Items Similar to “Abstract, 1950” View More
Rolph Scarlett“Abstract, 1950”Circa 1950
Circa 1950
About
Original watercolor on archival paper by the Canadian/American artist, Rolph Scarlett. Signed lower right. Condition: Very good. Circa 1950. Overall in matte black frame with white mat 11.75 by 18 inches.
ROLPH SCARLETT (1889-1984)
Rolph Scarlett was born 1889 in Guelph, Ontario. His long life as an artist began in his teens as a jewelry designer and fabricator. At the age of fourteen he began to design jewelry professionally, a craft which he continued off and on for the rest of his life.
His desire to learn more about art took him to New York in 1908, when American artists were just beginning to experience strong influences from major modern European artists of the day such as Cezanne and Picasso.
Throughout his long career he produced, oil paintings, many works on paper, unique sculptured jewelry, modernist style industrial and furniture designs. Currently there are over 800 of his designs at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Design Collection.
In 1928 he moved to Hollywood, California where he became a very successful stage and set designer. In the mid-1930s he met the director of the Museum of Non-objective Art in New York ( Hilla Rebay). He became her close associate and advisor in organizing and running the museum. He was Chief lecturer at the museum (1939 -1946) teaching the new modernism and abstraction to the new generation of artists in the New York art community. Hilla Rebay would introduce him as “Rolph Scarlett, my great find”. So considerable was her enthusiasm for Scarlett, that she and Solomon Guggenheim bought over sixty of his paintings and monotypes for the museum. After Kandinsky and Bauer, there was more of Scarlett’s work in the collection than any other artists.
He participated in many of the museum exhibitions and galleries and was regularly exhibiting his work in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Art Museum, the Art Institute in Chicago, the Modern Age Gallery in N.Y., the Metropolitan Museum, the Whitney Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. He studied for a time at the Art Student League with William Merrit Chase, John Sloan and Georges Luks.
In 1951, called by a curator from the Whitney Museum asking if he wanted to have a painting in their annual exhibition and if they could come to his studio to make a selection. The painting the curator selected had been done by puncturing holes in the bottoms of paint cans and letting the paint drip onto the canvas. He selected the drip painting over the other paintings which were in Scarlett’s more usual geometric style. Scarlett labeled these paintings “Lyrical,” today these would be labeled as Abstract Expressionist.
In the early 1960s Scarlett moved to Woodstock, New York, where he would remain until the end of his life. By this time he had returned to geometric abstraction and concentrating on the creation of jewelry. Since his death in 1984, many galleries have given him numerous shows. There have been approximately 14 one-man shows of his work, mostly in New York City.
Rolph Scarlett’s artistic career embraced over 75 years. His greatest works were the sculptured jewelry, his Lyrical Figurative Abstractions and Geometric paintings. Also notable are the modernist industrial designs and the stage designs of the 1920’s.
Details
- Artist
- Creation YearCirca 1950
- Medium
- Movement & Style
- ConditionGood
- Period
- DimensionsH 6.5 in. x W 11 in. x D .75 in.H 16.51 cm x W 27.94 cm x D 1.91 cm
- Gallery LocationSouthampton, NY
- Reference NumberLU1414465142
Buyer Protection Guaranteed
Our Promise To You: If you're not happy with the way an item arrived, we'll work with you and the seller to reach an optimal resolution. Read more
Shipping, Returns & Payment
- ShippingRates vary by destination and complexityShipping methods are determined by item size, type, fragility and specific characteristics.Shipping costs are calculated based on carrier rates, delivery distance and packing complexity.
- Return Policy
This item can be returned within 7 days of delivery.
View details
- Online Payment Methods1stdibs accepts the following payment methods
- Item InvoiceGenerate an invoice that you can customize and print.
About the Seller
4.8 / 5
Vetted
Platinum
1stdibs seller since 2013
Located in Southampton, NY
More From This Seller
“Untitled Abstract”
Rolph Scarlett
1940s Post-Modern Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Original watercolor on archival paper by the Canadian/American artist, Rolph Scarlett. Signed middle bottom. Condition: Very good. Overall framed in matte black frame with acid fr...
“Floating Forms”
Rolph Scarlett
1940s Modern Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Gouache
Mid century modern gouache on paper by the well known Canadian/American artist, Rolph Scarlett. Signed and dated in blue pen lower left, 1947. Condition: Good. Framed in thin bla...
“Untitled Abstract”
Rolph Scarlett
1940s Abstract Geometric Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Watercolor
Untitled watercolor on paper geometric abstract by the Canadian/American artist, Rolph Scarlett. Signed lower left. Condition is good. Newly matted and framed in one inch wide matte...
"Lamp Shade"
Rolph Scarlett
1930s American Modern Mixed Media
Paper, Oil Pastel
Signed front and bottom left, not dated
Provenance: Portico New York, Inc.
Framed
You May Also Like
Untitled, Geometric Abstraction with Circles
Rolph Scarlett
Mid-20th Century Abstract Geometric Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Gouache, Graphite
Gouache and pencil on buff wove paper, c. 1940. Signed in pencil, lower left. Image size 9 1/2 x 10 7/8 inches (241 x 267 mm); sheet size 12 x 13 1/4 inches (305 x 337 mm). A fine mi...
"Untitled Study"
Rolph Scarlett
20th Century Abstract Geometric Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Watercolor
Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork.
Signed lower right.
Rolph Scarlett (1889 - 1984)
A major exponent of non-objective painting, Rolph Scarlett's career and art...
$1,920 Sale Price
20% Off
Abstract Expressionist Gouache Painting by Rolp...
Rolph Scarlett
1960s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Gouache
Artist: Rolph Scarlett, Canadian (1889 - 1984)
Title: Untitled
Year: 1964
Medium: Gouache On Paper, signed and dated
Size: 16.5 x 14 in. (41.91 x 35.56 cm)
untitled (Abstraction)
Rolph Scarlett
1950s Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Signed lower right "Scarlett"
Provenance:
Estate of the artist
A rare mid to late 1950s example of the artist's abstract expressionist style.
UNTITLED ABSTRACTION
Rolph Scarlett
Mid-20th Century Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Color Pencil
Scarlett, Rolph (American, born Canada, 1889-1984). UNTITLED ABSTRACTION. Colored pencils on paper, not dated. Signed, lower right. 5 5/8 x 8 1/4 inches (image), 6 x 8 3/4 inches, (s...
Deanna Lee, Surface Transcriptions, 2019, site ...
Deanna Lee
2010s Post-Modern Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Vellum, Wax Crayon, Ink, Watercolor, Wax
Deanna Lee's installation at ODETTA developed from features and colors within the gallery. She also created small installations in the flat files. In these collages, Deanna Lee combi...
Deanna Lee, Surface Transcriptions-Long Wall, 2...
Deanna Lee
2010s Post-Modern Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Wax Crayon, Ink, Wax, Watercolor, Vellum
Deanna Lee's installation at ODETTA developed from features and colors within the gallery.
Surface Transcriptions is a series of six site-responsive drawings that were created on s...
Deanna Lee, Surface Transcriptions_Red Corner, ...
Deanna Lee
2010s Post-Modern Abstract Drawings and Watercolors
Wax Crayon, Ink, Wax, Watercolor, Vellum
Deanna Lee's installation at ODETTA developed from features and colors within the gallery.
Surface Transcriptions is a series of six site-responsive drawings that were created on s...
Why Shop on 1stdibs?
Only Vetted, Professional Sellers
Buyer Protection Guaranteed
Fully Insured Global Deliveries