Rachel Cohen on Beauford
I'm away from the office for the next few weeks and not able to fully concentrate on the stories I'm developing for the blog.
Because I don't want to "press pause" on the publishing schedule, for this week's post I'm taking the liberty of sharing content that Rachel Cohen wrote about Beauford.
She has penned some of the most thoughtful commentary on Beauford's work that I've ever read!
I'm sure you'll enjoy this June 2020 piece, which is entitled
"Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin, Notes of Native Sons."
(1948) Oil on canvas
Signed and dated in oil, lower left.
Image from Swann Auction Galleries Web site
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Ibiza Watercolors
A work on paper from Beauford's Clamart years will be auctioned on January 27, 2024.
It is a watercolor and gouache that bears the name of the island of Ibiza above his signature.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The announcement of the sale reminded me that Beauford created several watercolors when he traveled to Ibiza with his dear friend, Larry Calcagno, in 1956.
While on the island, Beauford wrote to Henry Miller of the beauty and power of
the Mediterranean and its surrounding, of the watercolors he was doing,
and how he was "trying to say with my life the unsayable."
Here are images of other works he created during that trip.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(ca. 1956) Gouache on wove paper
Signed lower left and lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image supplied by Levis Fine Art
In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, biographer David Leeming indicated that Beauford and Calcagno were joined by James Baldwin, Leslie Schenk, and Baldwin's friend Arnold, and said that Baldwin wrote to a friend how important Beauford's relationship with Calcagno was.
Beauford and his friends spent the month of August together, visiting Majorca as well as Ibiza. Leeming noted that the trip was the "real bright spot of the summer...".
Happy Birthday, Beauford! - A Revisiting
Thirteen years ago today, I published a blog post called Happy Birthday, Beauford!
In it, I announced that I was putting the blog on hiatus and indicated that I would resume regular publication if Les Amis took up one or more specific projects, namely:
• An annual Beauford Delaney commemoration, to be held in Paris
• Placement of a plaque in Beauford’s honor on a building in Paris
• An exposition of Beauford’s paintings in Paris
• A scholarship to support an art student in Beauford’s name.
While I'm proud to say that we've accomplished two of the four projects (the exhibition and TWO plaques), I started the blog again long before Les Amis had concrete plans to pursue anything on the list!
That's because Beauford had gotten "into my blood" or whatever metaphor you use for not being able to let something go.
I published the next post in January 2011 and relaunched weekly posts in March 2011.
And for the most part, I have faithfully published once a week since that time.
This has truly been a journey and a labor of love.
And it will continue.
So once again, I'm please to post the following from this platform:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEAUFORD!
Image © Discover Paris!
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Where to Find Beauford's Art - Tennessee State Museum
When I read Matthew Gailani's article entitled "A Man of His Word - the Life and Art of Beauford Delaney," I was reminded that Tennessee State Museum (TSM) in Nashville holds three works by Beauford and that it loaned its brilliant self-portrait of Beauford to the Knoxville Museum of Art for the Through the Unusual Door exhibition in 2020.
Works by Beauford and Joseph Delaney
© Tennessee State Museum
I contacted Gailani to ask what inspired his article and to inquire about the works that the museum holds. Find the interview below.
Les Amis: What prompted you to write "A Man of His Word: The Art and Life of Beauford Delaney"?
MG: What initially prompted writing the article/blog was encouragement from and conversations with colleagues here at the Museum. We are always looking at ways to highlight more parts of our collection, and digital blogs/content has really helped us do that.
Our museum covers Tennessee history from the geological formation of the state to the present. As a result, articles, and blogs like this allow us to dive deeper into stories like that of Beauford Delaney, as well as other artists, events, and topics.
With all the great work being done in Knoxville by institutions like the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, the Knoxville Museum of Art, the artist’s estate, and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (just to name a few) to preserve and share Beauford Delaney’s art and story, we wanted to write something that acknowledged their work, offered readers a brief overview of Delaney’s life, and highlighted a few of the works in our own collection.
Furthermore, after spending some time down the street at the John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library at Fisk University, we wanted to add a bit about some primary research we had done there, particularly regarding Beauford Delaney’s experience with the Julius Rosenwald Fund and that of his brother Joseph Delaney.
Les Amis: What inspired the title of the article?
MG: The title itself I chose because of the letter of recommendation Henry Miller wrote for Beauford for his Rosenwald Fund application. In it, Miller wrote:
I can think of no one more capable or more deserving of this award than the above-named applicant who I know personally, whose work I admire and believe in, and whom I have written about precisely in order to call attention to his merits and his needs. He is indeed qualified to undertake the execution of a mural on the subject indicated. He is moreover, scrupulous[ly)?] and loyal, a man of his word. The encouragement offered in this manner will probably mark a turning point in his career. I cannot say too much in his favor.
Les Amis: Which of the works, if any, is currently on display at the museum?
MG: As of December 18, 2023, the Untitled: Self Portrait by Beauford Delaney (2001.46) is on display in the Tennessee State Museum’s “Time Tunnel” gallery, which is located at the heart of the Museum's permanent galleries.
(1964) Oil on canvas
Tennessee State Museum Collection 2001.46
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
When visitors enter the doors into the permanent galleries, they can follow the “Time Tunnel” all the way down to the start of the “Change and Challenge” gallery. This is where Delaney’s portrait is currently located.
Time Tunnel - Change and Challenge Gallery
© Tennessee State Museum
in the Change and Challenge Gallery
© Tennessee State Museum
With that being said, the Museum is always looking into updating its galleries. As a result, in the future, it is possible the work could be rotated to a different gallery, or even loaned.
Les Amis: Talk about the significance of the Time Tunnel and why Beauford's self-portrait was selected to be represented there.
MG: The “Tennessee Time Tunnel” serves as the backbone of the Museum, combining content rich artifacts, exhibits and stories from our permanent collection with engaging media and thought-provoking interactives for a multilayered experience. Visitors can access the permanent exhibition galleries through different entrances through the Time Tunnel, where they will have the opportunity to experience a more in-depth look at that era of the state’s history.
The inclusion of the Beauford Delaney self portrait in the “Time Tunnel” allows for the artist to be prominently featured in the center of the Museum, while having his work included and displayed with that of other Tennessee artists.
Les Amis: Tennessee State Museum showed Beauford's self-portrait in its exhibition entitled A Creative Legacy: African American Arts in Tennessee in 2014. You loaned the self-portrait to the Knoxville Museum of Art for Through the Unusual Door in 2020. Where else have you shown or loaned Beauford's works in the past?
MG: The following is the exhibition history of the three works owned by TSM:
2001.46
A Century of Progress: Twentieth Century Painting in Tennessee, Cheekwood Museum of Art, Traveling Exhibit Cheekwood Museum of Art, West Tennessee Regional Art Center, The Knoxville Museum of Art, The Carroll Reece Museum, The Morris Museum of Art: (July 13, 2002 - November 17, 2003)
Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee, Knoxville Museum of Art (2008)
A Creative Legacy: African American Arts in Tennessee, Tennessee State Museum, (February 11, 2014 - August 31, 2014)
Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin: Through the Unusual Door, Knoxville Museum of Art (February 7, 2020- May 10, 2020)
2010.230.1 and 2010.230.2
Untitled: Abstract by Beauford Delaney
Paris 1961, gouache and watercolor
Tennessee State Museum Collection 2010.230.1
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled: Abstract by Beauford Delaney
Paris 1963, gouache and watercolor
Tennessee State Museum Collection 2010.230.2
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
From Realism to Abstraction: Tennessee Painting 1920 to 1970, Tennessee State Museum (2015-2016)
Black & White: Knoxville in the Jim Crow Era, East Tennessee Historical Society (2020-2021)
Les Amis: What loans of Beauford's work has the museum committed to make in the future?
MG: While nothing official has been announced for the near future, the Museum is always looking at ways to interpret and display parts of its collection, including working with our partner institutions across the state and country to loan pieces.
Les Amis: What relationship does the museum have with Fisk University and the Fisk University Galleries, if any?
MG: I was privileged to work on an exhibit last year titled Building a Bright Future: Black Communities and Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee. This exhibit was in partnership with Fisk University’s John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library, and we worked closely and traveled with staff at Fisk to develop a temporary exhibition and symposium focusing on Rosenwald Schools in the state.
While the exhibit focused on education and school construction in the early 20th century, it also introduced me to the Julius Rosenwald Fund Archives, which are housed at Fisk University. This not only includes information on the Rosenwald School construction program, but the Julius Rosenwald Fund fellowship program, which provided funding to Black artists. Both Beauford and Joseph Delaney were grant applicants in the 1940s.
If it had not been for working with our colleagues at Fisk University and the John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin Library on the previous Rosenwald School exhibit, I must admit I would not have known about the extensiveness of the Julius Rosenwald Fund Archives and the valuable information that is preserved about artists such as Beauford Delaney.
Les Amis: Does the museum intend to acquire additional Beauford Delaney works?
MG: While we have nothing to announce at the moment, the Tennessee State Museum is always actively engaged in looking at potential acquisitions that will advance the Museum’s mission statement to procure preserve, exhibit, and interpret objects which relate to the social, political, economic, and cultural history of Tennessee and Tennesseans, and to provide access to education and cultural programs and exhibitions for the people of the state.
Beauford and Negro Music
In an article about Beauford published by Tennessee State Museum, author Matthew Gailani quotes from Beauford's 1948 application for a Rosenwald Fund grant as follows:
I would like to make a mural and other smaller paintings using Music as my subject. It has not yet been started as I feel I will need a year to make the necessary research into the history of Folk, Indian, Mountain (1600-1947), and Negro Music.... I feel that I especially adapted to this subject as I have always been close to American Negro, Folk, and Jazz music.
Though Beauford had experience working on murals (he contributed to the WPA Harlem Hospital mural in 1935-36) and had already produced works with a jazz theme, his application was unsuccessful.
Today, I'm sharing images of some of the "Negro music"-themed works Beauford created over the course of his life.
(1939) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1940) Pastel on Paper © Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1946) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1952) oil on canvas
36 1/8" x 30 1/8" / 91.8 x 76.5 cm
signed and dated
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY
(1958) Oil on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Gift of the James F. Dicke Family
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(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
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photo courtesy of France's Fonds national d'art contemporain
(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
To see additional images with a jazz theme, see the article entitled "All That Jazz."
Black Art Auction Sells Delaney Abstract
On December 2, 2023, Black Art Auction placed one of Beauford's yellow abstract paintings up for sale during its Winter Signature Auction.
(1957-1960) Oil on canvas
31 x 25 inches
signed
Private Collection
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This painting made its way to Portugal from France prior to being sold online by an auction house in St. Louis, Missouri. Beauford created it during his Clamart years.
The estimated sale price was $100,000-$200,000. It sold for $160,000, including a 28% buyer's premium.
Beauford and American Express
"On nearly every weekday Beauford would walk to the American Express Office on the rue Scribe next to the Opéra to pick up his mail."
In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, biographer David Leeming paints a vivid picture of how essential this location was to Beauford's existence in Paris.
Beauford was heavily reliant on international mail to receive not only updates from friends and family in the U.S., but also money. Leeming reports that Beauford's dear friend Larry Calcagno always sent money with his letters, and he cites other friends and acquaintances that sent funds as well. Among them was Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, who sent Beauford $50 (worth between $550 and $575 today) because he admired Beauford's work.
American Express opened its first foreign office at 6, rue Halévy in Paris in 1895. The company moved to the iconic address at Number 11 in 1905.
A New York Times article described 11, rue Scribe as "one of the most famous addresses in the world." It reported that in 1970, more than 5,000 tourists used American Express facilities daily and that the company processed 8,000 to 10,000 letters each day.
The office was closed in 2009.
© Discover Paris!
November Sales - La Gazette Drouot
On November 17, La Gazette Drouot auctioned six untitled Beauford Delaney oils and gouaches on paper from the collection of Beauford' friend and supporter, art critic Jean Grenier.
Lot 57
(1962) Gouache on paper
Signed and dated "March 1962" lower right.
74.5 x 53 cm.; 29.3 x 20.9 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 62
(1963) Oil on canvas
Signed, located "Paris," and dated on the back
41 x 33 cm.; 16.1 x 12.9 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 63
(1963) Oil on canvas
Signed, located "Paris," and dated on the back
41 x 33 cm.; 16.1 x 12.9 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 64
(1964) Gouache on paper
Signed, located "Paris," and dated on the lower right.
66 x 50 cm.; 25.9 x 19.7 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 65
(1964) Oil on canvas
Signed, located "Paris," and dated on the back
41 x 33 cm.; 16.1 x 12.9 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Lot 67
(1965) Oil on canvas
Signed, located "Paris," dated, and dedicated
"Pour mon ami mr Jean Grenier..." on the back
41 x 27 cm.; 16.1 x 10.6 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
According to biographer David A. Leeming, Beauford's friend, M. Bioud, introduced Beauford to Jean Grenier in 1962. In Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, Leeming states that Grenier wrote a "glowing article" about Beauford that was published in the June (1962) issue of Preuves.
All auctioned works are dated 1962 to 1965, the beginning of Beauford's life in the studio at rue Vercingétorix. These years were quite productive, and Beauford's work was displayed in multiple group shows in France, the U.S., and Denmark. His one-man show at the Galerie Lambert was held in 1964.
Sale prices for the works were as follows:
Lot 57: Estimated: 5,000€ - 7,000€; Sale - did not sell
Lot 62: Estimated: 10,000€ - 15,000€; Sale - 9,000€ (hammer price - no fees included)
Lot 63: Estimated:40,000€ - 60,000€; Sale - 36,000€ (hammer price - no fees included)
Lot 64: Estimated:6,000€ - 8,000€; Sale - did not sell
Lot 65: Estimated:40,000€ - 60,000€; Sale - 36,000€ (hammer price - no fees included)
Lot 67: Estimated:30,000€ - 50,000€; Sale - did not sell
A seventh work on paper was attributed to Beauford.
Lot 66
(not dated) Gouache on paper pasted in border on cardboard
66 x 47 cm.; 25.9 x 18.5 in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Its estimated sale price was 1,000€ - 1,500€.
It did not sell.
November Sales
On November 10, Christie's auctioned Garden Abstraction during its Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale.
Lot 126
(1963) Gouache on paper
signed, inscribed and dated 'Beauford Delaney July 28, 1963 Paris' (lower left);
signed again 'Beauford Delaney' (on the reverse)
30 x 22 ¼ in. (76.2 x 56.6 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
The estimated sale price for the work was $40,000 - $60,000.
It sold for $69,300, including a 26% buyer's premium.
On November 15, Phillips auctioned Wine during its 20th Century and Contemporary Art Day sale.
Lot 171
(1962) Gouache on paper
Signed, inscribed and dated "Beauford Delaney Paris 1962" lower right;
Stamped by the Estate of Beauford Delaney on the reverse
29 3/8 x 21 1/4 in. (74.6 x 54 cm)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Its estimated sale price was $40,000 - $60,000.
It sold for $40,640, including a 27% buyer's premium.
On November 16, Sotheby's auctioned Untitled during its Contemporary Day Auction.
Lot 202
(1955) Oil on canvas
signed and dated 1955 (lower left); inscribed (on the reverse)
64 by 29 in. (162.6 by 73.7 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Its estimated sale price was $120,000 - $180,000.
It sold for $177,840, including a 26% buyer's premium.
Stay tuned for a future post where I will present the results of The Gazette Drouot sale that took place on November 17.
Tin Roof Blues
One hundred years ago this autumn, Beauford moved from Knoxville to Boston.
Thanks to money and letters of introduction received from White painter Lloyd Branson as well as letters of introduction from prominent Black men in his Knoxville community, he was able to settle into a life that combined professional art instruction, a window into sociopolitical and cultural "high society," and a growing recognition of how he was emotionally and sexually "different."
According to biographer David Leeming, Beauford spent a great deal of time alone listening to records on a windup Victrola in his boardinghouse room during this period. "Tin Roof Blues" by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings was his favorite song. Leeming describes how the lyrics of the song, which praise a tin roof café in New Orleans, "fed a lingering homesickness for the South, but somehow also lifted his [Beauford's] spirits."
He said that Beauford loved singing this tune.
Tin Roof Blues sheet music cover
Image in public domain
Interestingly, I have been only been able to find instrumental recordings of this 1923 song.
Tin Roof Blues - label for original recording
Image in public domain
I found a Website that presents lyrics for the song by Walter Melrose (whose company published the sheet music), but the audio file embedded in the Website does not include singing: Tin Roof Blues
To get an idea of how the song sounds when lyrics accompany the music, click HERE.
Click on the embedded video below to listen to the original instrumental recording by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings.
Upcoming Sales
Several Beauford Delaney abstract works are being offered for sale during November 2023.
On November 9, Christie's is auctioning Garden Abstraction during its Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale.
(1963) Gouache on paper
signed, inscribed and dated 'Beauford Delaney July 28, 1963 Paris' (lower left);
signed again 'Beauford Delaney' (on the reverse)
30 x 22 ¼ in. (76.2 x 56.6 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Garden Abstraction - signature and date at lower leftThe assigned lot number for this work is 126. Its estimated sale price is $40,000 - $60,000.
On November 15, Phillips is auctioning Wine during its 20th Century and Contemporary Art Day sale.
stamped by the Estate of Beauford Delaney on the reverse
29 3/8 x 21 1/4 in. (74.6 x 54 cm)
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
On November 16, Sotheby's is auctioning Untitled during its Contemporary Day Auction.
(1955) Oil on canvas
signed and dated 1955 (lower left); inscribed (on the reverse)
64 by 29 in. (162.6 by 73.7 cm.)
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled - signature and date at lower leftThe assigned lot number for this work is 202. Its estimated sale price is $120,000 - $180,000.
On November 17, La Gazette Drouot is auctioning six untitled Beauford Delaney oils and gouaches on paper from the collection of Beauford' friend and supporter, art critic Jean Grenier.
The lot numbers assigned are 57 (gouache on paper), 62 (oil on canvas), 63 (oil on canvas), 64 (gouache on paper), 65 (oil on canvas), and 67 (oil on canvas). Estimated sale prices range from 10,000€ - 60,000€ for the oils and 5,000€ to 8,000€ for the works on paper.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (Lot 57)
(1962) Gouache on paper.
Signed and dated "March 1962" lower right.
74.5 x 53 cm.
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled (Lot 64)
(1964) Gouache on paper
Signed, located "Paris" and dated lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
A seventh work on paper, Lot 66 (gouache on paper pasted in border on cardboard), is attributed to Beauford. It is valued at 1,000€ - 1,500€.
For more information, visit the auction house Websites:
Note: The still life that Swann Auction Galleries put up for auction during its October 19 African American Art Sale went unsold.
A Catapult for Beauford's Legacy
Celebrations organized by the Delaney Legacy Committee in Knoxville, TN took place at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center and the Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA) on October 19, 2023.
The Knoxville News Sentinel published an extensive article and a robust photo gallery of the events online:
Not just paintings on a wall: Knoxville honors Beauford Delaney’s family and art legacy
Beauford Delaney's work honored at Beck Cultural Center, World's Fair Park
In the section entitled "Preserving the Delaney Legacy in Knoxville," the Knoxville News Sentinel mentions that
- KMA has acquired new Beauford and Joseph Delaney pieces.
- A large gallery space will be devoted to the Delaney brothers within the museum's permanent Higher Ground exhibit beginning Nov. 3, 2023.
- Delaney pieces have been loaned to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Grey Art Gallery at New York University.
KMA Executive Director David Butler granted Les Amis an exclusive interview that expands upon this information and provides clarification about the origins and activities of the Delaney Legacy Committee.
Les Amis: You said you anticipated about 250 people would come. How many people actually attended?
DB: We had just over 250. It was packed.
Les Amis: Is the gallery space devoted to Higher Ground the same space where Through the Unusual Door was hung?
DB: Actually, it’s the same space, reconfigured and renovated. The room in Through the Unusual Door so memorably hung with Clamart abstracts was a direct inspiration for the expansion of Higher Ground. I have sent some pictures of the installation in process just today!
Photos courtesy of KMA
Les Amis: Thanks to recent acquisitions, KMA now holds the largest public collection of Beauford’s work in the world. Is the museum actively planning to acquire additional works – specifically oils – or will you “rest on your laurels” for the time being?
DB: We very much hope to continue to add to our Beauford Delaney holdings as resources allow.
Les Amis: Please share information about loans requests for recent and upcoming national and international shows that KMA has fielded in the past 12-24 months, including those for the Art Institute of Chicago and the Grey Art Gallery at NYU.
DB: The KMA board has just approved the loan of Beauford’s Self-Portrait in a Paris Bath House, 1971 (oil on canvas, 21 5/8 x 18 1/8 inches, 2018 Beauford Delaney Acquisition), to the Art Institute of Chicago for the exhibition Project a Black Planet, which opens in Chicago in late 2024 and will then travel to the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona and KANAL-Centre Pompidou in Brussels.
The board has also approved the loan of Beauford’s Blue-Light Abstraction, circa 1962 (oil on canvas, 25 3/4 x 21 1/2 inches, 2018 Beauford Delaney Acquisition) to the Grey Art Gallery, New York University for the exhibition Americans in Paris, which opens in New York in early 2024 and will then travel to NYU Abu Dabhi.
Les Amis: Are any Delaney descendants on KMA’s board or acquisition committees?
DB: Derek Spratley, court-appointed attorney for the Beauford Delaney Estate, serves on the KMA board.
Les Amis: The Knoxville News Sentinel describes the Delaney Legacy Committee as being composed of KMA, UT Libraries, Beck, and the Delaney estate. Please talk about the connection between the Delaney Legacy Committee and The Delaney Project: Gathering Light (if any).
DB: The Delaney Legacy Committee grew directly out of the “Gathering Light” initiative that was spearheaded by Sylvia Peters. We actually got a lot done and had some great momentum going when COVID shut everything down. The Delaney Legacy Committee is the successor to that effort, involves many of the same people, and has more administrative support through the UT Libraries.
Les Amis: Is there any active collaboration specifically between UT Libraries and KMA at present?
DB: The KMA worked closely with the UT Libraries and helped with fundraising for the purchase of the Beauford Delaney papers. It was important that that precious resource stay in Knoxville; UT Libraries has the staff and resources to facilitate public and scholarly access to the papers. Steve Smith, UT Libraries dean, serves on the KMA board, as do Renee Kesler (Beck) and Derek Spratley (Beauford Delaney Estate). Having these key people in leadership positions at the KMA has been tremendously helpful.
Les Amis: Doesn’t the committee also include the UT School of Art Galleries and the UT Humanities Center?
DB: Yes. The School of Art Galleries has significant holdings of works by Joseph Delaney (he was a visiting instructor at UT in his last years); the UT Humanities Center organized an international symposium on Beauford Delaney and James Baldwin during Through the Unusual Door in 2020. I believe the proceedings will be published next summer, I am told. (I should note that the Joseph Delaney Estate is also represented on the Delaney Legacy Committee.)
Les Amis: Is the East Tennessee Historical Society no longer part of the Delaney project?
DB: The East Tennessee Historical Society was instrumental in getting the State of Tennessee to install a historical marker at the site of Beauford and Joseph’s childhood home in downtown Knoxville. All the constituent organizations of the Delaney Legacy Committee have significant holdings of works by or offer programming specifically about Beauford and Joseph, so ETHS isn’t formally a member but is certainly a valued resource and strong ally.
Fall Flowers at Saint-Anne's Hospital
Paris is experiencing beautiful Indian summer days this October, and my husband Tom and I took advantage of the weather to visit Sainte-Anne's Hospital last Sunday.
The day was exceptionally calm and peaceful. When we strolled up to the main gate of the hospital, we saw that it was bedecked in pink umbrellas and balloons. We discovered that the hospital is participating in the October Rose campaign for breast cancer awareness.
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
Multiple types of dahlias, bull's eyes, hot lips, and canna lilies were among the other types of flora we found that day.
© Entrée to Black Paris
Bull's Eyes
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
We're sure that Beauford would have been thrilled by the palette of colors that Mother Nature prepared for Sainte-Anne residents and visitors alike!
Rare Beauford Delaney Still Life to Be Auctioned on October 19, 2023
Swann Auction Galleries will hold an African American Art sale on October 19, 2023.
Beauford's Untitled (Still Life) (Lot 10) will be available for purchase during this auction.
(1932) Color pastels on green wove paper
584x419 mm; 23x16 1/2 inches
Signed and dated in pastel, lower right
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Swann notes that Beauford rarely painted still lifes and that most of his works of this type date from the 1940s.
This makes Untitled (Still Life), which Beauford created in 1932, even more unique and valuable.
The current owner of this pastel on paper acquired it directly from Beauford's brother, Joseph. Beauford moved to 22 Downing Street in Greenwich Village, just a few doors away from Joseph, in 1932, so it is possible that he created this work and gave it to Joseph that same year.
The estimated sale price of Untitled (Still Life) is $15,000 - $25,000.
For information about the auction, click HERE.
Beauford's "Man with Medallion" Featured in L.A. Exhibition
Beauford's Portrait of a Young Man (aka Man with Medallion) is being featured in an extraordinary exhibition entitled Pictures Girls Make: Portraiture.
(aka%20Man%20with%20Medallion),%20c.1965_oil%20on%20canvas_signed.jpg)
(c. 1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Blum & Poe - an art gallery with exhibition spaces in Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo - is presenting Pictures Girls Make in Los Angeles. Curated by Alison M. Gingeras, this show bringing together over fifty artists from around the world, spanning the early nineteenth century until today. Moving beyond binary thinking, it strives to emphasize the diversity of subjects, complexities of biography, and array of individual characters that artists have been able to capture through various modes of portrait making.
Pictures Girls Make focuses largely on portraits created by women as it emphasizes the fact that portraiture was and is made by painters of every possible race, ethnicity, caste, and sexuality, as well as by gender-fluid, non-binary artists. It addresses the trend catalyzed by the Black Lives Matter movement for the art market, alongside museums, to embrace Black artists over the past few years, and examines this trend's focus on "new" artists of color while "egregiously" ignoring the complex histories of artists of color.
The exhibition pays homage to this history by featuring Portrait of a Woman (date unknown) by Joshua Johnson (1763-1824), the earliest known African American professional artist, and Portrait of a Creole Gentleman (circa nineteenth century) by an unknown artist of the Louisiana School as a gesture that gives context to a range of twentieth and twenty-first-century artists of color who have taken up the portraitist mantle. It also features works by multiple 20th- and 21st-century African-American and African artists, including Beauford's Man with Medallion.
To view an extraordinary photo of Untitled (Portrait of a Man) (aka Man with Medallion) as shown in the exhibition, click HERE. (This photo is on Facebook, so you may need to sign in to view it.)
Pictures Girls Make: Portraiture will be on display through October 21, 2023.
Fraternal Light: Poems for Beauford Delaney
On September 27, 2023, Professor Arlene Keizer spoke about her new book, Fraternal Light: On Painting While Black, at the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture.
Fraternal Light book cover
Cover art by Nell Painter
After writing the two-part blog post* that presents Keizer and Fraternal Light to Les Amis readers, I wanted to hear what she would say to the audience in this space, which is located at the former address of the Whitney Studio Galleries where Beauford's work was shown in 1930.
I learned that Keizer was inspired to select Beauford as a subject when she saw his Portrait of a Young Musician.
She noted that Beauford did not provide the young man with an instrument and said she believes this is because he wanted to portray the musician as a fellow creator, as an equal.
She said she was continually "stopped in her tracks" as she encountered Beauford's work. This statement reminded me of my reaction to Composition 16, the Abstract Expressionnist painting that "stopped my heart" when I saw an image of it online.
(1954-1956) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
After sharing the background for the research that went into her book, Keizer read several of the poems in it. Five were from the section called In Country, which references Beauford's life in the U.S., and the other eight were from the section called Elsewhere. These latter poems were inspired by Beauford's life in Paris.
For me, Keizer's two most memorable statements (paraphrased) during the event were the following:
"Beauford Delaney led a 'compartmentalized, but not closeted life'."
"Abstraction and figurative painting were not binary" for Beauford.
Fraternal Light: On Painting While Black was released in August 2023 and is now available for purchase.
Image courtesy of Dr. Keizer
Quotes about Beauford
In perusing the catalog for Be Your Wonderful Self: The Portraits of Beauford Delaney, the exhibition that the Michael Rosenfeld Gallery and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art presented in 2021 and 2022, respectively, readers will be captivated by several quotes about Beauford that were written by his personal friends and contemporary admirers.
Catalog cover
Among the former, readers might expect to read the words of James Baldwin, Henry Miller, and Richard Long.
But they may be surprised to find simple, yet poignant quotes by James Jones:
"Beauford, you are the complete artist, not just in the medium of paint but in the medium of life, which is more important."
and Georgia O'Keeffe:
"...He was a very special person—impossible to define. I often think of him as a special event and always with the feeling that it is good to know that he exists..."
Quotes by contemporary admirers also pay tribute to Beauford's life and artistic practice.
Glenn Ligon wrote that for Beauford, yellow is "not just a color to paint but a philosophy to live by."
Julie Mehretu stated that "Delaney's immense, incessantly exuberant persistence on liberation and possibility in marks, light, color, and form through and out of abstraction and blackness is his triumph, no matter what."
And Amy Sherald shared that when she first encountered Beauford's work, "there was immediately something indelible about it that kept me looking."
Alongside the Wells International Foundation, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney continues the work of finding examples of Beauford's influence on contemporary scholars and creators. Visit the links below for more articles that present such influence.
Fraternal Light: On Painting While Black - Part 1
Fraternal Light: On Painting While Black - Part 2
Rachel's Musings: Three Articles About Beauford
Beauford Delaney - A Musical Interlude
Beauford Potpourri 2
By receiving Google Alerts about Beauford and messages from persons interested in his life and work, I am able to collect tidbits of information and references to him that add to the growing data base about him. For the second time, I am publishing links to some of these references.
Beauford at Harvard University's Fogg Art Museum
(1964) Watercolor on white wove paper mounted to canvas mounted to a stretcher
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
This summer, a single Beauford Delaney watercolor was displayed at the Fogg Museum at Harvard in an exhibition entitled American Watercolors, 1880-1990: Into the Light. This show was described by Harvard Art Museums as presenting "100 compelling and rarely seen watercolors by well-known and historically underrepresented American artists selected from the Harvard Art Museums’ deep and diverse holdings." It describes watercolor as a medium with a "unique ability to capture light."
The museum's Web page for this work mentions a white sticker on top of the stretcher that says, "jean-paul ledeur a Paris, 61 rue Raymond Losserand." Jean-Paul Ledeur was a court-appointed expert in art restoration whose workspace was located a few blocks from Beauford's rue Vercingétorix studio.
The 100 Greatest New York City Artworks, Ranked
(1946) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Beauford's Can Fire in the Park is ranked 49th in a list of 100 paintings, sculptures, photographs, films, and performances published in an article by ARTnews on August 29, 2023. The article indicates that these works come up with many different answers to the question: "What really makes a city?"
Beauford Delaney Procreate Brushes
Fair Use Claim
Maria, a freelance photographer who owns a company called Digi Life, leads a team of graphic designers and illustrators that creates products based on their professional needs. The team has assembled a set of brushes, color swatches, and color palettes inspired by Beauford's work that is being offered for sale on the Art Station Website.
Digi Life encourages customers to explore how listening to music influences their creative and has included a Spotify playlist in their package.
High Museum #ArtHIGHlight: Portrait of Richard A. Long
The High Museum in Atlanta posted this image of Beauford's portrait of Richard A. Long on Instagram, along with commentary about the work.
Frye Art Museum Lecture Series with Rebecca Albani
Auto-portrait
(1965) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Beauford will be the topic of discussion during an upcoming session for a lecture series that is being hosted by the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington. The one-hour session will begin at 11 AM Pacific Time on November 9, 2023.
To find links published in the first Beauford Potpourri article, which was published in 2018, click HERE.
Beauford's Blues - Part 2
In Part 1 of this post, I published several images of Beauford Delaney abstracts in which pale blues dominate.
This week, I'm featuring abstracts in which the blues are richer, more vibrant, more electric...
Abstract in Turquoise
Gouache on wove paper, 1961
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley,
Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Levis Fine Art
Untitled, Paris 1953
Watercolor on paper
Mark Borghi Fine Arts
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Cobalt Blue
shown at UTKnoxville Downtown Gallery
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1963) Watercolor and gouache on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
To see articles about Beauford Delaney works where other hues are dominant, click on the links below:
Beauford's Blues - Part 1
In a recent post, I talked about Beauford's love of blues music.
Beauford also loved painting with blue.
In Part 1 of this two-part post, I'm sharing images of several works in which pale(r) blues predominate.
(1959) Gouache on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC
(1963) Watercolor on wove paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1967) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled(Undated) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Untitled(1961) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1960) Gouache on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC
Untitled (Composition in Blue)(1961) Gouache on wove paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
(1963) Gouache on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of George N'Namdi Gallery
Blue Wind was sold by Black Art Auction (Lot 129) during its recent Summer Timed Auction. The estimated sale price was $40,000-$60,000. The actual sale price was $47,500.
Next week, I'll share images of works with blues that are more vibrant and intense.