Benjamin Silva Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

'Reclining Nude en Plein Aire', gouache on art paper, by Raymond Debiève (circa 1960s). The reclining figure is one of the most popular poses in art history...

Original oil pastel and gouache figure drawing by celebrated, twentieth-century California landscape painter, Ronald Shap. Sketch of a nude man. 18x24 inch...

'Modern Dancers', pastel, ink and gouache on fine art paper by French artist, singer and sculptor, Mick Micheyl (1964). Two elegant young men are depicted in a graceful dancing pose, arms outstretched, their lithe bodies so agile and limber. Perhaps one of the dancers was her friend, Philippe, to whom the painting is dedicated on the bottom. The dedication says: 'For you Philippe, all my friendship'. Signed: 'Mick Micheyl'. The work has been newly framed and glazed after having been acquired in the S. of France. It is in good vintage condition commensurate with age showing minor blemishing on the paper. Upon request a video of the piece can be provided. Dimensions with Frame: H 75 cm / 29.5" W 61 cm / 24" Dimensions without Frame: H 56 cm / 22" W 42 cm / 16.5" About the Artist: Mick Micheyl (1922 - 2019) was born in Lyon and had a busy and rewarding artistic career as a singer, producer, reviewer, metal sculptor, artist. After having received training at the School of Fine Arts in Lyon she became a painter and decorator in the theatre but then commenced a career in the musical activities of a theatrical troupe. She won the ABC competition in Paris in 1949 with a song, Le Marchand de Poésie, which she composed herself. She then performed in many cabarets: L'Échelle de Jacob, Harlequin and Liberty's. In the 1950s she was one of the most important French cabaret singers of that period. One of her titles, 'Un Gamin de Paris', became one of the French standards and also performed by Yves Montand and Robert Clary...

If anyone has ever put pen to paper and tried to draw a face or a figure with any level of success, then you know how hard it is to do. Cartoonists are first conceptual artists for ...

Original oil pastel and gouache figure drawing by celebrated, twentieth-century California landscape painter, Ronald Shap. Sketch of nude man crouching. Be...

Estate stamp, verso, for Victor Di Gesu (American, 1914-1988) and painted circa 1955. Winner of the Prix Othon Friesz, Victor di Gesu first attended the Los Angeles Art Center and t...

Certification of authenticity stamped, verso, for Carlos Paez Vilaro (Uruguayan, 1923-2014) and painted circa 1984. Dedicated verso on old backing, 'To Arlene', signed and dated 1984...

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...

Original oil pastel and gouache figure drawing by celebrated, twentieth-century California landscape painter, Ronald Shap. Sketch of torso of a nude man. B...

Original oil pastel and gouache figure drawing by celebrated, twentieth-century California landscape painter, Ronald Shap. Sketch of a nude man with a bandana in tones of brown and a...

Original oil pastel and gouache figure drawing by celebrated, twentieth-century California landscape painter, Ronald Shap. Sketch of nude man with his hand...

Original oil pastel and gouache figure drawing by celebrated, twentieth-century California landscape painter, Ronald Shap. Sketch of a nude man sitting in brown, yellow, vermillion a...