects in the 1920s, I think our painting is an abstract work rather than a hazy landscape, so I think it was painted in the 60s. If I had to guess, I’d say ‘62 but it could be ‘69. If we can find a detail of the date, we will send it your way. You’re familiar with his hand, and could probably solve this for us.
Les Amis: Are the dates you give during the presentation based on the appearance of the notation that Beauford made?
Lessing: Yes.
Les Amis: Can you share references that describe the relationship between James Lechay and Beauford?
Lessing: James Lechay gave us the painting and I don’t believe we know how he got it. But he was working as an artist in New York when Delaney was also there, and they shared several friends, so I like the idea that they knew one another. A little research could confirm this. I’m certain that Lechay admired Delaney’s work. There are similarities between the two artists’ styles, and I think Delaney was likely an influence on Lechay.
Les Amis: Is the museum looking to acquire additional Beauford Delaney works?
Lessing: Although our acquisition funds are limited, we would love to have additional works by Delaney in our collection.
Les Amis: If so, are you looking for a specific "type" of work (figurative versus abstract; portrait versus landscape; oil versus watercolor or gouache)?
Lessing: He was such a versatile and innovative painter, and his oeuvre is incredibly rich and varied. I do love his portraits, and having one would be a nice complement to our abstract painting, but one of the larger abstractions in oil would also be fabulous, as would a drawing.
Screenshot from Instagram Live recording
Les Amis: Who is the audience for "Dive In with the Stanley?"
Lessing: Whoever tunes in! It is pitched toward a general audience, and Instagram itself tends to draw younger people, but I’m always surprised by who turns up—artists, curators, art historians, and parents at home with their children. We never know.
Les Amis: What do viewers believe is the year that Untitled (Paris) was painted?
Lessing: Most people said 1962, but I may have predetermined that.
Les Amis: Are Beauford's life and work part of any curriculum taught at the University of Iowa?
Lessing: Yes. We use works in our collection to support teaching across the curriculum. Our beautiful Delaney painting has been seen by students in studio art and art history courses, and it also has much to teach students in American Studies and African American Studies courses.
Watch the Instagram Live episode here: UIStanleyMuseum
Four Beauford Delaney Works on Paper to Be Auctioned
Four delightful works on paper created by Beauford will be auctioned during the Tajan Art Après-Guerre et Contemporain sale on July 1, 2020.
Three of the works are dated 1968 and two are annotated to indicate that Beauford created them during a visit to the south of France.
Untitled
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Portrait of Bernard Hassell
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled
Watercolor on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, biographer David Leeming indicates that the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a "disastrous effect" on Beauford's mental state and that Bernard Hassell found him wandering around Paris during the 1968 riots that took place in the French capital. He took Beauford on an extended trip to the south of France, where they stayed in Avignon, in the mountains, and at Bernard's home near Toulon.
Estimated sale prices for these works range from 1500€ to 6000€.
For more information about the auction, click HERE (Website in French).
Three of the works are dated 1968 and two are annotated to indicate that Beauford created them during a visit to the south of France.
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Watercolor on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1968) Gouache on paper
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, biographer David Leeming indicates that the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a "disastrous effect" on Beauford's mental state and that Bernard Hassell found him wandering around Paris during the 1968 riots that took place in the French capital. He took Beauford on an extended trip to the south of France, where they stayed in Avignon, in the mountains, and at Bernard's home near Toulon.Estimated sale prices for these works range from 1500€ to 6000€.
For more information about the auction, click HERE (Website in French).
Beauford in 79 Minutes
After a splendid opening in February and record visitation over a period of five weeks, the Knoxville Museum of Art's exquisite exhibition entitled Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door was unceremoniously shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
KMA has found a creative way to keep the show top of mind. It has created a series of four YouTube videos that present various aspects of the exhibition in roughly 79 minutes.
Screenshot of KMA YouTube Video Series
Part 3 Thumbnail
Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator Stephen Wicks guides viewers through the entire exhibition with insightful commentary and anecdotes pertaining to Beauford's life and his relationship with Baldwin.
Part 1 of the series opens with Wicks' acknowledgment of Beauford as Knoxville's most important artist and provides an overview of the exhibition. It then presents Parts I and II of the exhibition, entitled "Portraits" and "New York," respectively.
Wicks recounts the story of James Baldwin meeting Beauford for the first time at Beauford's Greene Street studio in Greenwich Village and presents three portraits of James Baldwin that Beauford created during that period, including Dark Rapture (1941). He talks about Beauford's Auto-portrait from 1965, which was loaned to the show by the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Auto-portrait
(1965) Oil on canvas
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Wicks also explores the potential relationship between James Baldwin's story about Beauford showing him an oily puddle on a New York street, the iridescent colors in Beauford's 1944 portrait of Baldwin, and the short film called "Abstract in Concrete" by John Arvonio, to whom Beauford dedicated the 1944 Baldwin portrait.
Portrait of James Baldwin
(1944) Pastel on paper
Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Part 2 presents Part III of the exhibition, entitled "Clamart," and Part IV, entitled "The Lure of Music." It opens with Wicks relating the story of Beauford's move to the Paris suburb of Clamart as he stands by Untitled (1959), one of the paintings shown in the 2016 Paris exhibition, Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color.
Untitled
(1959) Oil on canvas
Mint Museum, Charlotte
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
He also presents Beauford's 1968 abstract portrait of Ella Fitzgerald in this video.
Portrait of Ella Fitzgerald
(1968) Oil on canvas
Permanent collection of the SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah
Gift of Dr. Walter O. and Mrs. Linda J. Evans
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Part 3 opens with Wicks talking about books by James Baldwin that are on display at the exhibition. It presents Part V of the exhibition, entitled "The Call of Civil Rights," and Part VI, entitled "Transnationalism."
Among the many works presented in this video, Wicks talks about two of Beauford's Rosa Parks paintings, two iconic portraits of James Baldwin, and Beauford's portrait of Charlie Parker.
Two Women on a Bench
(1970) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Charlie Parker
(1968) Oil on canvas
Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester
Photograph by Joshua Nefsky; Courtesy of
Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Part 4 presents Part VII of the exhibition, entitled "St.-Paul-de-Vence," and Part VIII, entitled "Archival Items."
In this video, Wicks compares a very early work, dated 1922, with Yellow Cypress (1972), one of Beauford's last known paintings from Saint-Paul-de-Vence -- the town where James Baldwin established a homestead in 1970.
Yellow Cypress
(1972) Oil on canvas
Clark Atlanta University Museum, Atlanta
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
He also shares information about numerous archival sketches and photographs that provide the back story for many of the works in the exhibition.
At the end of this segment, viewers can see rare footage of Beauford being interviewed in his Clamart studio.
Through the Unusual Door was scheduled to close in May. Happily, KMA has been able to organize an extension of the exhibition through October 25, 2020.
If you liked this virtual tour, get yourself to Knoxville as soon as possible so you can see the entire show in person!
KMA has found a creative way to keep the show top of mind. It has created a series of four YouTube videos that present various aspects of the exhibition in roughly 79 minutes.
Part 3 Thumbnail
Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator Stephen Wicks guides viewers through the entire exhibition with insightful commentary and anecdotes pertaining to Beauford's life and his relationship with Baldwin.
Part 1 of the series opens with Wicks' acknowledgment of Beauford as Knoxville's most important artist and provides an overview of the exhibition. It then presents Parts I and II of the exhibition, entitled "Portraits" and "New York," respectively.
Wicks recounts the story of James Baldwin meeting Beauford for the first time at Beauford's Greene Street studio in Greenwich Village and presents three portraits of James Baldwin that Beauford created during that period, including Dark Rapture (1941). He talks about Beauford's Auto-portrait from 1965, which was loaned to the show by the Whitney Museum of American Art.
(1965) Oil on canvas
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Wicks also explores the potential relationship between James Baldwin's story about Beauford showing him an oily puddle on a New York street, the iridescent colors in Beauford's 1944 portrait of Baldwin, and the short film called "Abstract in Concrete" by John Arvonio, to whom Beauford dedicated the 1944 Baldwin portrait.
(1944) Pastel on paper
Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Part 2 presents Part III of the exhibition, entitled "Clamart," and Part IV, entitled "The Lure of Music." It opens with Wicks relating the story of Beauford's move to the Paris suburb of Clamart as he stands by Untitled (1959), one of the paintings shown in the 2016 Paris exhibition, Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color.
(1959) Oil on canvas
Mint Museum, Charlotte
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
He also presents Beauford's 1968 abstract portrait of Ella Fitzgerald in this video.
(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
Part 3 opens with Wicks talking about books by James Baldwin that are on display at the exhibition. It presents Part V of the exhibition, entitled "The Call of Civil Rights," and Part VI, entitled "Transnationalism."
Among the many works presented in this video, Wicks talks about two of Beauford's Rosa Parks paintings, two iconic portraits of James Baldwin, and Beauford's portrait of Charlie Parker.
(1970) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1968) Oil on canvas
Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester
Photograph by Joshua Nefsky; Courtesy of
Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Part 4 presents Part VII of the exhibition, entitled "St.-Paul-de-Vence," and Part VIII, entitled "Archival Items."
In this video, Wicks compares a very early work, dated 1922, with Yellow Cypress (1972), one of Beauford's last known paintings from Saint-Paul-de-Vence -- the town where James Baldwin established a homestead in 1970.
(1972) Oil on canvas
Clark Atlanta University Museum, Atlanta
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
He also shares information about numerous archival sketches and photographs that provide the back story for many of the works in the exhibition.
At the end of this segment, viewers can see rare footage of Beauford being interviewed in his Clamart studio.
Through the Unusual Door was scheduled to close in May. Happily, KMA has been able to organize an extension of the exhibition through October 25, 2020.
If you liked this virtual tour, get yourself to Knoxville as soon as possible so you can see the entire show in person!
Beauford and the Color "Orange"
Beauford lived through the Knoxville Riot of 1919, which left an indelible scar on his psyche.
Were he alive today, he would be deeply disturbed by the latest in a long line of publicly discussed assaults on African-American life and liberty - the murder of George Floyd and the false accusation against Christian Cooper by Amy Cooper - and the resulting protests and unlawful looting.
He would turn to painting to work through the emotions that current events would evoke in him.
I found the following interpretation of the meaning of the color "orange" in an article written by Jennifer Bourn and published on the Bourncreative Website:
"Orange is the color of joy and creativity. Orange promotes a sense of general wellness and emotional energy that should be shared, such as compassion, passion, and warmth. Orange will help a person recover from disappointments, a wounded heart, or a blow to one’s pride."
Another Website, Empowered by Color, offers the following description of the color "orange":
"Orange offers emotional strength in difficult times. It helps us to bounce back from disappointments and despair, assisting in recovery from grief."
Today I'm sharing images of several of Beauford's works in which various shades of the color "orange" are featured or dominant. I hope they lift your spirits at this incredibly challenging time.
Abstract in Orange and Red, 1963
Gouache on wove paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney, by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator
Portrait of Geneviève Brouard
(1964) Oil on canvas
Signed on back: Beauford Delaney 1964
Image © Discover Paris!
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled
(1962) Oil on canvas
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!
Portrait of Irene Rose
(1944) Oil on board
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of ACA Galleries, New York
Untitled [MR153], c.1954
oil on canvas
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
Were he alive today, he would be deeply disturbed by the latest in a long line of publicly discussed assaults on African-American life and liberty - the murder of George Floyd and the false accusation against Christian Cooper by Amy Cooper - and the resulting protests and unlawful looting.
He would turn to painting to work through the emotions that current events would evoke in him.
I found the following interpretation of the meaning of the color "orange" in an article written by Jennifer Bourn and published on the Bourncreative Website:
"Orange is the color of joy and creativity. Orange promotes a sense of general wellness and emotional energy that should be shared, such as compassion, passion, and warmth. Orange will help a person recover from disappointments, a wounded heart, or a blow to one’s pride."
Another Website, Empowered by Color, offers the following description of the color "orange":
"Orange offers emotional strength in difficult times. It helps us to bounce back from disappointments and despair, assisting in recovery from grief."
Today I'm sharing images of several of Beauford's works in which various shades of the color "orange" are featured or dominant. I hope they lift your spirits at this incredibly challenging time.
Gouache on wove paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney, by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator
(1964) Oil on canvas
Signed on back: Beauford Delaney 1964
Image © Discover Paris!
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1962) Oil on canvas
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!
(1944) Oil on board
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of ACA Galleries, New York
oil on canvas
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
The Greene Street Paintings
In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, biographer David Leeming states that
"In May [1950] one of Beauford's Greene Street paintings was seen by Henry McBride in Art News as one of the few 'bright spots' in a show at the Whitney Museum."
I presumed that the painting shown was the oil on canvas called Greene Street that Beauford created in 1950.
,+1950-IMAGE+ONLY.jpg)
Untitled (Greene Street)
(1950) Oil on canvas
signed and dated lower left: B. Delaney. 1950
© Estate of Beauford Delaney, by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery
But there are at least three additional paintings called Greene Street that predate the exhibition and might have been shown there.
Greene Street
(1940) Oil on canvas
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo by André Morain from the Artsmia Web site
Greene Street
(1940) Oil on canvas
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Greene Street
(1946) Oil on canvas
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
During a Google search for more information about this show, I learned that the exhibition McBride saw was the 1950 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors and Drawings, which ran from April 1 - May 28, 1950.
1950 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors and Drawings
Exhibition catalog cover
Fair use claim
An online archive of the catalog shows Beauford's name and address, along with his assigned catalog number (88) in the index.
It also shows his name listed in the section entitled "Watercolors, Gouaches, and Pastels."
Beauford's listing in 1950 exhibition catalog
Fair use claim
Because all the works shown above are oils, we can be assured that none of them were displayed at the Whitney exhibition.
Unfortunately, the online archive of the catalog contains only six images of works, none of which represent Beauford's Greene Street.
We may never know how many paintings and works on paper of this street exist!
, biographer David Leeming states that "In May [1950] one of Beauford's Greene Street paintings was seen by Henry McBride in Art News as one of the few 'bright spots' in a show at the Whitney Museum."
I presumed that the painting shown was the oil on canvas called Greene Street that Beauford created in 1950.
,+1950-IMAGE+ONLY.jpg)
(1950) Oil on canvas
signed and dated lower left: B. Delaney. 1950
© Estate of Beauford Delaney, by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery
But there are at least three additional paintings called Greene Street that predate the exhibition and might have been shown there.
(1940) Oil on canvas
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo by André Morain from the Artsmia Web site
(1940) Oil on canvas
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1946) Oil on canvas
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
During a Google search for more information about this show, I learned that the exhibition McBride saw was the 1950 Annual Exhibition of Contemporary American Sculpture, Watercolors and Drawings, which ran from April 1 - May 28, 1950.
Exhibition catalog cover
Fair use claim
An online archive of the catalog shows Beauford's name and address, along with his assigned catalog number (88) in the index.
It also shows his name listed in the section entitled "Watercolors, Gouaches, and Pastels."
Fair use claim
Because all the works shown above are oils, we can be assured that none of them were displayed at the Whitney exhibition.
Unfortunately, the online archive of the catalog contains only six images of works, none of which represent Beauford's Greene Street.
We may never know how many paintings and works on paper of this street exist!
Larry Calcagno and Dante Pavone - A Curious Resemblance
In preparation for this post, which was originally conceived to present the results of Black Art Auction's offer of Beauford's portrait of Larry Calcagno during its inaugural sale on May 16, I stumbled across a serendipitous side-by-side presentation of the portraits of Calcagno and Dante Pavone on the Entrée to Black Paris Facebook page (shown below):
Portrait of a Young Man (Larry Calcagno)
(1953) Oil on canvas
31.75 x 25.5 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Dante Pavone as Christ
(1948) Pastel on paper
23.25 x 19.75 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Knoxville Museum of Art,
2016 purchase with funds provided by the KMA Collectors Circle with additional gifts from Barbara Apking, June and Rob Heller, Donna Kerr, Alexandra Rosen and Donald Cooney, Ted Smith and David Butler, Mimi and Milton Turner, John Cotham, Jan and Pete Crawford, Cathy and Mark Hill, Florence and Russell Johnston, John Z. C. Thomas, Donna and Terry Wertz, Jayne and Myron Ely, Sarah Stowers, Robin and Joe Ben Turner, and Jacqueline Wilson
I was struck by the similarity of the proportions of the eyes (left eye slightly larger than the right) and the hand gesture in these works, and was inspired to ask two colleagues to comment on this curious resemblance.
Rachel Cohen, Professor of Practice in the Arts at the University of Chicago and author of A Chance Meeting, commented as follows:
"I saw this pastel, Dante Pavone as Christ, in Knoxville this past February, and was struck by the intensity the artist evidently felt in making it – the colors are almost lurid, and the hand is almost medieval in the way it holds the Christ-like gesture. Standing with the work, and thinking about what I know of Beauford Delaney’s relationship with Dante Pavone, I had an intimation of how religious feeling and erotic feeling were near to each other for the artist.
"It is then extremely interesting to see the shadow of that same gesture in the oil Portrait of a Young Man (Larry Calcagno). The hand in the oil has opened and become more like an ordinary gesture, or one that might be characteristic of Calcagno, but also – in the way the fingers overlap, and the way the small finger bends – seems distinctly to remember the earlier hand. I haven’t seen this painting, but in the photo, the hand looks tender to me, and like the kind of gesture one might make in sculpting, or in touching someone else’s face with tenderness. The significance, and tenderness, of Delaney’s relationship with Calcagno has been well written about in this blog and in David Leeming’s biography, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
. To my mind, the presence of the gesture here, reinforces my hesitant thought about the way erotic and religious feelings were overlaid for Delaney. 
"The eyes in the two portraits also bear a similarity. It is not unusual for painters to paint two very different eyes – this creates expressiveness and avoids common problems of amateur painting (if eyes are too similar in a painting they may seem rote and lifeless or demonic, and if their positions are too closely aligned, they seem to follow the viewer around the room). But it is interesting here that the two pairs of eyes are different in a similar way, the two eyes to the viewer’s left are almost identical in shape, and the two eyes on the right have a larger circle of iris. I find it hard to say what the effect of this is by studying reproductions, but I notice that if I cover the eyes in turn, the overall quality of expressiveness goes away and the expression changes in the remaining eye.
"The last thing I would say is that I feel heartened by the sequence. The pastel of Dante Pavone in 1948 makes me worry a little for Delaney, that the object of his passionate feeling holds him at bay with something that might approach indifference. But the 1953 painting seems very open – the light of the earth and the light of the heavens more mingled, less harsh – and I feel glad that he felt this beneficence in his Paris years."
Stephen Wicks, Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator at the Knoxville Museum of Art, had the following to say:
"... these are two of the rare instances in which the artist includes this sort of gesture. While Dante’s blessing gesture makes sense given that Delaney has depicted him “as Christ,” I have always been interested in the artist’s choice to use the subject’s left hand rather than the traditional right hand in earlier portraits of Christ. I also find it interesting as a possible farewell gesture given that by the time the Calcagno painting was created in 1953 Beauford perhaps had learned of his friend’s decision to leave Paris for America the following year. Since Leeming casts Calcagno as a social/personal “replacement” for Pavone, whom Delaney left behind when he set off for Paris in 1953, perhaps it seems not so surprising that he used this blessing/farewell gesture (also with the left hand) in his depiction of Calcagno."
By the way, Black Art Auction estimated that Portrait of a Young Man (Larry Calcagno) would sell for $25,000 - $35,000. It sold for $40,000.
Beauford on Pinterest
Beauford's work is well represented on Pinterest!
(1964-65) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo from Bill Hodges Gallery Web site
While those wanting to honor him may have inadvertently included images of non-authenticated works, the majority of the images I've seen on these pages present works that have been authenticated by the Beauford Delaney estate or other expert authorities on his oeuvre.
Some boards present photos of Beauford in addition to images of his works. Some include an occasional image of a work attributed to another artist.
The following links will take you to a few of the many sites that celebrate Beauford:
Clarence Mayo - 60 images
Art Lover - 106 images
Helen Cargile - 150 images
Nathan A - 94 images
FGE Food & Nutrition Team Consulting - 228 images
Enjoy!
Beauford's Portrait of Larry Calcagno for Sale
Black Art Auction is the only auction house in the world that is solely dedicated to the sale of African-American fine art. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, it will hold its inaugural sale on May 16.
Among the 153 works available for acquisition is Beauford's 1953 portrait of Larry Calcagno.
(1953) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This painting was shown in the Beauford Delaney: From New York to Paris traveling exhibition mounted by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 2004.
Beauford and Calcagno became friends in Paris in 1953, the year that Beauford painted this portrait. The two men developed a deep and residing friendship that is poignantly expressed in letters they exchanged for almost twenty years.
In one of these letters, Beauford's comments about changing times might just have easily been written today, given the upheaval in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic:
"These days are so full of change - mondial and personal.... [O]ne tries to keep in contact with the veriations [sic] and constant looking back[,] looking into the future[,] and utilizing every possible in the unique marvel of the present."
Portrait of a Young Man (Larry Calcagno) has been assigned Lot Number 29. Its estimated value is $25,000-35,000.
To learn more about the work, click HERE.
Rachel's Musings: Three Articles about Beauford
Rachel Cohen is the author of A Chance Meeting, a book in which she examines Beauford's relationship with James Baldwin and also describes Beauford's encounter with W. E. B. Du Bois. She was one of the invited speakers at the recent University of Tennessee Knoxville symposium on Beauford and James Baldwin entitled "In A Speculative Light."
When she was a professor at Sarah Lawrence College, Cohen granted Les Amis de Beauford Delaney an exclusive interview:
Rachel Cohen's Tribute to Beauford
Cohen has recently published three articles in which she examines one or more aspects of Beauford's work.
In "'Here is a man who could do whatever interested him in paint’ – on the paintings of Beauford Delaney," she discusses Through the Unusual Door, the Knoxville Museum of art exhibition that opened this February.
Exhibition room for Through the Unusual Door
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
In "Beauford Delaney Close Looking," she marvels over the 1965 green and yellow abstract held by the Art Institute of Chicago.
Untitled
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
And in "Delaney and Morisot Ochre: This Week in Self-Portraits," she comments on the use of ochre pigment in Beauford's work and the work of Berthe Morisot.
Self-Portrait
(1962) oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
Each article is rich with photos and observations. Enjoy them!
When she was a professor at Sarah Lawrence College, Cohen granted Les Amis de Beauford Delaney an exclusive interview:
Rachel Cohen's Tribute to Beauford
Cohen has recently published three articles in which she examines one or more aspects of Beauford's work.
In "'Here is a man who could do whatever interested him in paint’ – on the paintings of Beauford Delaney," she discusses Through the Unusual Door, the Knoxville Museum of art exhibition that opened this February.
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
In "Beauford Delaney Close Looking," she marvels over the 1965 green and yellow abstract held by the Art Institute of Chicago.
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
And in "Delaney and Morisot Ochre: This Week in Self-Portraits," she comments on the use of ochre pigment in Beauford's work and the work of Berthe Morisot.
(1962) oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York , NY
Each article is rich with photos and observations. Enjoy them!