20th Century Contemporary Art

Square scatter size Persian Kilim from the 20th century with a stand alone penquin on a khaki ground. This was originally belonging to a private Persian collector who requested to ma...

Abstract painting signed D. Filov. Unique frame shape and beautiful color scheme. Dmitry Filov was born in 1953 in St. Peterburg. The age of maturity is being passed in the Crimea...

MOTEL SUITCASE SERIES 6034 by JORGE FICK Born in 1932 and passing in 2004 in the vibrant artistic community of Santa Fe, New Mexico, this artist was a prominent figure in the world of high color abstraction. His unique approach to abstract expressionism was deeply influenced by the teachings and mentorship of renowned artists Franz Kline, Jack Tworkov, Phillip Guston, and Joseph Fiore...

A rare, unique and very unusual sculptural hand carved wooden plaque depicting a nude couple in bed signed John Baldwin (b. London, 1937) and dated 1985. ...

Signed lower left and on the stretcher. A lovely composition with two ladies seated at a cafe table chatting in an outside setting with flowers and plants. The artist is known for he...

Ugo Sterpini (Italian, 1927-2000)''La Lotta Sulla Duna" (The Battle On The Dune). Mixed media on canvas, signed and dated ''58'' lower right, signed, titl...

Sven Lukin: Silkscreen #1 Released by Pace Gallery in NY 1969 Limited Edition

A striking and colorful, original lithograph signed and numbered by French artist, Nathalie Chabrier (born 1932). The lithograph is not dated but most likely dates from the 1950s/ear...

Surreal table scape by Virginia Todd Wylie (1918-1999) Showed in local and NYC art galleries and museums - Parrish Art, Guild Hall, Art Institute Chicago...

An eye catching classic Hermes silk scarf shown in an elegant custom gilt wood frame. Makes a graphic luxurious piece of art. The scarf is...

Vintage "Gibson Girl" lithograph by Charles Dana Gibson, circa 1940s. The print is presented in grey wood frame with black mat and measures 17" x 22.5" (image is 11" x 16.5). An i...

An engaging work titled "Jeux de Gladiateurs" by famed Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. The etching was created in 1968. It is hand signed in pencil by Picasso and numbered 33/50, lowe...

Group of Eight Abstract Photolithographs on Vellum by Cy Twombly, from the limited edition "Gaeta" portfolio produced by Hine Editions, San Francisco, CA, circa 1987. They have been ...

This mid century decorative glass wall art is hand cut and made by hand by skillful artisans in Brooklyn, and framed in natural solid oak. Resistant to fading and aging. Limited e...

Abstract screen-print, by Josef Albers, from Formulation and Articulation, published by Harry N. Abrams Inc., New York, and Ives Sillman Inc., New Haven, circa 1972. This work is fro...

Small oil painting, the city on it. Signed Ray Bai 1995. Hand painted in Denmark. In the set of white wood frame. Very nice small decoration for ...

Selection of Mid-Century jazz themed paintings, American, circa 1930s-1970s. From left to right, they are: 1) New Orleans jazz watercolor by Leo Meirsdorff...

Beautiful Swedish abstract oil on canvas artwork with a pine wooden frame by Bertil Berntsson from the 1962. In good vintage condition with patina from aging. Signed and dated lowe...

A very colorful oil on canvas painting by French painter Alain Boyer. Professionally framed. Alain Boyer is a self-taught French painter, established at the Maison des Artistes s...

Pannello decorativo disegno Astratto ceramica 1960s Pannello decorativo astratto anni 60 Descrizione: Pannello decorativo in ceramica con motivo astrattista realizzato in Ita...

Pamela Melvin's "Restful Reverie" This captivating oil painting by Pamela Melvin, titled "Restful Reverie," is a stunning blend of color, texture, and evocative imagery. The subject...

Jean Miro signed and numbered 55/75 lithograph titled Chevauchee Bleu Brun. Blue field with green, black and white designs. Very nice condition. Print is flo...

A handsome and sophisticated mixed media on canvas by American artist John Rigsby. Found in a original state of preservation. His works are few and far between. The following biography was submitted by John David Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. The author is Lisa Rigsby Peterson, daughter of the artist, and owner of the copyright of the biography. John David Rigsby was born on October 10, 1934, the seventh child of an Alabama Depression-era sharecropper's son. He and his family moved frequently, from one one-room structure to another, often with no running water, no plumbing, no heat but the stove. His father was killed in a car accident when Rigsby was just 9 years old. Life for the remaining eight family members proved tumultuous and difficult -- food wasn't plentiful, nor money. The family moved from place to place, following work -- Rigsby attended 30 different schools before graduating from high school. Despite living in poverty, Rigsby demonstrated academic and artistic aptitude at a young age. Two oil paintings on covers ripped off of old books that he painted when he was eight years old show the promise of an imaginative and gifted eye. Rigsby was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1953. As he later wrote, "When basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, was over, I was told to go out and find a job. Jasper Johns was painting visual aids for the 28th Regimental Headquarters. He suggested the Band Training Unit." Rigsby played the clarinet in that unit, and after 2 years of service, he enrolled at the University of Alabama on the G.I. Bill to study art. After just two years, he left school and followed his mentor (and one of the greatest and longest-lasting influences on his art), Japanese artist and U of A art instructor Tatsu Heima, to New York City. Heima introduced him to Isamu Noguchi and suggested that Rigsby work as Noguchi's assistant. Instead, Rigsby chose a job as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, since "the notion of seeing all of that art appealed more to me than the boring task of studio assistant." The opportunity was a rich one for Rigsby. He had a chance to study the masters, and cited Rembrandt with his simplicity and elegance as another of the most important influences on his work. In the years between 1957 and 1963, when Rigsby eventually earned his BFA in sculpture, the artist traveled back and forth between New York and Tuscaloosa, alternating study with forays into the fertile New York art scene. Rigsby exhibited some of his early sculpture work in 1958 at a small New York gallery, which was also exhibiting the work of Willem and Elaine de Kooning and Theodore Stamos. Shortly thereafter, searching for an educational venue closer to New York City, Rigsby visited New Haven, Connecticut, and spent an afternoon speaking with Josef Albers at Yale. Albers agreed to accept Rigsby into the Yale program on the condition that he take freshman drawing all over again. A brilliant opportunity, but, in Rigsby's words, "When it was time to register, I was hitchhiking back to Alabama, looking for food and shelter." Rigsby had his first one-man show at the University of Alabama in 1959. A visiting critic from New York, J.F. Goosen, reviewed the show and wrote "here is a talent which produces art because that is the thing for a gifted person to do. In his effortless ease of conception and execution, he has already achieved a goal that eludes many artists for a lifetime." Finally, in 1963, Rigsby received his degree in sculpture, dissolved a short-lived marriage, visited his family, packed up his car and headed permanently for New York. That year, his work was included in a group show at the Delgado Museum in New Orleans - which led to a one-man exhibit at the Delgado in 1964. During 1964, Rigsby took drawing classes at Columbia University, and worked at the General Post Office at night. He met his future wife, Linda Palmieri, and married. In 1965, his daughter Lisa was born, followed in 1966 by the birth of his son, John David Jr. In 1966, Rigsby had a successful one-man show at the Pietrantonio Gallery in New York. Shortly thereafter, he and the family moved to Tunis, Tunisia at the suggestion of a colleague, who urged him to "come paint by the light of Klee." Rigsby worked for the United States Information Agency as a teacher, and he spent the next year and a half painting over ninety paintings inspired by the smells, light, and Phoenician and Roman art surrounding him. He also executed a number of character and landscape drawings, capturing the Tunisian way of life. During his time in Tunisia, Rigsby's work was shown there in two major exhibits. Upon the family's return to the U.S. in 1968, Rigsby once again exhibited at the Pietrantonio Gallery. Later that year, Rigsby enrolled in Southern Connecticut State College's Urban Studies program, earning a master's degree in 1970. During his time at SCSU, Rigsby worked as the city of Bridgeport's Curator of Exhibits, driving a mobile art gallery from schools to neighborhood fairs and housing projects. After completing his degree, Rigsby had an exhibit at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia. This exhibit caught the attention of a member of the search committee looking to hire an artist for a newly-developed program in neighboring South Carolina. In 1970, Rigsby was selected as the first Artist-in-Residence in the state of South Carolina for the National Endowment for the Arts Artists in Schools program. His work with the newly-integrated students at Beaufort (SC) High School over the term of his residency precluded substantial work on his own art. He did, however, set up a studio in downtown Beaufort, and was able to create a modest number of paintings, which were included in exhibits at the Columbia Museum in South Carolina in 1971 and Yale University in 1973. At the end of his residency in 1974, Rigsby was named the National Visual Arts Coordinator of the Artists in Schools program for the NEA, a post he held for two years. In this position, Rigsby traveled the country, reviewing grant applications, meeting with state leaders in government, education and the arts to promote program concepts and explore local opportunities. The message he repeated over and over again echoed that of one of the other major influences on Rigsby as an artist - Ruth Asawa Lanier, whose words taught him that all of the work that the artist does is the artist's work, not simply the paintings he creates. In his capacity as National Coordinator, as well as many times in the future, Rigsby stressed that artists function in the same way as any other person in society, and deserved the same respect and place for their work as did all other professions. After two years traveling the country, Rigsby was ready for a change, saying "for the first time in my adult life, there was not a body of paintings to show for the years put into my work." In 1976, a summer retreat to the mountain community of Central City, Colorado, led to a permanent relocation. Eventually settling in the small town of Evergreen, Rigsby followed his own advice about artists becoming actively involved in their communities, and he established the Evergreen Visual Arts Center. The Center provided working space for artists, classes for adults and children, and, most importantly, a place for Rigsby to create his own work. Buoyed by the opportunity to concentrate once again on his art, and inspired by his new surroundings, Rigsby entered an extremely prolific period in his career. In 1977, he organized a traveling exhibition of his paintings, which showed at the Kimball Arts Center in Utah, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Arvada Center in Colorado. 1978 brought more exhibits, notably in Aspen and Denver, as Rigsby's work continued. He took an extended trip to visit his mentor, Tatsu Heima, in Japan, where he climbed Mt. Fuji, followed by travels to Tehran, Delhi, and several European countries. He chronicled his impressions from his travels in a small collection of paintings upon his return to the U.S. - the beginning of a practice which would continue through the rest of his life. In 1979, Rigsby's marriage failed, and at the same time he lost the lease to his Evergreen studio to redevelopment plans. In response to the personal chaos around him, Rigsby began a series of what he called "hard-nosed process paintings," the watercolor paintings of dots which marked his work from this period. The paintings gained him an NEA Individual Artist grant in 1980, as well as a Yaddo fellowship in 1981. The polka dot paintings were followed by a series of cupcake-like images, again examining space and color. During the early 1980s, Rigsby lived in a suite of old dentists' offices in a rundown part of Denver, with a studio in an area that reminded him of the Bowery in New York. In 1984, Rigsby founded the Progreso Gallery in the building where he lived, using the space both to show his own work and also to mount shows of the work of many Colorado artists. The gallery also served as a focal point for Denver's local arts community, hosting weekly discussion groups and classes. In 1984, Rigsby traveled to the Baja Peninsula and then in 1985 to Yugoslavia. After each sojourn, Rigsby returned to create vibrant and explosive paintings based on his experiences, showing them at his Progreso gallery and another alternative gallery in Denver, the Edge Gallery. The economic recession of the mid-eighties hit the art market and Rigsby hard, however, and although he continued to create new works of art, major exhibitions were difficult to come by. In 1987, Rigsby decided to leave Denver and spent six months in Barcelona, Spain. It was an electrifying trip for him. Rigsby wrote of that time: "The streets alone are a visual feast, and the additions of museums from Saarinen, Picasso and Miro to 12th century icons produced artistic indigestion. My paintings are always about the way things look and feel. Barcelona was a time machine extending those sensory and emotional concerns back to the Middle Ages. I felt the need to reduce my work to essential elements of color, scale, drawing and format. The [resulting] color studies speak eloquently for themselves, and in doing so, redefine all of the work I've done in the past 35 years of painting." Rigsby completed over a hundred paintings while in Barcelona - color studies, street portraits of the characters he encountered on a daily basis, and a number of dark landscape paintings. He found time to run with the bulls in Pamplona, and began writing stories about his adventures that were later published. Upon his return to Denver in 1988, Rigsby continued to explore the alter egos of the color studies - he concentrated on a series of dark paintings, all prominently featuring back. He commented about these black paintings that he " decided it was time to explore the perception of the eye and physical space as defined by low -light conditions…I find these paintings elegant, joyous and light-filled, with no feeling of heaviness at all." In mid-1988, Rigsby moved permanently to Houston, Texas, where he would spend the last five years of his life. Once in Houston, Rigsby made a discovery that would serve as the inspiration and material for some of the last works of his career. In 1989, he discovered a salvage yard filled with scrap rubber, and he began working on black rubber sculptures, as well as paintings with rubber elements incorporated. He made strong connections in the Houston alternative arts scene, and became a regular contributor and art critic for a local weekly newspaper, The Public News. From 1989 through 1992, he exhibited his sculptures and paintings at Houston's Brent Gallery, Fountainhead Gallery, and Blaffer Gallery. He also produced an installation of his rubber sculptures on the roof of the Diverse Works Gallery in Houston. 1992 also marked Rigsby's return to Denver when he exhibited his sculptures at the Payton-Rule Gallery in Denver, leading to an Absolut Rigsby commission by Carillon Importers. The 1990s were a tremendous struggle for Rigsby, with financial crises compounded by physical trauma (he accidentally sawed off the top joint of the index finger of his left hand while working in his studio). Although his work was being shown, it wasn't selling, and the tremendous financial pressure he felt weighed heavily upon him. He spent an increasing proportion of his time going to flea markets and garage sales, rehabilitating and repairing the things he bought there, and then re-selling them simply to raise enough money to keep a roof over his head. He had little time to paint or sculpt, the things in life that had always, no matter what the circumstances, brought him joy. Rigsby's final works were a series of intricate paintings and drawings on used books that he purchased at the flea market. Most of these drawings, which he referred to as sculptural form drawings, were executed on page after page of science texts, music books, and a Korean bible and fill hundreds of pages. Additionally, Rigsby created an exquisite book he titled 28 de los Angeles, in which his twenty-eight simple and elegant drawings of angels resonated with the influence of Rembrandt he had so admired in his early days. In a sense, Rigsby's final works, art created on used books which were the only materials he could afford, brought his work and life full circle from his childhood days. Rigsby's life, though begun and ended in adversity, was nonetheless illuminated and enriched by the irresistible impulse he had to create art and beauty. John David Rigsby was killed in a one-car accident in Colorado in August, 1993. Biography from the Archives of askART Following is a review by Michael Paglia of the artist's July 2004 retrospective at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. It was submitted by John Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. There's a magnificent retrospective at Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art devoted to the work of the late John David Rigsby, who was a major powerhouse in Colorado's art scene. "Dots, Blobs and Angels" surveys more than forty years' worth of the remarkable artist's paintings and sculptures. The year 1993 was strange, and by that I mean terrible. Many of the city's galleries closed because of bad economic times, and then the artists started dying. In a matter of a few months, Denver lost three significant artists: Rigsby, experimental photographer Wes Kennedy...

Signed limited edition Op Art serigraph entitled "Tridim-Gordes" by Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely, circa 1972. The piece is hand signed in pencil by the artist (lower right) and i...

PRESENTING a simply beautiful, monumental and imposing original work of contemporary art, namely, a Triptych oil on canvas panels of New Orleans Colonial/French Quarter Houses. Unsigned and undated, but most definitely inspired by the World Renowned New Orleans artist, James Michalopoulos. These were not painted by Michalopoulos, but were clearly inspired by him and his famous depictions of ‘wavey’ New Orleans houses. Also, they were created and painted in New Orleans, contemporaneously to when Michalopoulos was starting to become recognized, in the New Orleans (and greater) artworld. The 3 panels work perfectly together as a visual feast and ‘connected’ work of art. The panel on the left features a wavy blue, grey and yellow, French Quarter style 2 Story Wooden house, complete with Corinthian Style Columns, decks, railings, storm shuttered windows, etc. It has a deep blue sky with shimmering light reflections. The garden to the front, has steps leading to the house and has shrubs and flowers, that are continued into the 2nd or middle/center panel. The middle or center panel incorporates the other side of the garden plants etc for continuity and it features a single story pink, yellow and white wavy French Quarter style house, with fabulous decor and complete with decks, railings, storm shuttered windows, etc. It has a deep blue sky with shimmering light reflections and a white moon, emitting swirling patterns of light. The garden to the front, has steps leading to the house and has shrubs and flowers, that are continued into the 3rd or right panel. The right panel, features a wavy light...

Parisian cityscape, signed and framed oil on canvas by Serge Belloni, ‘57 This painting has all the quintessential features of Belloni’s renowned Parisi...

Niek van der Plas grew up in Katwijk Ann Zee in the Netherlands. Taking inspiration from his hometown, his work features the famous sea and dunes of the fisherman village. Van der Pl...

A unique and very special vintage piece of abstract brutal metal art from 1970s by Henrik Horst, Denmark. This is a very beautiful and special wall hanging, which has a very Mid-cent...

Bogaert's felt assemblages have a particularly soft and accessible appearance, which no other material he uses can match. At first glance they appear to be wooden objects, but the woolly surface makes it clear that they are felt. To date, only a few works of this format have been released. Bogaert's felt assemblies offer a special insight into the possibilities of this material. While felt is often seen as something functional and mundane, Bogaert managed to elevate it into a medium for artistic expression. The softness and accessibility of the felt contrast with the solid and sometimes robust shapes he created, creating an intriguing tension that invites the viewer to think more deeply about material and form. In summary, André Bogaert...

Original Postmodern lithograph numbered "Winter 3/40", titled "Computer Ink Plot I", signed by the artist and dated 1981 along bottom of image. Strong graphic image from the dawn o...

A rare and extraordinary authentic artwork by the highly sought-after German-American artist G.H. Rothe (1935-2007). The large unframed mezzotint on Arches paper, limited edition num...

A complete set of “Three Aquatints” prints by Robert Mangold. Published by Parasol Press Ltd., on Rives BFK paper. Each signed, numbered and annotated A, B, C in pencil. Framed using...

This unique piece of Mid Century wall art features a round mirror set within a sleek chrome metal frame, exuding a modern, minimalist appeal. Measuring 30.25”x30.5”. The mirror itsel...

Light Prism by Alberto Biasi, a kinetic sculpture with moving prisms that decompose and reflect light, produced in a limited edition of 50 pieces by Centro Duchamp in San Lazzaro di ...

Contemporary Signed Very Colorful Abstract (2 of 15) Lithograph - 1997 Frame and matting needs to be updated.

DESCRIPTION: Nerone & Patuzzi for Gruppo NP2 Sculptural Wooden Panel, Circa 1970, Italy. Very decorative and important piece made with sculpted wood. Signed. CONDITION: Good condit...

Fabulous portrait, "Seated Nude" by prominent American artist Raphael Soyer (1899-1987). Signed lower left. Oil color on canvas. Linen matte with gilt frame. Canvas measures: 11.75"...

A beautiful work done by Philadelphia Artist Jane Potash. All original work with signature on front and original frame. Not dated, probably created late 19...

Vintage Paul Jenkins off-set lithograph: Published by Art in America, circa early 1970s Very good vintage condition; contains fold-line as issued Measures: 11 x 14 inches. Printed ...

An eye catching classic Hermes style silk scarf shown in an elegant custom gilt wood frame. Makes a luxurious piece of art. The scarf is in very good vintage condition, it appears w...

Gorgeous vintage modern mod op art or pop art mirror style # 1034 tag on reverse from Greg Copeland studio. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that th...

One experience. Original Artwork of Michael Jackson by Gianni Vive Sulman, Michael Jackson’s costume designer and perfumier. Gianni Vive Sulman would design amazing outfits for Mic...

Tempura on heavy paper, signed and dated 1945 lower left. The piece measures 23" x 30" including the frame and presents very well overall. Provenance: Willard Gallery, NYC Bradbu...

Scatter size Persian Kilim from the late 20th century with a jolly-go-lucky man on a camel field. This was originally belonging to a private Persian collector who requested to make...

Wood assemblage and oil on canvas "Plan with Blue" With letterpress signature at lower center left:Bernard Langlais signed again on verso Executed between 1961-1963 Very impressive i...

A beautiful lithographic print by Argentinian-born Italian surrealist painter, designer, illustrator, and author Leonor Fini titled "Deux Femmes". Leonor Fini was arguably the most ferociously and heroically independent woman artist of the 20th century. Fini herself never accepted the label of "woman artist," and likewise, never considered herself a Surrealist despite her works having been included in nearly every major Surrealism exhibition from 1936 to the present. In the 1930s she lived in Paris, France where she collaborated with, or who were influenced by such prominent 20th-century artists as Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dalí, Joseph Cornell, Dora Maar, Anna Magnani, Albert Camus, Jean Genet...

Post modern mixed media three dimensional abstract by listed Mexican artist Jose Luis Serrano, circa 1982. Framed and mounted on board measuring 15.7...

Exceptional oil painting on canvas of very intriguing subject of human with great paint texture. Beautiful object of art for wall hanging. Frame is not included.

A vintage gelatin silver print photograph by celebrated Hungarian-born photographer André Kertész (1894-1985). Entitled "Martinique", printed in 1972, this is an iconic image by the ...

Theatrical figures Tempera painting by Dana Gilbert.

Norman Rockwell (American, 1894–1978) "Window Washer," Limited Edition Lithograph, Signed and Numbered, Edition 88/200 A quintessential example of Norman Rockwell’s masterful blend ...

A whimsical modernist figurative ceramic tile wall art installation by Israeli artist Ruth Faktor (Faktorowicz). A unique composition with a theme of frien...

These Christmas Stockings were made from mid 20th C. Uzbek Velvet Fragments. Please note these were made from vintage Uzbek Velvet fragments.

Take a trip drown memory lane with this 1950s California freeway sign. Taken down from Nothern California decades ago, the sign features a black background with white lettering and c...

Square size Persian kilim from the late 20th century with half an elephant on a green field Can be used as a wall piece too. Very light and easy to hang. Measures: 5' x 5' This was...

Mid century abstract texture painting This painting measures: 48 wide x 0.3 deep x 36 inches high Great vintage condition We take our photos...

A fine Italian Mid-20th century oil on panel "Battipanni" (The Carpet Beaters) by Nino Caffè (1908-1975) depicting a group of Cardinals playing around with ...

Vintage "Pop Art / Op Art" Wall Art, 1970's Turner Manufacturing Co. Chicago, USA An original 1970's reverse painted on glass red circle with black triangles pop wall art by the Tu...

Unique mid century oil painting by the German well known artist Hermann Urban, around 1940-1948. ''Academic Art / Realism''. The artist Urban lived from 1866 – 1946. Bad Aibling, Ge...

A landmark sign from downtown Los Angeles. This metal sign is comprised of 16 pieces and was the business sign for the Los Angeles Times newspaper. It was on the front of their build...