About Beauford Delaney About Beauford Delaney

Beauford's Black Mentor

If you know Beauford's life story, chances are great that you've heard about Lloyd Branson, the white Confederate apologist who put aside his prejudices to give a teenaged Beauford art lessons and encourage him to undertake formal study in Boston.

You may not have heard of another man - a black man - who also significantly influenced young Beauford's life.

His name was Charles Cansler.

Charles W. Cansler in 1930
Fair use claim

BlackPast.org reports that Charles Warner Cansler (1871-1953) was a railway mail clerk, lawyer, educator, and noted mathematician, who spent most of his life working to better the lives of African Americans in Eastern Tennessee by way of education. He began teaching at Austin High School, the city's only high school for black students, in 1900, and became principal there in 1911.

Austin High School moved to a new location and was re-baptised Knoxville Colored High School in 1916. Cansler was principal there as well.

Beauford entered high school at the age of fourteen and was a pupil during Cansler's tenure as principal. Biographer David Leeming indicates that Cansler would invite Beauford to his home at that young age.

Cansler was accustomed to welcoming black celebrities such as classical singer Roland Hayes and writer/civil rights activist James Weldon Johnson into his home, and he would provide Beauford with letters of introduction to prominent members of Boston society when Beauford moved there in 1923. 

Beauford went on to meet Hayes and Johnson in Boston. These and other acquaintances made because of Cansler's introductions (and those provided by members of Beauford's church) influenced Beauford's sociopolitical awareness and fed his love of and appreciation for classical music.

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Beauford Showing in Two Southern "Villes"

Two southern cities are hosting exhibitions of Beauford's work this year.

In the aftermath of its solo exhibition entitled Beauford Delaney: Transcending Race and Time, the University of Tennessee (UT) Downtown Gallery is showing Beauford's work alongside that of his brother Joseph in the exhibition entitled The Delaney Brothers: Lives in Art.  It will be the first time the two artists’ works are shown together in their hometown.

All of Beauford's works are on loan from his estate, while works by Joseph are from the permanent collection of the Ewing Gallery of Art + Architecture. The show opened with a reception on Friday, February 5, as a part of Knoxville’s First Friday Art Walk.

Joseph Delaney (left) and Beauford Delaney (right)
Image from "Visit Knoxville" Website

On February 15 at 7:30 PM, UTK professor Dr. Mary Campbell, professor emeritus Dr. Fred Moffatt, and professor of painting Jered Sprecher will come together for a panel discussion on the lives and art of the Delaney brothers. Register for the event HERE.

In anticipation of this scholarly exchange, Campbell said, “As the first exhibition to focus exclusively on the work of Beauford and Joseph Delaney, this show provides an invaluable opportunity to examine the connections and dissimilarities between the brothers’ art.” 

The Delaney Brothers: Lives in Art will run through Saturday, February 27.

UT Downtown Gallery
106 S. Gay Street
Knoxville, TN 37902
Telephone: (865) 673-0802
Hours: Wednesday through Friday - 11 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 10 AM – 3 PM

This spring, the Asheville Art Museum (AAM) will welcome Beauford Delaney’s Metamorphosis into Freedom.  

This exhibition originated at the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) and will be on display in Asheville, North Carolina from April 2 through June 21, 2021.  It further explores the relationship between Beauford and James Baldwin that KMA's 2020 exhibition, Through the Unusual Door, exquisitely probed.

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

The following description of the show comes from the February 2, 2021 article published by ArtFixDaily:

"Metamorphosis into Freedom includes more than 40 works by the painter that depict Baldwin, were inspired by or dedicated to Baldwin, illustrate key turning points in Delaney’s development as described in Baldwin’s writings, or document key places and events where their ongoing dialogue unfolded. The exhibition focuses special attention to a chapter in Delaney’s studio practice in which he intensified experiments with abstraction after moving to the Paris suburb of Clamart in late 1955." 

AAM has scheduled two events in conjunction with the exhibition: a discussion of the Through the Unusual Door catalog with UTK professor Dr. Mary Campbell, and a discussion with Stephen Wicks, KMA’s Barbara W. & Bernard E. Bernstein Curator and organizing curator of Metamorphosis into Freedom.  Both will be held in April 2021.  For more information, click HERE.

Asheville Art Museum
2 South Pack Square
Asheville, NC 28801
Telephone: (828) 253-3227
Hours: Open daily 11 AM –6 PM; late-night Thursdays until 9 PM; closed Tuesdays.
Overall capacity is limited, and timed admission tickets are required to ensure safe attendance.
Online ticketing is strongly encouraged; limited walk-in tickets may be available.

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Beauford in the Johnson Collection

Housed at the TJC Gallery in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the Johnson Collection consists of "1,200 objects with provenances that span the centuries and chronicle the cultural evolution of the American South." The gallery is currently hosting an exhibition called Excellence & Emancipation: African American Artists and the Harmon Foundation, in which two exquisite Beauford Delaney abstracts are hung.

I asked the gallery for an interview about the exhibition and Communications Specialist Anna Chandler graciously responded. Here's what she had to say:

Les Amis: How did TJC come to the decision to mount the Excellence & Emancipation exhibition?

TJC: The Johnson Collection exists to tell the story of Southern art, and we are always interested in following––and sharing––the unique threads that connect the artists in our collection. 

The Harmon Foundation, which recognized excellence in eight fields of endeavor and became best known for its celebration of African American visual artists, profoundly impacted the careers of many artists represented in the Johnson Collection; its history offers a unique framework for curating an exhibition. Excellence & Emancipation allows us to showcase an array of artistic styles and techniques while also providing a rich historical context for our visiting public.

Les Amis: Are all the works shown in this exhibition part of the Johnson Collection?

TJC: Yes, all exhibitions at TJC Gallery, the Johnson Collection’s exhibition space in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, are curated entirely from the collection’s holdings.

Les Amis: Is the exhibition accessible virtually or only through in-person visits?

TJC: Guests can visit the exhibition in-person, and all of the works in Excellence & Emancipation, as well as biographies of each artist on view, are available at thejohnsoncollection.org

TJC’s social media accounts (@thejohnsoncollection on Instagram, facebook.com/thejohnsoncollection on Facebook, and @johnsoncollect1 on Twitter) offer a closer look at the exhibition while it is on view.

Les Amis: Three Beauford Delaney works are part of the collection. How / why did you select Abstraction No. 9 and Untitled to be part of this exhibition?

TJC: Abstraction No. 9 and Untitled are strong examples of Delaney’s fully abstracted works, which are among his most celebrated. Additionally, Abstraction No. 9 demonstrates Delaney’s use of his signature color, yellow, which he called “the color of his sacred light.”

Abstraction No. 9
(circa 1963) Oil on canvas
51 1/4 x 38 1/8 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of the Johnson Collection, Spartanburg, South Carolina

Les Amis: Is Untitled signed? Dated?

TJC: It is signed in the upper right in pencil; it is not dated.

Untitled
Oil on canvas
51 x 38 inches
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of the Johnson Collection, Spartanburg, South Carolina

Les Amis: Do you have / can you share the text of the biographies published about Beauford in the 1933 and 1935 Harmon Foundation catalogs?

A PDF of the 1933 catalog is available online. Delaney’s biography in that text is as follows:

Beauford DeLaney, New York - Born 1905 in Tennessee; educated in public schools, and studied art at Massachusetts Normal Art, South Boston School of Art, and Copley Society. Works as telephone operator at Whitney Museum. Exhibited at Whitney Galleries in 1930; 135th Street Branch of N. Y. Public Library, 1930; 42nd Street Branch of N. Y. Public Library. 1932; Cooperative Art Market and Roxy Theatre, 1933. Work shown in Harmon Exhibit of 1933.*

Les Amis: Where/how did you acquire your Beauford Delaney works (private acquisitions, auction…)?

TJC: All three of our Beauford Delaney works were acquired directly from the artist’s estate.

Les Amis: Have you ever loaned any of Beauford’s works for exhibition?

TJC: TJC’s Beauford Delaney pieces have not been a part of any recent exhibitions.

TJC Gallery
154 West Main Street
Spartanburg, South Carolina 29306
Telephone: (864) 594-5834
Website: https://thejohnsoncollection.org/

*Though several images of works shown in the 1933 exhibition are provided in the catalog, Beauford's sole submission - a pastel called Minstrel - is not among them.

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Exuberance is Beauty

One of Beauford's favorite writers was William Blake.

I find the following quote by Blake to be a perfect description for many of Beauford's abstract expressionist works:

"Exuberance is beauty."

Below are images of a few paintings and works on paper that I find to be exuberant and beautiful!

Composition 16
(1954-1956) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator


Composition, 1962
(1962) Mixed media on paper
Signed, dated, and dedicated at bottom right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Composition, 1964
(1964) Gouache
Signed and dated at bottom right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Untitled
(1957) Oil on canvas
© Discover Paris!
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator


Untitled
(1964) Oil on canvas
Collection of Elliot & Kimberly Perry
Image by Ashley Phifer
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

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The Delaney Brothers: Lives in Art

During Black History Month, the University of Tennessee Downtown Gallery will show works by Beauford and his brother, Joseph, in an exhibition entitled The Delaney Brothers: Lives In Art.  It is being mounted just over twenty years after what was to have been a joint October-November 1970 exhibition opened at the McClung Gallery on UTK's campus. 

 Promotional image from UT Downtown Gallery Website

Due to Beauford's increasing mental instability, he was unable to fulfill his commitment to send paintings to Knoxville, and the show became a solo exhibition for Joseph. 

Beauford's biographer, David Leeming, and Joseph's biographer, Frederick Moffatt, devote 2-3 pages to this event in their respective publications. 

Leeming describes the prospect of creating and shipping the artwork and making the voyage to Knoxville to attend the exhibition as overwhelming for Beauford. He quotes from a letter sent to Joseph in which Beauford praises Joseph's work and explains why he was unable to contribute to the show: 

"My health is good considering all things but I must be careful and many things I would like to do must wait until my condition is more composed." 

Moffatt also quotes passages from the letter, focusing more on the congratulatory nature of the missive: 

"Your time has arrived as it should be, you have not only lifted the Delaneys but also you [have given] to Paris something for your brother Beauford." 

From Leeming, we learn that Joseph sent Beauford photos of the exhibition. 

From Moffatt, we learn that the show was Joseph's first major retrospective and that it consisted of thirty-three paintings and eight drawings.  

Delaney Brothers: Lives in Art will open on Friday, February 5 with a reception hosted by the university from 5 PM to 8 PM. It will be open for viewing on Wednesdays through Fridays from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM, and on Saturdays from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM through February 27, 2021. 

There is no cost to attend - entry is free. 

UT Downtown Gallery
106 S. Gay Street
Knoxville TN 37902
Contact: Mike Berry
Email:
Telephone: 865-673-0802

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Beauford's Portrait of a Nude Woman

According to biographer David Leeming, Beauford "revealed himself publicly as a modernist" via a monographic exhibition at the Vendome art gallery in midtown Manhattan in January-February 1941. He presented "new cityscapes" and "trademark" portraits, including a pastel of his mother, Delia. 

 But one portrait in the show was distinctly not "trademark." It was a nude painting of a young white dancer named Jessie. 

Leeming goes on to say that Beauford rarely painted nudes and that when he took classes at the Art Students' League, he was "relieved to discover the unwritten rule that black painters not attend life classes when the female models were white." He identifies Jessie as the girlfriend of James Baldwin's friend, Emile Capouya, and he says Jessie insisted that Beauford paint her. 

Though I have never seen an image of this painting, I believe it is represented in the photograph below.

Beauford in his Greene Street studio, New York City, 1944
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator 

Two paintings are seen, side by side, "behind" the ceiling light in this photo. 

The one on the right is Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated), dated 1940. It was offered for auction by Swann Auction Galleries in October 2018, but was not sold. The auction catalog speculated that the young woman seated next to Beauford could be Jessie.


Untitled (The Artist and Woman Seated)
1940)
Oil on linen canvas
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

The painting on the left appears to be a reclining nude. It may well be the portrait of Jessie.
Beauford in his Greene Street studio, New York City, 1944 - detail
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
 
Beauford's portrait of James Baldwin, Dark Rapture, is seen on the wall above Beauford's head in the photo. 
 
 

Beauford in his Greene Street studio, New York City, 1944 - detail (Dark Rapture)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
 
It was also shown at the Vendome exhibition.
 
Dark Rapture
(1941) Oil on masonite
Collection of halley k harrisburg and Michael Rosenfeld
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

The whereabouts of the nude portrait of Jessie are unknown to me.
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Happy New Year from Les Amis de Beauford Delaney!

I find the untitled painting shown below to be a wonderful metaphor for 2021. 

 

Untitled
(1959) Oil on canvas
Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC, USA
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator


To me, it represents a juxtaposition of turbulence and hope ... 

Turbulence through the powerful energy of the swirls that move through the center of the painting, stirring up the atmosphere around it ... 

 and hope because of the colors Beauford chose to represent this energy and atmosphere. 

Instead of using somber hues, he chose white for the energy surge and sky blue for its backdrop. 

Splotches of yellow, peach, rose, and green admixed with the energy channel and surrounding it give me a light feeling and remind me of spring - the season of rebirth and infinite possibility. 

May 2021 be a year filled with powerful, positive energy for you and yours!

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50 Years Ago - Beauford's Abstracts

Last week, I brought you a post about the difficulties Beauford had during the year 1970 and showed images of several portraits he produced that year.

50 Years Ago - Beauford's Portraits


Despite his troubles, Beauford had several successes in 1970. Among them was his participation in a group exhibition called Afro-American Artists Abroad, which was shown at the National Center of Afro-American Artists in Dorchester, Massachusetts and the University of Texas Art Museum in Austin, TX. 

The images of several 1970 abstract works that I'm presenting today call to mind a statement written about Beauford's œuvre for the exhibition catalog by art professor James Lewis: 

"Radiates the joy of an artist with one concern, the challenging joy of painting."

Untitled
(1970) Gouache
© Artistes sans Frontières/Douglas Petrovic, 2004
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Untitled
(1970) Gouache
© Artistes sans Frontières/Douglas Petrovic, 2004
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Untitled
(1970) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of Robert Tricoire

Untitled
(1970) Mixed media on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Untitled
(1970) Mixed media on cardboard
Private collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,

Untitled
(circa 1970) Oil on canvas
Collection Walker Art Center
Gift of the Kunin Family, 2014
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Untitled, 1970
Oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm.
© Christie's Images, 2013
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

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50 Years Ago - Beauford's Portraits

1970 was a difficult year for Beauford. 

Elsa Honig Fine of the University of Tennessee invited him and his brother Joseph to do a joint exhibition of works at the McClung Museum Gallery there, but the prospect was too much for his fragile physical and mental health. 

Though he agreed to participate in the show during his Christmas holiday visit to Knoxville in 1969, he avoided communicating about the event for months - ignoring requests for shipping and travel dates as well as information about the works he would display. 

It was only during the summer of 1970 that he finally admitted he would not contribute to the exhibition, which became a solo show for Joseph Delaney. 

And yet, Beauford produced numerous paintings and works on paper in 1970 - including a striking self-portrait. Here are images of several of them. 

 

Portrait of a Young Musician
  (1970) Acrylic on canvas 
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
 by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
 Court Appointed Administrator
 Studio Museum in Harlem; Gift of Ms. Ogust Delaney Stewart, Knoxville, TN 2004.2.27
 Photo: Marc Bernier


Portrait of Vasilli Pikoula
(1970) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Portrait de la Voisine
(1970) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator


Self-portrait
(1970) Gouache on paper
Collection of David Leeming
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
 by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
 Court Appointed Administrator
 
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Blog Posting Categories

Entries are listed in chronological order.

Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
(fundraising, events, press)
Tributes to Beauford
Beauford's Works (for sale / display / commentary)
Beauford's Paris Beauford's Politics Beauford's Archives Other
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Sold!

Both Beauford Delaney paintings that were offered at Phillips' December 8, 2020 morning sale of 20th-century modern and contemporary art sold at handsome prices. 

The estimated sale price for the 1964 self-portrait shown below (Lot 193) was $30,000 - $40,000. 

Self-portrait
(1964) oil on canvas
Signed, inscribed and dated "BEAUFORD DELANEY, PARIS 1964" on the reverse
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
 
It sold for $315,000.  
 
Street Scene (Lot 107) was estimated to sell for $120,000 - $180,000.
Street Scene
(1968) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated "BEAUFORD DELANEY 1968" lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator 
 
The actual sale price was $478,800.
 
Prices indicated include at 26% buyer's premium.
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Beauford Delaney: Transcending Race and Time

The University of Tennessee (UT) Downtown Gallery is hosting an exhibition of a selection of paintings and drawings on loan from the Estate of Beauford Delaney.  The First Friday opening was held on December 4, 2020.

Beauford Delaney: Transcending Race and Time is an exhibition of twenty-one works that includes four oil on canvas paintings, abstract watercolors, pastel portraits, and three self-portraits. Some of the pieces in this show have never been exhibited publicly.

 Self-portrait, 1953
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

The self-portrait selected to advertise the exhibition is dated 1953, the year that Beauford moved to Paris. It is similar to two self-portraits, a crayon on newsprint dated 1962 and a charcoal and pastel on newsprint dated 1963, from the Knoxville Museum of Art collection that was shown at the museum's Gathering Light exhibition in 2017.

Here are several views of the exhibition, provided by Beauford's estate.





Transcending Race and Time - Views of the exhibition
Images courtesy of the Estate of Beauford Delaney
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

The estate's last public showing of Beauford's work was held during the "In a Speculative Light" symposium organized by Dr. Amy Elias, Director of the UT Humanities Center in February 2020.  That exhibition was held in the Student Union Art Gallery on UT's campus.

The Downtown Gallery is a contemporary art gallery exhibiting professional work through funding and support from The University of Tennessee.

  • Exhibition dates: December 5, 2020 to January 30, 2021
  • Hours: Wednesday - Friday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Price: Free
  • Contact Name:  Mike Berry
  • Contact Email:
  • Location: UT Downtown Gallery
    106 S. Gay Street
    Knoxville, TN 37902
    (865) 673-0802

The UT Downtown Gallery will be closed December 24, 25, 26, 31, and January 1.

 

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Look. Look Again: - A Remarkable Online Exhibition

A few days ago, Andrew Schoelkopf of Menconi + Schoelkopf, a fine art gallery in NYC, contacted me to inform me about a magnificent online exhibition of Beauford's work that is being presented by the gallery through December 6, 2020. 

 Look. Look Again: Beauford Delaney's Intimate Discoveries showcases a small, incredibly vibrant collection of works on paper dating from 1958-1969. 

Two of the images in the exhibition immediately brought to mind a work that I featured in a 2019 post called "Capturing the Shock of Life."

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

The document that accompanies Look. Look Again: describes Beauford's "construction" of abstract works created during his Clamart period (1956-1962) and refers to them as being suggestive of the cosmos.  

It also quotes curator Sue Canterbury's reference to Beauford's interest in sunspots in her catalog for the Beauford Delaney: From New York to Paris exhibition that she mounted at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 2004.  Canterbury notes that Beauford exhibited a work called Cosmos at the Roko Gallery in NYC in 1952.

The oil on paper shown above and the two similar works in the Look. Look Again: exhibition definitely evoke the cosmos for me. 

Find the Menconi + Schoelkopf online exhibition here: Look. Look Again: Beauford Delaney's Intimate Discoveries

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Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!

Les Amis is off for the U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday.

I hope you and your loved ones are able to be together in spirit, if not in body, and that you're enjoying the weekend!

Untitled
(1961) Watercolor on paper
Signed twice, dated 61 twice and variously inscribed
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator 

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To Be Sold

At its December 8, 2020 morning sale of 20th-century modern and contemporary art, Phillips is offering two of Beauford's works as part of its sale of the Royall Collection of Black Contemporary Artists. 

The 1964 self-portrait shown below is one of at least three done by Beauford that year.

Self-portrait
(1964) oil on canvas
Signed, inscribed and dated "BEAUFORD DELANEY, PARIS 1964" on the reverse
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

It was once part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and is now in a private collection.
 
The estimated sale price is $30,000 - $40,000.  
 
Street Scene is a vivid example of Beauford's use of the color "yellow."
Street Scene
(1968) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated "BEAUFORD DELANEY 1968" lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator 
 
The estimated sale price for this work is $120,000 - $180,000.
 
Phillips will sell the Royall Collection works on December 7, 2020.

Sothebys in NYC listed a lyrical Beauford Delaney watercolor on paper for sale during its Contemporary Art Day Auction Online on November 18, 2020.

Untitled
Lot 275
(1961) Watercolor on paper
Signed twice, dated 61 twice and variously inscribed
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator 

Because of the inscription "San Telmo Mallorca" at the lower left, we can surmise that Beauford painted this while visiting Spain with his friends the O'Reillys and the Boggses after his suicide attempts in Greece earlier in the summer. 

The lot was withdrawn from sale.

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A View on Self-portraiture

The Michael Rosenfeld Gallery has just published an online exhibition entitled Facing Self: The Artist Revealed. The curator has included what is perhaps Beauford's most enigmatic self-portrait in this exhibition.

 
Beauford Delaney (1901-1979)
Self Portrait, 1962
oil on canvas
25 1/2" x 21 1/4" x 3/4", signed 
© Estate of Beauford Delaney; Private Collection
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC,  New York , NY

The introduction to the exhibition consists of an extensive quote by artist Pat Steir, which, to me, perfectly describes Beauford's journey through self-portraiture. Here are a couple of excerpts of that quote:
Say you draw a picture of your own face. It takes an enormous amount of abstract thinking to get your hand to do what you want it to do. And the result is a visual abstraction made from the tangible reality of your face. So there is a great deal of abstraction involved in that self-image.
All art is figurative, in a certain way. . . But every figure of the self is a disguise. Everything humans make is an attempt to make a mirror. The face in a painting is a mask. It covers a reality that is ultimately ungraspable. . .
With these thoughts in mind, I'm re-posting images of a few of Beauford's self-portraits—including one that will soon be available for purchase at auction. (I'll post more on this next week.)

Self-portrait
(1944) Oil on canvas
Art Institute of Chicago
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Self-portrait
(1972) Gouache on paper
Collection of David Leeming
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Beauford Delaney: Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color
Catalog cover

Self-portrait
(1964) Oil on canvas
Royall Collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
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Beauford at Phillips Auction House

Two Beauford Delaney works from the Royall Collection will be offered at auction during Phillips' December 7, 2020 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale.

The late William Royall and his wife, accumulated numerous works by African American artists, including Amy Sherald and Mickalene Thomas. Thirty-three (33) pieces from their collection will be auctioned next month.

I plan to publish images and details about the Beauford Delaney works for sale in a future blog post.

Today, I'm (re)sharing images of works by Beauford that Phillips has sold in the past. Just two years ago, they offered three of Beauford's abstracts - two oils and one gouache on paper - for purchase at two auctions.

In the 26 September 2018 sale, the gouache on paper sold for $15,000 (highest estimated price - $12,000).

Untitled
Signed, inscribed and dated "Beauford Delaney Mallorca 1961" lower right
(1961) gouache on paper
25 1/2 x 19 1/2 in. (64.8 x 49.5 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

The yellow oil painting sold for $150,000 (highest estimated price - $30,000).

Untitled
Signed, inscribed and dated "Beauford Delaney Paris 1965 midday" on the reverse
(1965) Oil on canvas
25 1/2 x 21 in. (64.8 x 53.3 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

In the 14 November 2018 sale, a second yellow oil painting sold for $118,750 (highest estimated price - $30,000).

Untitled
(1967) Oil on canvas
21 3/4 x 18 in. (55.2 x 45.7 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Stay tuned for further news about the 7 December 2020 sale.

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About Beauford Delaney About Beauford Delaney

Beauford on the Web

Today I'm sharing links to three Internet articles / posts about Beauford that I think you'll enjoy. Click on the links at the end of the brief descriptions below to access the articles.

Oh Freedom! Beauford Delaney

"Oh Freedom!" is "an interdisciplinary resource that helps K–12 teachers and students discover the history, influence, and legacy of the Civil Rights movement by exploring more than three dozen artworks from the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture." The Smithsonian has included Beauford's Can Fire in the Park in the group of works it is using to teach African-American Civil Rights through American Art.

Oh Freedom! Beauford Delaney

Can Fire in the Park
(1946) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Beauford Delaney

HiSoUR is a nonprofit Web platform for art enthusiasts, whose vision is "Bringing art to life by making people think, feel and be inspired. creating unforgettable art experiences for all, while inspiring positive change locally." It presents clear and succinct review of Beauford's life, using his Can Fire in the Park to illustrate the essay (which is without punctuation).

Beauford Delaney

Covid-19 delays long-planned documentary on Black Abstract Expressionist painter Beauford Delaney

Freelance writer Karen Chernick recently published an article about Beauford's gravesite in Atlas Obscura. Inspired by the conversations we had as part of her research, she decided to write this piece about the full-length documentary, So Splendid a Journey, for which the COVID-19 pandemic is contributing to delayed production.

Covid-19 delays long-planned documentary on Black Abstract Expressionist painter Beauford Delaney

If you'd like to give to support So Splendid a Journey, click on the link beneath the image below.

Beauford Delaney: So Splendid a Journey

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About Beauford Delaney About Beauford Delaney

Hidden Paris: Beauford Delaney

Hidden Paris is a podcast for all lovers and residents of Paris, hosted by British/American expat (reared in Ireland, Italy and the US!) Mariamne Everett. Mariamne learned about the work I do at Entrée to Black Paris and asked me to do a four-part interview on various topics pertaining to African diaspora history, culture, and contemporary life in Paris. 

Of course, I couldn't do such an interview series without devoting one of them to Beauford! Click on the link beneath the Hidden Paris logo to listen:

Black Paris: Beauford Delaney
(48:27 minutes)

Mariamne posted images of several of my favorite Beauford Delaney works on Hidden Paris' Instagram account


See them below.

Auto-portrait
(1965) Oil on canvas
Whitney Museum, New York
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Composition 16
(1954-1956) Oil on canvas
Museum of Modern Art, New York
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Self-portrait
(1944) Oil on canvas
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
By permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Untitled
(1959) Oil on canvas
Mint Museum, Charlotte
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

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Tributes to Beauford About Beauford Delaney Tributes to Beauford About Beauford Delaney

Sylvia Peters Talks about Beauford

Sylvia Peters is a force of nature. 

I first met her in 2016, when she and 10 other persons from Knoxville, Tennessee descended on Paris to attend the opening of Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color, the solo exhibition of 40+ paintings and works on paper from Beauford's Paris years that was mounted by the Wells International Foundation.

Sylvia Peters "Blipps" a painting at
Resonance of Form and Vibration of Color

Since that time, she has gone on to launch Gathering Light: The Delaney Project in Knoxville. She describes the project as "a grassroots effort in Knoxville, TN that was started to bring Beauford's international endeavors and art back home to Knoxville, TN - his birthplace." Alongside an impressive list of local organizations, she is working tirelessly to preserve and promote Beauford's legacy in Knoxville. 

Peters contributed a post entitled "A Toast to the Arts" to the Les Amis blog, which describes a partnership between The Knoxville (TN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) to celebrate the acquisition and unveiling of works by Beauford.

Jan and Sylvia Peters
Image courtesy of Sylvia Peters

Les Amis has published additional articles about projects she has spearheaded in Knoxville, such as the "Bringing Beauford Delaney Home" project at West View Elementary School and the installation of an historical marker in honor of Beauford and his brother, Joseph.  We published several posts in January and February 2020 to chronicle the line-up of events that celebrated Beauford during Black History Month.  We support her ultimate goal to establish a Center of Excellence that honors Beauford in Knoxville and Paris.

Peter is quoted extensively in an article called "Oil on the Water: Light Reflections on Baldwin and Delaney," which was written by D. Amari Jackson and published on the Black Art in America Website.

About midway through Jackson's article, Peters is quoted as saying: “Beauford’s paintings look like they were made last week, not 60 and 70 years ago. They’re just brilliant, they’re that vibrant." When you stand in front of Beauford's work, you see exactly what she means. 

(If you have the good fortune of being in Knoxville and if you haven't already seen Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door at the Knoxville Museum of Art, make haste! The show closes on October 25, 2020.)

 Signage at Knoxville Museum of Art
© Les Amis de Beauford Delaney


 

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