Items Similar to "The Champ, 1942" Joe Louis "Brown Bomber" Boxer Portrait Ex-Museum Oil Signed
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 14
Theodore Fried"The Champ, 1942" Joe Louis "Brown Bomber" Boxer Portrait Ex-Museum Oil Signed1942
1942
$6,500
£4,907.29
€5,629.64
CA$9,073.65
A$9,880.34
CHF 5,227.22
MX$119,153.20
NOK 66,508.18
SEK 60,802.47
DKK 42,044.48
About the Item
“The Champ, 1942” by Theodore Fried (1902-1980)
This important portrait by Hungarian-American artist Theodore Fried depicts the legendary boxer Joe Louis aka “The Brown Bomber” and “The Champ”. Fried imbues the painting with a contemplative energy, capturing not only Louis’s physical presence but also a moment of introspection amid the turbulent context of the time.
As the heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949, Louis was not only a sports icon but also a cultural figure who transcended racial and national boundaries. His 1938 victory over German boxer Max Schmeling, widely seen as a blow against Nazi ideology, cemented his status as a hero both in the United States and abroad. By 1942, the year this portrait was painted, Louis had enlisted in the U.S. Army, using his platform to promote morale and racial integration within the military. He became an enduring symbol of hope and resilience during a time of global conflict and social upheaval.
Fried's portrayal of Louis departs from the typical heroic depictions of athletes in action. Instead, the boxer is seated, his arms resting on the back of a chair, and his gaze cast downward in quiet reflection. The artist’s palette, dominated by rich greens, yellows, and earthy tones, creates an atmospheric setting, while the the subtle tension between the sitter’s powerful physique and his pensive demeanor highlights the interplay between his public persona and private self.
Painted shortly after Fried fled Nazi persecution and arrived in New York, this work captures a pivotal moment in American history, when figures like Joe Louis symbolized unity and strength.
This painting was previously gifted by the artist to the Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art in Kansas in memory of Harold Weston, another prominent artist and friend of Fried. The artist inscribed the dedication in the lower left.
The work is oil on canvas laid to board and is signed and dated in the upper left. It is housed in an appropriate, likely original frame. There are various inscriptions and labels on the reverse relating to the painting’s title, artist’s studio, and past museum ownership.
Size:
21.25 inches tall by 21.25 inches wide (painting)
32 inches tall by 32 inches wide by 2.75 inches deep (frame)
Literature:
Martin H. Bush, Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art Wichita State University, 1980, pg. 51
Provenance:
The artist;
(a gift from the above, in memory of Harold Weston) Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art, KS;
Private collection, CT;
Acquired from the above
About the artist:
Theodore Fried (1902–1980), born in Hungary, was a prominent Modernist painter who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest. Fleeing Europe during the rise of fascism, Fried worked as a portrait photographer and passport forger before securing an emergency visa in 1942 to escape to the United States, where he became part of the thriving émigré art scene in New York City. Known for his vibrant use of color and emotive portraiture, Fried explored a diverse array of themes from anti-facism to non-political, lyrical subjects, drawing inspiration from his own experiences as a refugee and his observations of American life.
Condition: Very good overall condition. Canvas laid to board. Signature reinforced by the artist. Frame with small losses and touch up. It is ready to be displayed and enjoyed!
All photographs are taken in a well-lit environment using studio lights (set to a cooler temperature) to reveal as much detail as possible. Colors can vary slightly depending on the temperature and strength of your lighting.
- Creator:Theodore Fried (1902 - 1980, Hungarian)
- Creation Year:1942
- Dimensions:Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 32 in (81.28 cm)Depth: 2.75 in (6.99 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Very good overall condition. Canvas laid to board. Signature reinforced by the artist. Frame with small losses and touch up. It is ready to be displayed and enjoyed!
- Gallery Location:Yardley, PA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2911217274462
About the Seller
New to 1stDibs
Joined in the past six months.
No Reviews Yet
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
Established in 2013
1stDibs seller since 2025
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Yardley, PA
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View All“North African Man, c. 1916-21” by Caleb Arnold Slade, American Portrait Oil
By Caleb Arnold Slade
Located in Yardley, PA
“North African Man, c. 1916-21” by Caleb Arnold Slade (American, 1882-1961)
Inspired by Slade’s travels in Algeria and Tunisia, this remarkable portrait depicts a young man standing...
Category
Early 20th Century American Impressionist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
“Jamaican Girl by the Palm Tree, c. 1930” American Impressionist Portrait Lyme
By Will Howe Foote
Located in Yardley, PA
“Jamaican Girl by the Palm Tree, c. 1930” by Will Howe Foote (American, 1874-1965)
A fantastic portrait of a young Jamaican woman set against a vibrant palm frond, painted by the re...
Category
1930s American Impressionist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
“Crossroads, c. 1940” WPA Polish-American Expressionist Modernist Oil Signed
By Sol Wilson
Located in Yardley, PA
“Crossroads, c. 1940” by Sol Wilson (Polish-American, 1896-1974).
This expressive painting by Wilson depicts a moody village crossroads rendered with his signature textured brushwor...
Category
1940s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
“A Mulatto Girl, 1879” Portrait Young Mixed Race Girl British 19th Century Oil
Located in Yardley, PA
“A Mulatto Girl, 1879” by Walter Scott Boyd (British, c. 1860-c. 1950)
The identity of this young girl is presently unknown; however, the title of the work reveals some information ...
Category
1870s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Georgia Moonshiner, c. 1935" by Athos Menaboni (1895-1990) American WPA Era Oil
Located in Yardley, PA
A fantastic WPA-era painting of a Georgia moonshiner by famed Italian-American artist Athos Menaboni (1895-1990).
This work depicts an older man sporting a brown hat, brown jacket, ...
Category
1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Materials
Masonite, Oil
“Untitled (Head of a Young Man), 1936” Mexican Charcoal Drawing Study Signed
By Alfredo Zalce
Located in Yardley, PA
This striking early drawing by Zalce captures a young man at a moment of heightened emotion, his mouth open and brow furrowed in what reads as shock and defiance. Executed in 1936, a...
Category
1930s Other Art Style Portrait Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Charcoal
You May Also Like
"Joe Louis" Oil on Board with Mixed Media, Iconic Portrait, African American
By Henry Heading
Located in Detroit, MI
“Joe Louis” is a breathtakingly beautiful portrait of a man who was the best in his profession yet humble in his demeanor. Louis was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1937 until his temporary retirement in 1949. He was victorious in 25 consecutive title defenses, a record for all weight classes. Louis had the longest single reign as champion of any boxer in history. He is widely regarded as the first person of African-American descent to achieve the status of a nationwide hero within the United States, and was also a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment leading up to and during World War II because of his historic rematch with German Boxer Max Schmeling in 1938. He was instrumental in integrating the game of golf, breaking the sport's color barrier in America by appearing under a sponsor's exemption in a PGA event in 1952. The artist, Henry Heading...
Category
2010s Contemporary Portrait Paintings
Materials
Wood, Oil, Board
A Vibrant, 1950s Modern Portrait of a Young Black Man by Francis Chapin
By Francis Chapin
Located in Chicago, IL
A captivating, 1950s Mid-Century Modern portrait painting of a young black man by famed Chicago artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). A sensitive, skilled portrait of a young Afri...
Category
1930s American Modern Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
"Seated Black Man, " Rare and Fine WPA-Style Painting attributed to Walker Evans
By Walker Evans
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Although Walker Evans is world-renowned for his Depression-era photographs of ordinary men and women across America, many of them taken while serving as “information specialist” in t...
Category
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Paintings
Materials
Paint
$14,000 Sale Price
20% Off
Portrait of a Girl, 1954 Oil Painting by Ernest Crichlow
By Ernest Crichlow
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Ernest Crichlow, American (1914 - 2005)
Title: Portrait of a Girl
Year: 1954
Medium: Oil on Board, signed and dated l.r.
Size: 19.5 in. x 15.5 in. (49.53 cm x 39.37 cm)
Frame...
Category
1950s Expressionist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Joe Louis No.2, America Martin, ink portrait- portion of sale to ACLU/NAACP
By America Martin
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
AMERICA MARTIN
"Joe Louis no.2"
Ink on Paper
14" x 11"
A portion of each sale will be donated to the ACLU + NAACP
JoAnne Artman Gallery proudly introduces America Martin’s new seri...
Category
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Ink, Archival Paper
$3,600 Sale Price
20% Off
JOE LOUIS
Located in Aventura, FL
Offset lithograph in colors on paper. Hand signed and numbered by the artist. From the edition of 500.
Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of authenticity included. Al...
Category
Late 20th Century Contemporary Figurative Prints
Materials
Paper, Lithograph
$100 Sale Price
50% Off