Michael Decker

Seated Nude , American Modernist Graphite Figural Study

Circa 1975

Signed lower right, "M. Decker" for Michael Decker (American, 20th century) and created circa 1975. An elegant graphite and india ink figural study of a young woman shown seated and...

Stamped, verso, with certification of authenticity for Janet Ament De La Roche (American, 1916-2000) and painted circa 1965. Winner of the Prix Othon Friesz, Janet Ament studied at the Chouinard Art Institute, the Los Angeles Art Center, and at the Otis Art Institute. After World War II, she traveled abroad and continued her studies first with André L’Hote at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière (Paris) and, subsequently, at the Accademia di Belle Arte (Rome) and the Academie des Belles Artes de San Jorge (Barcelona). Ament exhibited internationally with success, including at The Salon d'Automne (1954), The Salon Des Artes Decoratifs (1955), the Museum of Modern Art, Paris (1955), the Gallier Charpentier (1955), the San Francisco Museum of Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. A long-time member of the Carmel Art Association, she is listed in all relevant art reference works. Reference: Art & Artists: Carmel – Monterey...

Signed lower left, 'F. Sedivy' for Franz Sedivy II (Danish, 1888-1973) and dated 1959. A dramatic figural painting of a young woman, shown naked and holding aloft an earthenware oil...

Signed lower left, 'Marguerite Bordet' (French, 1909-2014) and painted circa 1965. Titled, on old label, 'Le Modele'. Previously with: Crocker Galleries, CA From an early age, Marguerite Bordet avidly pursued both drawing and painting. In the late 1930's and early '40s, she attended the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris where she studied with the sculptor, Antoniucci Volti (Italian, 1915-1989). After several years, and feeling increasingly disconnected with the academic atmosphere of the Salon, she left to develop her independent artistic style. Bordet's first public exhibition took place at the Galerie Claude (1947) and, for the next forty years, she continued to exhibit widely with success, both throughout France and internationally, including in Cairo (1955), Geneva (1960) and the United States (1966). A 1962 exhibition of her work showed a thematic rejection of the Academy's influence and the artist's shift to a more personal and spiritually driven style. Bordet continued to take frequent study trips to Italy, especially to Florence, where she was inspired by the Renaissance Masters. She also visited England (1975-76) where the works of J.M.W.Turner and John Martin at the Tate Museum had a pronounced impact on her development. In an interview with Hervé Serane, Marguerite Bordet described her artistic process in these words: "I start my painting with spots. Sometimes I cover it completely and everything is dark. But then it's stronger than me, I can't bear that there isn't an opening. Immediately, I place a Light. I need the shadow to bring out the Light. So I start with the shadow to create this Light. I cannot define why I need this Light so much. It's stronger than me. It's something that dominates me without my being able to explain it intellectually. It is for me an absolute necessity to seek the Light in the darkness.. You have to open like you open a window. You have to reveal. I remove the stains that obscure my painting to find the luminous background of the canvas.... I only paint with transparent colors and I apply several layers of glaze to preserve this light." Partial Exhibition Record: 1947 Paris, Galerie Claude 1951 Paris, Galerie Breteau - Cairo, Galerie Adam - Alexandria, l'Atelier 1954 Paris, Galerie Simone Bdinier 1955 Cairo, l'Atelier 1959 Paris, Galerie A. Weil 1960 Geneva, Galerie Motte 1962 Paris, Marignan Gallery 1964 Paris, Ror Volmar Gallery 1966 San Rafael (U.SA) International Museum 1966 Cagnes-sur-Mer, Castle Gallery...