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American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

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Style: American Modern
Colorado River, Needles, California, 1950s Western Landscape, Cleveland School
Located in Beachwood, OH
Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887–1964) The Colorado At Needles, California, c. 1950 Watercolor on paper Monogram lower right, titled verso 14.5 x 20 inches 18.5 x 24 inches fram...
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1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

The Adobe, Early 20th Century Western Village Landscape, Cleveland School Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887–1964) The Adobe, c. 1940-41 Watercolor on paper Signed lower right 14 x 20 inches 18.5 x 24 inches framed Frank Nelson Wilcox (October 3, 1887 –...
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1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

"New York Harbor Nocturne" Leon Dolice, Mid-Century New York Nocturnal Landscape
Located in New York, NY
Leon Dolice New York Harbor Nocturne Signed lower right Pastel on paper 12 x 19 inches The romantic backdrop of Vienna at the turn of the century had a life-long influence upon the...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel

A Striking Modern 1946 Vermont Studio Scene, Standing Female Model in a Doorway
Located in Chicago, IL
A Striking Modern 1946 Vermont Studio Scene of a Standing Female Model in a Doorway by Noted Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Depicting a finely executed portrait of t...
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Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Ink

"New York Harbor Nocturne" Leon Dolice, New York Harbor Scene Mid-Century
Located in New York, NY
Leon Dolice New York Harbor Nocturne Signed lower right Pastel on paper 12 x 19 inches The romantic backdrop of Vienna at the turn of the century had a life-long influence upon the...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Reginald Marsh "Brooklyn Bridge" NYC Modernism WPA Mid-Century Watercolor Modern
Located in New York, NY
Reginald Marsh "Brooklyn Bridge" NYC Modernism WPA Mid-Century Watercolor Modern Reginald Marsh (American, 1898-1954) Brooklyn Bridge, 1940, Signed and dated Reginald Marsh May 1940 (lr), Watercolor over traces of pencil on paper , 15 x 22 inches sight. Reginald Marsh was born in Paris, France in 1898, the child of artist parents. He was born over a small cafe on Paris' Left Bank. He was brought to the United States in 1900 and was drawing before he was three. He studied art at Yale University and the Art Students League, during which time he worked primarily as an illustrator for New York newspapers and magazines. After studying in Paris in 1925 and 1926, he turned seriously to painting. In 1929 he was introduced to the egg-tempera medium, which he used extensively the rest of his life. Marsh's gusto for painting the bottom crust of society contrasted curiously with his background. His parents, both well-known artists, were steeped in academic traditions. He attended Lawrenceville Academy and Yale; perhaps this elite background made it possible to paint the earthy people he did with a journalist's objectivity. An admirer of Rubens and Delacroix, he disliked modernist art; indeed, his lifelong preoccupation was with people - enjoying themselves at beaches, at amusement parks, or on crowded city streets. Marsh was a second-generation Ash Can School painter and printmaker, best known as an urban regionalist. He spent his days sketching in small notebooks...
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1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Black Panther Trials - Civil Rights Movement Police Violence African American
Located in Miami, FL
The Black Panther Trials - In this historically significant work, African American Artist Vicent D. Smith functions as an Art Journalist/ Court Reporter as much as a Artist. Here, he depicts, in complete unity, 21 Black Panther Protestors raising their fist of defiance at the White Judge. Smith's composition is about utter simplicity, where the Black Panther Protestors are symmetrically lined up in a confrontation with a Judge whose size is exaggerated in scale. Set against a stylized American Flag, the supercilious Judge gazes down as the protesters as their fists thrust up. Signed Vincent lower right. Titled Panter 21. Original metal frame. Tape on upper left edge of frame. 255 . Panther 21. Framed under plexi. _____________________________ From Wikipedia In 1969-1971 there was a series of criminal prosecutions in New Haven, Connecticut, against various members and associates of the Black Panther Party.[1] The charges ranged from criminal conspiracy to first-degree murder. All charges stemmed from the murder of 19-year-old Alex Rackley in the early hours of May 21, 1969. The trials became a rallying-point for the American Left, and marked a decline in public support, even among the black community, for the Black Panther Party On May 17, 1969, members of the Black Panther Party kidnapped fellow Panther Alex Rackley, who had fallen under suspicion of informing for the FBI. He was held captive at the New Haven Panther headquarters on Orchard Street, where he was tortured and interrogated until he confessed. His interrogation was tape recorded by the Panthers.[2] During that time, national party chairman Bobby Seale visited New Haven and spoke on the campus of Yale University for the Yale Black Ensemble Theater Company.[3] The prosecution alleged, but Seale denied, that after his speech, Seale briefly stopped by the headquarters where Rackley was being held captive and ordered that Rackley be executed. Early in the morning of May 21, three Panthers – Warren Kimbro, Lonnie McLucas, and George Sams, one of the Panthers who had come East from California to investigate the police infiltration of the New York Panther chapter, drove Rackley to the nearby town of Middlefield, Connecticut. Kimbro shot Rackley once in the head and McLucas shot him once in the chest. They dumped his corpse in a swamp, where it was discovered the next day. New Haven police immediately arrested eight New Haven area Black Panthers. Sams and two other Panthers from California were captured later. Sams and Kimbro confessed to the murder, and agreed to testify against McLucas in exchange for a reduction in sentence. Sams also implicated Seale in the killing, telling his interrogators that while visiting the Panther headquarters on the night of his speech, Seale had directly ordered him to murder Rackley. In all, nine defendants were indicted on charges related to the case. In the heated political rhetoric of the day, these defendants were referred to as the "New Haven Nine", a deliberate allusion to other cause-celebre defendants like the "Chicago Seven". The first trial was that of Lonnie McLucas, the only person who physically took part in the killing who refused to plead guilty. In fact, McLucas had confessed to shooting Rackley, but nonetheless chose to go to trial. Jury selection began in May 1970. The case and trial were already a national cause célèbre among critics of the Nixon administration, and especially among those hostile to the actions of the FBI. Under the Bureau's then-secret "Counter-Intelligence Program" (COINTELPRO), FBI director J. Edgar Hoover had ordered his agents to disrupt, discredit, or otherwise neutralize radical groups like the Panthers. Hostility between groups organizing political dissent and the Bureau was, by the time of the trials, at a fever pitch. Hostility from the left was also directed at the two Panthers cooperating with the prosecutors. Sams in particular was accused of being an informant, and lying to implicate Seale for personal benefit. In the days leading up to a rally on May Day 1970, thousands of supporters of the Panthers arrived in New Haven individually and in organized groups. They were housed and fed by community organizations and by sympathetic Yale students in their dormitory rooms. The Yale college dining halls provided basic meals for everyone. Protesters met daily en masse on the New Haven Green across the street from the Courthouse (and one hundred yards from Yale's main gate). On May Day there was a rally on the Green, featuring speakers including Jean Genet, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and John Froines (an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Oregon). Teach-ins and other events were also held in the colleges themselves. Towards midnight on May 1, two bombs exploded in Yale's Ingalls Rink, where a concert was being held in conjunction with the protests.[4] Although the rink was damaged, no one was injured, and no culprit was identified.[4] Yale chaplain William Sloane Coffin stated, "All of us conspired to bring on this tragedy by law enforcement agencies by their illegal acts against the Panthers, and the rest of us by our immoral silence in front of these acts," while Yale President Kingman Brewster Jr. issued the statement, "I personally want to say that I'm appalled and ashamed that things should have come to such a pass that I am skeptical of the ability of a Black revolutionary to receive a fair trial anywhere in the U.S." Brewster's generally sympathetic tone enraged many of the university's older, more conservative alumni, heightening tensions within the school community. As tensions mounted, Yale officials sought to avoid deeper unrest and to deflect the real possibility of riots or violent student demonstrations. Sam Chauncey has been credited with winning tactical management on behalf of the administration to quell anxiety among law enforcement and New Haven's citizens, while Kurt Schmoke, a future Rhodes Scholar, mayor of Baltimore, MD and Dean of Howard University School of Law, has received kudos as undergraduate spokesman to the faculty during some of the protest's tensest moments. Ralph Dawson, a classmate of Schmoke's, figured prominently as moderator of the Black Student Alliance at Yale (BSAY). In the end, compromises between the administration and the students - and, primarily, urgent calls for nonviolence from Bobby Seale and the Black Panthers themselves - quashed the possibility of violence. While Yale (and many other colleges) went "on strike" from May Day until the end of the term, like most schools it was not actually "shut down". Classes were made "voluntarily optional" for the time and students were graded "Pass/Fail" for the work done up to then. Trial of McLucas Black Panther trial sketch...
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1970s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Pen, Pencil, Paper

Man at a Bar, Paris
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
Provenance The artist; Collection of Henry Dubin, Philadelphia until 2018 Exhibitions Avery Galleries, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Living Color Modern Life: Hugh Henry Breckenridge and...
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Early 20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Pastel

gravesend, oler woman w city scape window yellow tones
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pastel on toned paper *ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive ...
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2010s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel

A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing, Standing Male Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing, Seated Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed early 1930s charco...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Paper

Nearing the Peaks, Early 20th Century Mountainous Western Landscape
Located in Beachwood, OH
Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887–1964) Nearing the Peaks, 1937 Watercolor on paper Signed and dated lower right 15 x 20 inches 18.5 x 24 inches framed Frank Nelson Wilcox (Octo...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Original Painting. Vanity Fair Illustration Proposal. Art Deco Modern 1930s
Located in New York, NY
Original Painting. Vanity Fair Illustration Proposal. Art Deco Modern 1930s Antonio Petruccelli (1907 - 1994) Vanity Fair Illustration proposal, c 1930’s 18 X 13 3/4 inches (sight) ...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache, Board

Kiss of Death, night scene, interior, black and white, dramatic narrative
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Dramatic imagery from FILM NOIR series of black and white monotypes, blending surrealistic mindscapes with stark realism About Tom Bennett: With quick brushstrokes, Tom Bennett crea...
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2010s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Archival Paper, Monotype

A Stylized, Modern 1930s Art Deco Drawing of Two Young Men Planting a Tree
Located in Chicago, IL
A Stylized, 1930s Art Deco Pastel Landscape Drawing of Two Young Men Planting a Tree by Notable Chicago Modern Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Artwork size: 9 x 12 inches, u...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pastel

Woman in Blue
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Andy Warhol is arguably the most important American artist of the 20th century. In the 1950s, he was an in-demand and celebrated illustrator working for New York's toniest publications (like Harper's Bazaar) and elegant shops (such as Bonwit Teller), in addition to many smaller independent fashion companies. In the mid-1950s Warhol became synonymous with shoes after creating a successful campaign for shoe retailer Miller & Sons. Although Warhol had a parallel art practice, primarily focused on drawing, surpassing the designation of “commercial artist” proved difficult. Consider that this era was the height of popularity for the Abstract Expressionist painters. Despite the prevailing aesthetic, Warhol continued to be dedicated to making elegant or playful line drawings. This untitled illustration is an intimate example of Warhol at his best in the 1950's. It is ambiguous whether this was created for a client, or whether Warhol was inspired by an encounter in real life. With the lightest touch, the artist renders a glamorous woman's profile as she holds a young child in her arms. Unique to this drawing is the subtle presence of the child, who rests gently against the woman's chest in a tender embrace yet is almost entirely abstract. This maternal exchange represents an unexpected deviation from Warhol's typical subject matter, possibly serving as a tribute to his own mother, Julia Warhola, whom he admired deeply. This elegant drawing is a marvellous precursor to Warhol's Pop Art era when he became transfixed by images and representation of women. Questions about this piece? Contact us. Visit our Toronto gallery on Thursdays or by appointment. Untitled "Woman in Blue...
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1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Seated Male Nude Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Seated Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed, early 1930s ...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

MOMA Exhibited Watercolor by Chicago Artist Francis Chapin, "Tourists in Taxco"
Located in Chicago, IL
A charming, vibrant, early Mexican city street scene by famed Chicago Modern artist Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Titled "Tourists in Taxco", the watercolor was exhibited at the M...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Alfred Bendiner, (Baseball Hitter and Pitcher -- The Philadelphia Phillies?)
Located in New York, NY
Of course it's possible that these baseball players aren't from a Philadelphia team, but I doubt it. There was so much drama and intrigue with both the Philadelphia Phillies...
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Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

India Ink, Watercolor

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of a Male Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Male Nude Model (Legs) by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well ex...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Paper

Yiddish Theatre Cubist Costume Design 1924 Deco Color Field Modernism Broadway
Located in New York, NY
Yiddish Theatre Cubist Costume Design 1924 Deco Color Field Modernism Broadway. Boris Aronson (1898 – 1980) "Day and Night," 17 ½ x 13 inches. Gouache ...
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1920s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

"Country Haircut"
Located in Lambertville, NJ
Jim’s of Lambertville Fine Art Gallery is proud to offer this piece by Milton Avery (1885 – 1965). Milton Avery was a prominent Modernist painter whose work combined abstraction and...
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1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Paper

The Sunbonnet Babies - Modernist Female Artist
Located in Miami, FL
Bertha Corbett Melcher's The Sunbonnet Babies, with their flat, minimalist, semi-abstract, and symbolic style, are an early example of American Modernism/Surrealism by a lesser-known female artist/illustrator. The present work demonstrates a delicate balance between abstraction and representation and between the commonplace and the mysterious. Her signature use of a hat or sunbonnet to hide the identity of her subjects is a big conceptual and visual idea that has been overlooked in the fine art canon. The exact meaning of this is unknown, but 120 years after they were done, it resonates as somewhat surrealistic. Her work is a contradiction. She shows innocent children engaging in everyday activity but are depicted in vail of mystery. Why does she not show the faces of her subjects? Watercolor on paper (each) Six drawings in all on one board. 6-1/8 x 5 inches (15.6 x 12.7 cm) (each) One signed; two initialed; three not signed. Six drawing in all on one board. 6-1/8 x 5 inches (15.6 x 12.7 cm) (each) One signed; two initialed; three not signed The Sunbonnet Babies characters were created by illustration Bertha L. Corbett when she was challenged to create a faceless character who nonetheless was engaging and appealing. The characters were a wild hit and appeared in books, comics, and popular collectibles. They also became a popular motif in quilting. Few of Corbett's original drawings for the babies are known to survive, making this a rare offering. From: Wikipedia Sunbonnet Babies are characters created by commercial artist Bertha Corbett Melcher (1872–1950). Sunbonnet Babies featured two girls in pastel colored dresses with their faces covered by sunbonnets. Sunbonnet Babies appeared in books, illustrations and advertisements between the years of 1900 and 1930. Sunbonnet Babies were later used as a popular quilting pattern also known as Sunbonnet Sue.[1] Melcher created a male version of the Sunbonnet Babies, named the 'Overall Boys' in 1905.[2][3] History Bertha L. Corbett Melcher Sunbonnet Babies were created by Bertha Corbett Melcher (1872–1950).[4] Melcher was born in Denver and moved with her family to Minneapolis in the 1880s. Melcher attended art school in Minneapolis with plans to become a commercial artist.[5] She may have also studied with Howard Pyle.[6] By the 1920s, Melcher had moved to Topanga, California.[7][4] Melcher started drawing the Sunbonnet Babies in 1897. The origin of the signature style of the faces being covered by sunbonnets is contested by different members of Melcher's family and by Melcher herself. In an interview, Melcher's brother said their mother suggested Bertha avoid the difficulty of drawing faces by covering them with sunbonnets.[4] Melcher herself said that covering faces allowed her to communicate with body position.[4] Melcher has also said that the design came about in "answer to a friend’s challenge to convey emotion without a face."[2] Melcher published her first book, The Sun-Bonnet Babies in 1900.[3] Later, she shopped her illustrations to publisher Rand McNally of Chicago, and nine subsequent books were written by Eulalie Osgood Grover and illustrated by Bertha Corbett. In 1905, Melcher wrote The Overall Boys.[3] Many of these books were used as primers and used widely in primary schools in the midwest. Melcher used the sunbonnet babies in advertising and later established the Sunbonnet Babies Company. She started a studio to illustrate and create merchandise of the Sunbonnet Babies.[2] The characters also appeared in a comic strip.[2] Quilting Melcher herself did not originate the use of the sunbonnet babies as quilting pattern. The Sunbonnet Babies quilting pattern appeared in textile art 1910's in the Ladies Home Journal 1911–1912 in a quilt stitched by Marie Webster. The pattern was popular during the Great Depression. In the American South, it was often known as "Dutch Doll" until the 1970s.[3] There was also a quilt pattern based on the "Overall Boys," known by the various names including “Overall Bill, “Overall Andy,” “Sunbonnet Sam,” “Suspender Sam,” “Fisherman Jim."[3] Many patterns for quilts and sewing were designed by Ruby Short McKim and published in nationally syndicated newspapers.[8] Sunbonnet Sue became symbolic of 'female innocence and docility'.[9] Linda Pershing collected accounts from women quilters who depicted 'Sues' doing activities such as smoking, wearing more revealing clothing, and subverting feminine stereotypes.[10] In 1979, the “Seamsters Union Local #500," a group of quilters from Lawrence, Kansas, created “The Sun Sets on Sunbonnet Sue," a quilt depicting the character murdered in a variety of ways.[3] Collectibles Sunbonnet Babies merchandise includes school books, valentines cards, postcards, china, and quilts.[2][5][11] Sunbonnet Babies were adapted into three dimensional porcelain collectibles and pottery made by Royal Bayreuth Company in the early 1900s. The Royal Bayreuth China...
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Early 1900s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Sleeping Cat, Early 20th Century, Cleveland School Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
Clarence Holbrook Carter (American, 1904-2000) Sleeping Cat, 1929 Watercolor on paper Signed and dated upper right 15 x 19 inches 21.25 x 25.25 inches, framed Clarence Holbrook Car...
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1920s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Canyon at Evening, Early 20th Century Western Landscape, Cleveland School Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887–1964) Canyon at Evening, 1937 Watercolor on paper Signed and dated lower right 14 x 19 inches 18.75 x 24 inches, framed Frank Nelson Wilcox (Oc...
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1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Rio Puerco, New Mexico, Early 20th Century Western Landscape, Cleveland School
Located in Beachwood, OH
Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887–1964) Rio Puerco, New Mexico, c. 1940-1 Watercolor on paper Monogram lower right 15 x 20 inches 18.5 x 24 inches framed Frank Nelson Wilcox (O...
Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Flats Near Pueblo Isleta, New Mexico, 20th Century Western Landscape
Located in Beachwood, OH
Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887–1964) Flats Near Isleta, c. 1937 Watercolor on paper Signed lower right, titled verso 14.5 x 20 inches 18.5 x 24 inches framed Frank Nelson Wil...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Rare 1950s Vintage Syndicated Ink Drawing Cartoon Strip Susie Q Smith Comic Art
Located in Surfside, FL
SUSIE Q. SMITH Medium: Newspaper comics Distributed by: King Features Syndicate First Appeared: 1945 Creators: Linda and Jerry Walter 5.5 X 19.5 Dated August 13, 1954 in top right corner. Like her contemporaries, Aggie Mack, Candy and Patsy Walker (before her conversion to a superhero), Susie Q. Smith was a female Archie-type — not exactly an imitator, because Archie, who had started only four years earlier, hadn't yet become popular enough to spawn imitators, but part of his genre. She attended high school, where her teachers often seemed unreasonable to her, interacted with the opposite gender in a typically adolescent way, and her parents didn't completely understand her. And she was cute and perky as only a teenage girl can be. Susie was the star of a comic strip distributed by King Features, the biggest of the comic strip syndicates, whose other offerings have ranged from Jackys Diary to Prince Valiant. King launched the strip in both daily and Sunday form in 1945. Daily, she was only in a panel at first, but it expanded into a full, multi-panel strip on February 7, 1953. In a very odd turn of events, in 1953 the Walters chose to leave King Features behind and hitch their wagon at the McNaught Syndicate. The creators were Harold "Jerry" Walter and his wife, Linda. Jerry was also responsible for Jellybean Jones, who has nothing to do with Jughead Jones's young sister, a modern-day addition to the Archie cast of characters. Together, they did The Lively Ones during the 1960s. Though each was capable of doing both major jobs in comic strip production, their usual working method was for Jerry to dream up the ideas and write the dialog, while Linda did the artwork. The Walters also collaborated on a series of Susie Q. Smith comic books for Dell Comics. Instead of reprinting newspaper strips, these ran new stories by the Walters. Between 1951 and '54, four issues were published as part of the Four Color Comics series, where many minor comic strips, including Dotty Dripple, Timmy and Rusty Riley had found a home. It had no other media spin-offs. Susie Q. Smith had a respectable run in the newspapers, but it ended in 1959. Jerry Walter (1915 - 2007) was an abstract expressionist artist whose output of energetic and colorful paintings were the products of the rich artistic milieu of post-war New York City. He was born Harold Frank Walter in Mount Pleasant, Iowa on November 25, 1915. After graduating from Colgate University in 1937, Walter moved to New York City, where he studied drawing and painting at the New School and the Art Students’ League. Before concentrating seriously on his art, he spent several years as a successful copywriter and idea man for the advertising agencies of J. Walter Thompson, McCann Ericson, and BBDO. During this time, he also worked as a syndicated cartoonist. Collaborating with his wife, Linda, his best-known series was Susie Q. Smith, which first appeared in 1945 and described as a “female Archie type.” Very popular, the cartoon was later the subject of a series of comic books published from 1951 to 1954. After serving in the United States Army for three years during World War II, Walter began to paint seriously. He ascribed his earliest artistic influence to Joan Miró, whose Dog Barking at the Moon (1926) he viewed when he was twelve, the year he published his first cartoon. Walter later wrote that jazz, “the first native expression of so-called modernism” was a strong influence on his work. During the later 1940s, Walters spent time at the Research Studio in Maitland, Florida. Founded in 1937 by artist and architect J. André Smith and supported by the philanthropist Mary Curtis Bok, the Research Studio was a lively colony that hosted prominent artists, including Milton Avery, Ralston Crawford, and Doris Lee. While at the Studio, Walter’s work was purchased by Frank Crowninshield. A founding trustee of the Museum of Modern Art and editor of Vanity Fair, Crowinshield was a noted collector; his collection included important works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Edgar Degas, George Bellows, and Pierre Bonnard. Returning to New York after his time at the Studio, Walter became an active member of the New York school of the abstract expressionist movement, and in the summer of 1956, Walter exhibited 13 paintings and a selection of drawings at New York’s Chase Gallery. The adroit manipulation of both color and composition evident in his work shows the influence of Abstract Expressionism, particularly Willem de Kooning, Arshile Gorky, and Hans Hofmann. illustrator and female cartoonist Linda Walter was the talented female mind behind the beloved "Susie Q. Smith" comic strip. She played an instrumental role in shaping the cultural landscape through her vibrant illustrations. Known for the timeless charm of the "Susie Q. Smith" comic strip, Linda's artistry brought joy and laughter to countless readers during the 1950s and continues to resonate with fans across generations. She was part of the Woodstock artists community. from Women in Comics: Linda Walter was the artist of newspaper strip Susie Q. Smith, which was written by her husband, Jerry. It was syndicated by King Features Syndicate and ran from 1945 to 1959. The Walters also contributed original Susie Q. Smith stories to Dell's Four Color comic books from 1951 to 1954. From 1964-1965, they created a singled panel comic called The Lively Ones. Vintage Golden Age of Comics era. The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era in the history of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created. Between 1939 and 1941 Detective Comics (DC) and its sister company, All-American Publications, introduced popular superheroes such as Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Doctor Fate, the Atom, Hawkman, Green Arrow and Aquaman. Timely Comics, the 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics, had million-selling titles featuring the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner, and Captain America. Another notable series was The Spirit by Will Eisner. Dell Comics' non-superhero characters (particularly the licensed Walt Disney animated-character comics) outsold the superhero comics of the day. The publisher featured licensed movie and literary characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Roy Rogers and Tarzan. Additionally, MLJ's introduction of Archie Andrews in Pep Comics #22 (December 1941) gave rise to teen humor comics, with the Archie Comics...
Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

"Transition, Series 1, No. 4" - Watercolor Figurative Illustration
Located in Soquel, CA
Subtly shaded abstract figurative illustration by Elsa Warnick (American, 1942-2013). Two adult and three baby figures are rendered with subtle tan shading, against an abstract background with geometric shapes and swirling ribbons. One of the two adult figures is laying down, while the other appears to be jumping or dancing. Notable is the skillful use of negative space to balance the composition. Signed and dated "Warnick 1982" in the lower right corner. Signed, titled, and dated with materials information on verso. Presented in a silver aluminum frame. Frame size: 23.5"H x 31.25"W Paper size: 23.25"H x 31"W Elsa Warnick (American, 1942-2013) was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. She moved to Portland to attend the Reed College/Museum Art School joint five year program. Warnick went on to create many works of art as well as teach art and illustration. She is mostly known for her watercolor paintings, including the illustration of several children's books. Some of her pieces are held in the Portland Art Museum’s collection. Selected Exhibitions: 1974: University Center Gallery, Willamette University - Salem, OR 1978: Mayer Gallery...
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1980s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

Respite
Located in London, GB
Pencil on paper Signed and dated (lower right) 29cm × 21cm (48cm × 39cm framed) A truly original artist, Lear spent most of his 70 year career exploring beautifully proportioned mal...
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1980s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Flapper Fanny - Female Cartoonist of the Golden Age
Located in Miami, FL
Flapper Fanny - Female Cartoonist of the Golden Age Sylvia Sneidman was originally a fashion illustrator, but assumed the helm of the famous jazz-age panel cartoon "Flapper Fanny Sa...
Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

India Ink, Archival Paper

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study (Standing Male Nude Model)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed, early 1930...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Paper

A Stunning Mid-Century Modern Ink Drawing of a Seated Female Nude by Rudolph Pen
Located in Chicago, IL
A Stunning Mid-Century Modern Ink Drawing of a Seated Female Nude by Noted Chicago Artist, Rudolph T. Pen. Completed in the 1960s, this compelling studio ink drawing is executed in ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

Chaim Gross Mid Century Mod Judaica Jewish Watercolor Painting Rabbis WPA Artist
Located in Surfside, FL
Chaim Gross (American, 1904-1991) Watercolor painting Rabbinical Talmudic Discussion Hand signed 17 x 29 framed, paper 10 x 22 Chaim Gross (March 17, 1904 – May 5, 1991) was an ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of a Male Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of a Seated Young Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well execu...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Male Nude Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed, early 1930...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Fine, Mid-Century Modern 1950s Academic Anatomical Figure Study (Female Feet)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine, Mid-Century Modern 1950s Academic Anatomical Figure Study of Female Feet by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). A well executed ink composite figure study...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

Divers
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Jay Alan Babcock is a St. Louis-based graphic designer and painter. His work exhibits his interest in the visual language of Americana, including old ...
Category

2010s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Carbon Pencil

A Striking 1940s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Harold Haydon
Located in Chicago, IL
A Striking 1940s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exquisite studio portrait study, charcoal on paper, dating...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Shops in a Small Town - Original Watercolor on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
Shops in a Small Town - Original Watercolor on Paper Beautiful watercolor painting a small town main street by Ken L. Stephens (American, 20th Century). There are several colorful b...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Laid Paper

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of a Male Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Young Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well exe...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal, Paper

Nuba 1981 Graphite Drawing on Brown Paper James Brown Galerie Bernd Kluser
Located in Surfside, FL
James Brown (American, 1951-2020) "Study on the Nuba" (African men drawings) 1981 Graphite on brown paper, two works framed together Bears gallery labels verso Dimensions: approx. 16"h x 12"w (each sheet), 24.5"h x 35.25"w (frame) Provenance: Galerie Bernd Klüser, Bears label verso They represented internationally renowned artists such as Joseph Beuys, Tony Cragg, Enzo Cucchi, Jannis Kounellis, Mimmo Paladino and Andy Warhol. Their first exhibitions were with Andy Warhol, Tony Cragg, Julião Sarmento...
Category

1980s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Graphite

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing (Study, Male Legs)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of a Male Model (Study, Male Legs) by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well exe...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

French Gouache Portrait Study of Navajo Hopi and Apache Figures
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Title: French Gouache Portrait Study of Navajo Hopi and Apache Figures by Emile GALLOIS (1882-1965, French) Signed: Yes Medium: Original gouache painting on thick unframed paper, Siz...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing (Male Model, Arms)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study Drawing of Male Arms by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). A well executed, early 1930s charcoal study (a c...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing, Seated Male Nude Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Seated Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed early 1930s ch...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

"18 Cornelia Street" George Morrison, Ojibwe Native Artist, Modernist Work
Located in New York, NY
George Morrison 18 Cornelia Street, 1944 Signed and dated "May 1944" lower left Ink on paper 8 1/4 x 5 1/4 inches Provenance The artist Carl Ashby Estate of the above Private Collec...
Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study of a Male Nude Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Finely Drawn, 1930s Modern Figure Study of a Seated Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Modern Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An early charcoal drawing by Haydon (a compos...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing, Standing Male Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing, Standing Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed early 1930s char...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study (Standing Male Nude Model)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed, early 1930...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Male Nude Model
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine 1930s, Modern Academic Figure Study Drawing of a Standing Male Nude Model by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exceptionally well executed, early 1930...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Fog over North Beach, Percé Rock, Gaspé, Canada, Early 20th Century, Cleveland
Located in Beachwood, OH
Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887-1964) Fog over North Beach, Percé Rock, Gaspé, Canada, c. 1929 Watercolor on paper Signed lower left 13.75 x 20 inches Frank Nelson Wilcox (October 3, 1887 – April 17, 1964) was a modernist American artist and a master of watercolor. Wilcox is described as the "Dean of Cleveland School painters," though some sources give this appellation to Henry Keller or Frederick Gottwald. Wilcox was born on October 3, 1887 to Frank Nelson Wilcox, Sr. and Jessie Fremont Snow Wilcox at 61 Linwood Street in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, a prominent lawyer, died at home in 1904 shortly before Wilcox' 17th birthday. His brother, lawyer and publisher Owen N. Wilcox, was president of the Gates Legal Publishing Company or The Gates Press. His sister Ruth Wilcox was a respected librarian. In 1906 Wilcox enrolled from the Cleveland School of Art under the tutelage of Henry Keller, Louis Rorimer...
Category

1920s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study (Male Legs, Knee & Feet)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study of a Seated Male Model (Legs, Knee and Feet) by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). A well executed, early 1...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Charming 1930s Charcoal Study of Three Young Men Reading in a Lakehouse Window
Located in Chicago, IL
A Charming 1930s Charcoal Study of Three Young Men Reading by a Lakehouse Window by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Most likely completed during the summer mo...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Kutschen (carriages); Group of four designs for hansom cabs.
Located in Middletown, NY
Four pencil drawings, each with hand coloring in watercolor, each 6 3/4 x 10 inches (sheet) (172 x 254 mm), full margins. Each with inscriptions and notations by the artist in the up...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Handmade Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study (Male Leg, Knee & Foot)
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fine, Modern 1930s Academic Anatomical Figure Study of a Standing Male Model (Leg, Knee and Foot) by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). A well executed, early ...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

An Intimate, 1940s Mid-Century Modern Female Figure Study, Standing Nude
Located in Chicago, IL
An Intimate, Finely Drawn 1940s Modern Female Nude Figure Study by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). The drawing is ink on paper and dates circa 1945. Artwork ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Paper

A Fabulous 1950s Mid-Century Modern Standing Female Nude Figure Study
Located in Chicago, IL
A Fabulous 1950s Mid-Century Modern Standing Female Nude Figure Study by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Artwork Size: 18 x 12, unframed, mounted / floated t...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Paper

Vintage Male Erotica 1951 Graphite on Paper Figure Study by Artist Harold Haydon
Located in Chicago, IL
A 1951 black and white figure study of a nude male, by artist Harold Haydon. Artwork size: 19" x 12 1/2". Archivally matted to 24" x 20". Provenance: Estate of the Artist. Esta...
Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Graphite, Paper

A Stunning, Finely Drawn 1930s Modern Female Figure Study, Standing Nude
Located in Chicago, IL
A Stunning, Finely Drawn 1930s Modern Female Nude Figure Study by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). The drawing is ink on paper and dates from 1930. Artwork si...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink

A Fine 1930s Modern, Art Deco Female Drawing, Portrait of a Young Woman
Located in Chicago, IL
A Finely Drawn, 1930s Art Deco Modern Female Figure Study, Portrait of a Young Woman in Profile by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). An exquisite studio portrai...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

American Modern figurative drawings and watercolors for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic American Modern figurative drawings and watercolors available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add figurative drawings and watercolors created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of orange, yellow and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Donald Stacy, Alfred Bendiner, Irene Pattinson, and Frank Wilcox. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Watercolor and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large American Modern figurative drawings and watercolors, so small editions measuring 0.25 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative drawings and watercolors made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $85 and tops out at $243,750, while the average work sells for $1,200.

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