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Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

American, 1916-2010

For more than seven decades, artist Robert McIntosh expressed his joy for life through drawing and painting. His approach to visual art ran the spectrum, from bold, monochromatic landscapes to vibrant renderings that are alive with color, never confining his work to a single style. Whether using surreal abstract scenes to evoke ephemeral thought or realism for portraits, McIntosh brought the canvas to life with masterful skill. 

McIntosh was born in 1916 in Vallejo, California, near San Francisco. By the time he was 10, he had a passion for painting. His creative interests intensified when his family moved to Stockton, California, when he was 12, just a few blocks from a local art museum. He visited the museum often, feeding his desire for artistic knowledge.

In 1934, McIntosh received a scholarship to the Pasadena Art Center School of Design. Soon, he was taking commissions to paint portraits. Not long after, notable museums in the state began exhibiting his work, including the San Francisco Museum of Art (now the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) and the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.

During the Great Depression, McIntosh worked at Disney Studios, creating background art for animated films. In 1940, he married fellow Disney artist Helen Nerbovig. The military drafted him in 1942, and he worked for the U.S. Army Air Force at Hal Roach Studios. After the war, McIntosh split his time between freelance work for animation studios, like Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera, and work on his art, which was exhibited annually at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

McIntosh continued to paint and sketch throughout his career, consistently producing works of diverse media. He experimented with Expressionism, Cubism, Impressionism and collage. He lived and worked in Bel Air, California, until he died in 2010. Through his many decades of creative expression, McIntosh left a body of work that continues to be treasured by collectors today.

On 1stDibs, find Robert McIntosh’s figurative paintings, landscapes and drawings and watercolors.

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Artist: Robert McIntosh
"The Artist's Portrait'
By Robert McIntosh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Presenting a magnificent, early original pastel, "The Artist's Portrait", by American artist Robert McIntosh. "The Artist's Portrait", is an original pastel on artist's paper, signed, dated 1937, 13 x 9.75, currently unframed, the portrait was acquired directly from the personal collection of the artist. We have included the artist's biography below please contact the gallery for additional information, Robert McIntosh (1916-2010) Robert McIntosh was born on March 11, 1916 near San Francisco, in Vallejo, California, the second son of Harry and Jesusita Coronado McIntosh. He found his lifelong passion for painting by the time he was ten years old and never swayed from his calling. The family moved to Stockton when Robert was 12. Their home was just six blocks from the newly opened Haggin Museum, filled with a treasure trove of European and American paintings. He became particularly enamored with the fine examples of 19th century French pastoral landscapes. As teens, Robert and his brother Harrison befriended local painter Arthur Haddock who taught them the craft of art and brought them along on outdoor painting trips. Robert also became skilled at drawing portraits that captured the subject's personality. Soon, the sheer joy of expressing himself this way became a consuming interest. ​When not sketching, McIntosh would wander the stacks of books at the public library, discovering and studying the Masters - in particular, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Whistler. At a Gauguin exhibit at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, Robert discovered a "whole new world of color" and the importance of designing the space in the eternal rectangle. "I envision a frame around everything I see, "he admitted. "The artists' challenge is to put something meaningful, interesting or beautiful in that space." ​In 1934 McIntosh won a competition for a scholarship to the Art Center School of Design, the first award they ever bestowed. The entire family moved to Los Angeles and a new vista opened to the young artist, both visually and culturally. Robert began to take on portrait commissions and had exhibitions at the San Francisco Museum of Art, The Oakland Museum of Art and the Crocker Museum of Art in Sacramento. During the Great Depression, Robert began to work at Disney Studios painting backgrounds for such classics as "Fantasia". Ron Barbagallo, of Animation Art...
Category

1930s Realist Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel

The Music Professor
By Robert McIntosh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Presenting a magnificent early oil painting by American artist Robert McIntosh(1916-2010.) The Professor, is an original oil on paper, laid on panel, estate stamped, painted in 1935, currently unframed with an image dimension of 20 x 16 inches, beautiful original condition, acquired directly from the personal collection of the artist. This is among the earliest work of Robert McIntosh, painted in a master level classical style. Please contact our West Hollywood gallery...
Category

1930s Realist Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Camilla
By Robert McIntosh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Presenting a rare, early original oil painting, "Camilla", by American artist Robert McIntosh(1916-2010) McIntosh was extremely prolific and exhibited throughout his lifetime, inclu...
Category

1930s American Modern Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

My Self
By Robert McIntosh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
We are proud to present a just discovered, extremely rare modernist still life, Trio", by American artist Robert McIntosh (1916 - 2010.) Robert McIntosh won first prize at the Los...
Category

1960s Modern Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Stan Spohn
By Robert McIntosh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Presenting a rare, early original oil painting, "Stan Spohn", by American artist Robert McIntosh(1916-2010) McIntosh was extremely prolific and exhibited throughout his lifetime, ...
Category

1930s Art Deco Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Auto Portrait
By Robert McIntosh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A rare, early original self portrait by American artist Robert McIntosh(1916-2010) McIntosh was extremely prolific and exhibited throughout his...
Category

1930s Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Amour: Helen
By Robert McIntosh
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A rare, early original self portrait by American artist Robert McIntosh(1916-2010) Robert McIntosh was extremely prolific and exhibited throughout his lifetime, including first priz...
Category

1930s Robert McIntosh Portrait Paintings

Materials

Panel, Oil

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Robert Mcintosh portrait paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Robert McIntosh portrait paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of portrait paintings to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of purple and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert McIntosh in oil paint, paint, canvas and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Robert McIntosh portrait paintings, so small editions measuring 10 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Christina Major, Marie Channer, and Ifeoluwa Alade. Robert McIntosh portrait paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $18,500 and tops out at $18,500, while the average work can sell for $18,500.

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