Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 12

Artis Lane
"Desmond Tutu", Acrylic on Canvas, Historical Portrait

2008

Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request
Price Upon Request

About the Item

This portrait of Desmond Tutu is from the seminal artist Artis Lane and is one of the many exquisite portraits done of historical figures and celebrities she has met and painted during her long and illustrious career. Desmond Tutu was a revered cleric within the Anglican Church in South Africa and an important figure in helping to end apartheid with his negotiations with the various black factions and chairing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that investigated abuses and crimes committed during the apartheid government. This work was recently exhibited adjunct to the "Steps Towards Justice: Artis Lane's Portraits of Rosa Parks" exhibition at Collected Detroit in 2021. The matte of this work is 25.75 x 31. 75 inches while the image is 19 x 25.5 inches. Most recently in January 2021 Ms. Lanes' dynamic sculpture bust of Rosa Parks was chosen from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC to reside in the President's Oval Office as a reminder to all who visit or see it via press photographs of her courageous demand for equal rights. It is a constant source of inspiration. All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice Metaphysics. In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find perfection in their own being. - Artis Lane Artis Lane lived and worked in Los Angeles for over twenty years. She knew many celebrities, movie stars and individuals who moved in those circles. She was a sought after portrait painter. This particular painting of the famous movie star, Zsa Zsa Gabor, shows why. Artis has captured the personal essence of her subject, a warm, friendly woman, though famous, is not absorbed in her notoriety. This piece is signed by the artist on the lower right. Born Artis Marie Shreve in 1927, near an all-Black village in North Buxton, Ontario, Canada. After three years of art college in Toronto, Canada, Artis moved to Detroit where she met and married journalist and activist Bill Lane. In Detroit Artis Lane continued her training at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Cranbrook was designed by architect and faculty member, Eliel Saarinen who collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on chair and furniture design. Numerous creative artists who are alumni of Cranbrook include: Harry Bertoia, Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald Lipski, Duane Hanson, Nick Cave, Hani Rashid, George Nelson, Urban Jupena (Nationally recognized fiber artist), Cory Puhlman (televised Pastry Chef extraordinaire), Thom O’Connor (Lithographs), Paul Evans (Brutalist-inspired sculpted metal furnishings), Eugene Caples (small bronze images/abstract), Morris Brose (Bronze Sculptures), Herb Babcock known for blown glass) and Larry Butcher (mixed media abstract artist.) While in the Motor City she painted and sculpted the portraits of many of the business and political leaders of the day; Governor George Romney, Ford family members and Coleman Young, the Mayor of Detroit. After her divorce, she was invited by Diahann Carroll to move from Detroit to come live in New York City where she met and married, Vince Cannon. They spent time in Texas, Ruidoso, New Mexico and traveled to Mexico City, Mexico to paint many of the prominent families in the region. Eventually she settled in Los Angeles and has recently relocated to Detroit. Her portrait and sculpture work has depicted dignitaries like Jaqueline Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, Gordon Getty, President Reagan, President Obama, First Ladies, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, Mrs. Walter Annenberg, Nancy Kissinger, including her most recent portrait commissioned by Academy Award winner, Jaime Fox. It’s an elegant painting of Oprah Winfrey, which was unveiled live on her show. Artis Lane has sculpted Don Cornelius, Quincy Jones, Lupita Nyong’o, Lena Horne, Stevie Wonder, and Magic Johnson, and many more. In the 1970’s, social issues became the next focus of her work, which included “Tear on the Face of America,” her civil rights statement, and “The Beginning,” a now famous painting depicting a young Rosa Parks seated in the fateful bus. Artis was honored by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC during the installation of her bronze sculpture of civil rights leader and longtime friend, Rosa Parks. In 1999, she was selected to execute and design the Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to Ms. Parks. “My Civil Rights images led me naturally to ideas about what and who we are outside of race. I went from there to the most important body of work, the metaphysical images of generic man and generic woman emerging out of the ignorance of material concepts and evolving into spiritual awareness.” Artis Lane. The bigger challenge was to create art that could symbolize and communicate certain spiritual truths that have guided Lane’s life and creative endeavors for most of her adult years and led to her Metaphysical work. She leaves the workings of the foundry: the gaiting material, ceramic shell mold, etc., (the “birthing” materials of the foundry), on the bronze to symbolize generic man emerging out of material thinking into spiritual consciousness. She then shows the work in pairs… the traditional black patina bronze, with the ceramic shell pieces as a metaphor for the moralistic/materialistic conversations that mankind has wrestled with throughout eternity. The new millennium brought new challenges and celebrations of her work. At the age of 80, Lane was commissioned to create a 12ft bronze of her “Emerging First Man.” The sculpture was created for an 1100 acre private estate community in Atlanta, GA. In 2007, she was honored by The California African American Museum with a retrospective of her life’s work which included almost 100 works of art. In 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled Lane’s bust of Abolitionist and Suffragette, Sojourner Truth, which was the first African American woman to be installed in the new Emancipation Hall and is now a part of the collection of the United States Capitol. Ms. Lane’s solo exhibit, “The Art of Artis Lane,” at the Forest Lawn Museum, Glendale, Ca in 2011, brought a thought provoking retrospective of her art to the public including the “Divine Metaphysics” series. Her bust of Arnett Hartsfield, Jr., Pioneering Firefighter Activist, unveiled at The African American Firefighter Museum in Los Angeles in 2012. The California African American Museum in Los Angeles, mounted a retrospective exhibition entitled “A Woman’s Journey: The Life and Work of Artis Lane” in 2007/2008 and subsequently honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Lane presented an official portrait of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, which was unveiled at City Hall by Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2014. All are merely a few recognitions of her achievements over the decades. Lane’s HistoryMakers interview was made a permanent part of the Library of Congress Collection in 2014. Her Artwork is displayed around the world. Artis has been a constant presence at the openings of her artistic colleagues in the region. As one of the honored “elders,” she provides encouragement and support for the younger African American artists who strive to use their own talents to express visions of social, ethical, and spiritual importance. She is, in short a force of nature whose life and work have graced both her native Canada and her adopted United States.
  • Creator:
    Artis Lane (1927, Canadian)
  • Creation Year:
    2008
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 30.75 in (78.11 cm)Width: 24.75 in (62.87 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Detroit, MI
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU128619148002

More From This Seller

View All
"Quarantine" Self-Portrait, African American, Structural Painting, Rich Colors
By Henry Heading
Located in Detroit, MI
The simple title "Quarantine" belies the complex nature of this work. It is a self-portrait of the artist, Henry Heading, immersed in the tools of his tr...
Category

2010s Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Wood, Masonite, Acrylic

"Sistas" Figurative, Portraits, Words, Frontal, Acrylic
By Henry Heading
Located in Detroit, MI
“Sistas” is a portrait collection of strong, intelligent women who look capable of taking on and managing whatever life has to hand them. That they are visually beautiful is actually beside the point for Henry has managed to capture in paint their inner beauty flowing from their eyes and features. Henry has sensitively revealed each individual’s personality. These are women you want to know and from whom you want to feel their power. Henry says that, “Painting is like breathing for me. I do so daily and appreciate my gift and ability. Perfection drives me as I create each piece. It must be unique. It must stand out, and is not complete until that special quality is achieved in my eyes.” Being able to create is an essential part of my life. It is an extension of my innermost thoughts and imagination. My primary focus of art is realism--using oils and acrylics. Occasionally, I switch mediums and design and build three dimensional pieces. Working mixed mediums, I use various wood, metal and paint, thus allowing me to achieve the visual effects I am looking for. Many of my pieces have been derived from my attraction to Art Deco and Ethnic designs. I am not satisfied until each piece, regardless of the medium or size, has reached the highest possible level of aesthetic quality and craftsmanship I can give it. I have enjoyed creating art since childhood. While a student at Martin Luther King Jr. high school in Detroit, I created and presented a portrait to then Mayor Coleman A. Young. A scholarship from Center for Creative Studies now the College for Creative Studies afforded me the opportunity to work towards and receive a BA in Fine Arts. Faculty and graduates of CCS include Richard Jerzy, Harry Bertoia, Doug Chaing (currently director of Lucas Film), Stephen Dinehart (game maker, writer, designer connected with The David Lynch Foundation), Tyree Guyton (international artist), Herb Babcock, Jerome Feretti, Kevin Siembieda (writer, designer and publisher of role-playing games), Renee Radell, Philip Pearlstein, Charles McGee (nationally recognized African American sculptor of animal and dancing spirits), Philip Pearlstein (2000 Honorary Doctorate, Modern Realism style), John Louis Krieger (American Modern), William Girard (American Modern), and Charles Culver. Mr. Heading understands the joy found in art and how it affects a young person's heart. He has shared his love for art as a mentor/teacher at the Virgil L. Carr Center in Detroit, Michigan. Students not only grew in their art experience, but also exhibited at the Ann Arbor Art Fair. Winning the 2013 MI Great Artist Competition was an honor for Mr. Heading. He is thankful to Park West Gallery owner Albert Scaglione and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson for the opportunity. Mr. Heading has been featured on ASPIRE TV, shows at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the National Conference of Artists and other numerous galleries. In addition, he is a book illustrator. His murals create a beautiful focal point and conversation piece on the walls of homes, churches and health care facilities. His art and furniture is enjoyed and treasured by collectors across the United States and Canada. Kohei Suzuki, the former Mayor of Toyota City, Japan has a box designed by Henry. Mr. Heading's work is part of the major TCF Convention Center's permanent collection located in the downtown business district in Detroit, Michigan. His first attempt at mosaic tile was creating a Tiger sculpture to benefit the Detroit Tigers...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings

Materials

Wood, Masonite, Acrylic

"Jesse Owens - Long Jump Medalist", Mixed Media on Paper
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
This mixed media on paper painting of Jesse Owens is from the seminal artist Artis Lane and is one of the many exquisite pieces done of historical figures ...
Category

Late 20th Century Mixed Media

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

"Female", Acrylic on Canvas
By Artis Lane
Located in Detroit, MI
This acrylic on canvas from the seminal artist Artis Lane is one of the many model paintings from her long and illustrious career. The subject is a female nude in pose, holding a flo...
Category

1980s Nude Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Fantastic Rafael Coronel Mixed Media 1961
By Rafael Coronel
Located in Detroit, MI
"Untitled" is a dramatically placed individual who appears to be withdrawing into herself surrounded by a soft pinkish color. She has a sad look in her non-reflective eyes. This pain...
Category

Mid-20th Century Futurist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Board, ABS

Fanny Rabel Figurative Oil Painting Soulful, Prayerful
By Fanny Rabel
Located in Detroit, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY UNTITLED by Fanny Rabel a Mexican artist who was born in Poland in 1922 is a soul wrenching work depicting among other things, the children killed by Nazi bombing in Spain during the Second World War. The lavender and purple surrounding the seated female figure and the kneeling child suggest both grief for the innocents' deaths and the prayers being offered for an end to the carnage. The bright gold and red can be read as either explosions or the hopeful light of redemption after death. Like Picasso's Guernica from 1937, this painting from 1965 can stand as a powerful anti-war statement. Numerous key galleries and museums such as Morton Auctions, Cerro de Mayka have featured Fanny Rabel's work in the past. Her anti-Nazi and anti-Fascism politics resulted in her participation in a mural called Retrato de la Burguesía in 1940 for the Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas building on Alfonso Caso Street in Mexico City. Rabel met a group of exiled Spaniards in Mexico along with Antonio Pujol, who invited her to take part in a mural project headed by him, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Joseph Renau, Luis Arenal, Antonio Rodríguez Luna and Miguel Prieto. The artist died in 2008. Fanny Rabel born August 27, 1922, in Poland born Fanny Rabinovich, was a Polish-born Mexican artist who is considered to be the first modern female muralist and one of the youngest associated with the Mexican muralism of the early to the mid-20th century. She and her family arrived in Mexico in 1938 from Europe and she studied art at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado "La Esmeralda", where she met and became friends with Frida Kahlo. She became the only female member of “Los Fridos” a group of students under Kahlo’s tutelage. She also worked as an assistant and apprentice to Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, painting several murals of her own during her career. The most significant of these is "Ronda en el tiempo" at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City. She also created canvases and other works, with children often featured in her work, and was one of the first of her generation to work with ecological themes in a series of works begun in 1979. She is considered to be the first female muralist in Mexico. She was an assistant to Diego Rivera while he worked on the frescos for the National Palace and an apprentice to David Alfaro Siqueiros. Her most important mural is Ronda en el tiempo located in the Museo Nacional de Antropología, which was created from 1964 to 1965. She also created murals at the Unidad de Lavaderos Público de Tepalcatitlán (1945), Sobrevivencia, Alfabetización in Coyoacán in 1952 Sobrevivencia de un pueblo at the Centro Deportivo Israelita (1957) Hacia la salud for the Hospital Infantil de México (1982), La familia mexicana at the Registro Público de la Propiedad (1984) (which Rabel preferred to title Abolición de la propiedad privada) and at the Imprenta Artgraf. In collaboration with other artists, she participated in the creation of the murals at the La Rosita pulque bar (disappeared) and at the Casa de la Madre Soltera. She entered the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado "La Esmeralda" shortly after it was established in 1942, taking classes with José Chávez Morado, Feliciano Peña and Frida Kahlo, with whom she became close friends. She changed her last name from Rabinovich to Rabel during her career. Rabel married urologist Jaime Woolrich and had two children Abel and Paloma Woolrich, both of whom became actors. The first exhibition of her work was in 1945 with twenty-four oils, thirteen drawings, and eight engravings at the Liga Popular Israelita with Frida Kahlo writing the presentation. In 1955, she had an individual exhibition at the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana. She had a large exhibition at the Museum of the Palacio de Bellas Artes to commemorate a half-century of her work. Her last exhibition was in 2007 at the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. Her work can be found in collections in over fifteen countries including those of the New York Public Library, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the Royal Academy of Denmark, the National Library in Paris, the Casa de las Américas in Havana, the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla and the Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City. A retrospective of her work after her death called Retrospectiva in Memoriam, Fanny Rabel (1922-2008) was held at the Museum of the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla . She is considered to be the first modern female muralist in Mexico although she also did significant work in painting, engraving, drawing, and ceramic sculpture. Her work has been classified as poetic Surrealism, Neo-expressionism and is also considered part of the Escuela Mexicana de Pintura (the dominant art movement of the early to mid 20th century in Mexico) as one of the youngest muralists to be associated with it along with Arnold Belkin and José Hernández Delga. Rabel was more drawn to depicting mankind’s pain rather than happiness, sharing other Mexican muralists' concerns about social injustice. However, she stated to Leopoldo Méndez that she could not create combative works, with clenched fists and fierce faces, and she wanted to leave the Taller de Gráfica Popular. Méndez convinced her to stay, saying that more tender images are important to political struggle as well. Children with Mexican faces...
Category

1960s Expressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

You May Also Like

Signed Limited Edition Feminist Contemporary Art Print - Shirley Chisholm 763
Located in New York, NY
Linda Stein, Shirley Chisholm 763 - Signed Limited Edition Feminist Contemporary Art Print Linda Stein considers her Women of Courage Mood Portraits series a feminist labor of love...
Category

2010s Feminist Figurative Prints

Materials

Archival Pigment

Nelson Mandela, Pop Art Portrait by Peter Max
By Peter Max
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Peter Max, German/American (1937 - ) Title: Nelson Mandela Year: 2001 Medium: Acrylic on Canvas, Signed u.l. Size: 18 x 16 inches
Category

Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Nelson Mandela, Mixed Media on Wood Panel
Located in Yardley, PA
Pop Art Portrait of Nelson Mandela - South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was...
Category

2010s Pop Art Mixed Media

Materials

Mixed Media

CABRAL Portrait Colorful Acrylic Painting 2024 by Nelson Neves
Located in Winterswijk, NL
This acrylic painting features an Amílcar Cabral portrait surrounded symbols like peacesigns and stars and abstract elements. The energetic brushstrokes and dripping paint create a s...
Category

2010s Street Art Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Ray Charles - Acrylic Painting by Ivana Burello - 2022
Located in Roma, IT
The painting belongs to the Music series and is dedicated to the Great interpreters of Soul, Blues and Jazza Music of the 20th Century. It is realize on a rigid panel, it is a uniqu...
Category

2010s Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Nelson Mandela, Pop Art Portrait by Peter Max
By Peter Max
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Peter Max, German/American (1937 - ) Title: Nelson Mandela 1 Year: 2001 Medium: Acrylic on Canvas, Signed Size: 18 x 16 inches
Category

Early 2000s Pop Art Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic