20th Century Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

B. C. Leeming (British, circa 1901) A Portrait of John Ruskin Ink Signed and dated ' B C Leeming 01’ (lower left) 13 x 10.1/4 in. (33 x 26 cm.). Provenance: Collection of James S D...

Work on paper Golden wooden frame with glass pane 82 x 61.4 x 3.5 cm

A fine graphite study by the British artist Alfred Kingsley Lawrence, depicting a study of three figures. Unsigned. Well-presented in a white on black double card mount and in a simp...

David Becker Scorn charcoal on paper 40h x 30w in 101.60h x 76.20w cm DB0011 David Becker b. 1937 David H. Becker, painter, printmaker and educator, was born on August 16, 1937 in M...

Hilding Werner (1880-1944) Sweden Hulda in a Room at Ruds Säteri mixed media on paper unframed 27 x 22.5 cm (10.63 x 8.86 inches) framed 38 x 33.5 cm (14.96 x 13.19 inches) Prov...

Walter Jenks Morgan (1847-1924) - Original Early 20th Century Watercolour. A beautiful watercolour by listed artist Walter J. Morgan depicting a Venetian woman...

A beautiful early 20th Century (c. 1930-40) watercolour of impressive size. The scene shows a beautiful mother with dark hair in a Pre-Raphaelite style dress in pink and green, holdi...

An expressive drawing by the Russian artist Samouil Nevelshtein, depicting a portrait of a young pioneer camp leader. The Young Pioneer camps of the Soviet Union were a place where c...

A very fine pastel study of a young boy by the Italian artist Franco Matania . He is captured wearing a sun hat and polka dot handkerchief around his neck. Well presented in a blue c...

An inscription on the reverse reads 'Girl in festive costume. Nizhny Novgorod Province, second half of the 19th century.' The artwork is also neatly monogrammed, signed, and dated. W...

A charming full length watercolour portrait of a young boy, scruffily dressed with crumpled trousers and unlaced shoes. the carries a satchel over his shoulder and scratches his head...

A striking male portrait in black India ink. The painting has been presented in a contemporary black frame with a white card mount. On thin chin colle.

Image size is 11.60" by 9" Boris Deutsch (Lithuanian-American Modernist) was born in Krasnogorsk Lithuania june 4 1892 died in Los Angeles 1978. Entered the polytechnic school in rig...

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...

A fine study of a young girl completed carefully in graphite. The artwork is well presented in a molded black frame with glazing and a double card mount. On wove.

James Rassiat ( 1909 -1998 ) . " la Tour Eiffel au bras de Maurice Chevalier " gouache on paper : 38 X 28 cm Framed : 51 X 41,5 cm

A finely detailed and expertly executed sanguine portrait of a characterful woman in a high-necked, Edwardian dress. The artist has captured the intensity of the sitter's personality...

Vintage Charcoal Portrait of a Sleeping Man in an Overcoat c.1940 Charcoal on paper - Signed illegibly in the lower right corner Dimensions...

A fine portrait by the listed British artist Peter Collins. With pastel detail. Very well presented in a contemporary black frame with double card mount. Signed and dated. On wove.

This colourful portrait depicts the profile of a man wearing a blue tunic and a kufi. The artist captures the man in fine pastel detail, highlighting the h...

A beautiful mid 19th Century double portrait of two sisters, one leaning her head on her older sister's shoulder, the other leaning into her younger sibling with a supportive arm. The delicacy of the brushwork in the faces of the two girls is typical for water colorists of this period. The painting is unsigned and handsomely presented in a fine Louis XIV gilt frame...

A vibrant full length portrait of a young women, walking her dog through a field of dandelion on a blustery summers day. The artist has signed to the lower right-hand corner. inscrib...

Albert Paul Guilmet (1879-1922) Portrait of a man, signed upper left charcoal on paper 26.5 x 33,8 cm Framed : 43.5 x 52 cm Little is known about Abert Paul Guilmet, apart from th...

Ernest LAURENT Gentilly 1859 - Bièvres 1929 Study of young woman in profile Red chalk Circa 1900 80 x 63 cm framed 54 x 39 sheet Beautiful antique frame in natural wood, probabl...

Artist: Eve Nethercott, American (1925 - 2015) Title: Maine (P6. 59) Year: 1953 Medium: Watercolor on Paper Size: 22 x 15 in. (55.88 x 38.1 cm)

Artist: Raul Anguiano, Mexican (1919 - 2006) Title: Portrait of a Woman Year: 1964 Medium: Pastel on Paper, signed and dated l.r. Size: 31 x 22 inches Frame Size: 39 x 30 inches

Christ is a modern artwork realized by Arturo Pagano in the 1980s. Watercolor drawings. Good conditions.

A wonderful portrait of a young woman by the listed British artist Peter Collins. Here he has captured the sitter's effortless beauty with a small number of expressive pencil marks a...

Leonor Fini Portrait, ca. 1960 Ink on paper 14.5 x 10 cm 5 1/2 x 4 in. 37.5 x 33 cm 14 1/2 x 13 in. (Frame included) Unique work Exhibition history: Leonor Fini: Small Faces, Apri...

Portrait is a modern artwork realized by Arturo Pagano in the 1980s. Watercolor drawings. Good conditions.

Portrait is a modern artwork realized by Arturo Pagano in the 1980s. Watercolor drawings. Good conditions.

Figure is a modern artwork realized by Arturo Pagano in the 1980s. Watercolor drawings. Good conditions.

The SwordFish is a modern artwork realized by Arturo Pagano in the 1980s. Watercolor drawings. Good conditions.

Portrait is a modern artwork realized by Arturo Pagano in the 1980s. Watercolor drawings. Good conditions.

Inscription on the reverse reads 'Peasant boy and girl in festive costumes from Nizhny Novgorod Province, first half of 19th century.' The artwork is also ...

Etude pour la Pologne is a modern artwork realized by Alfred Plauzeau in the Early-20th Century. Pencil Drawing. Good conditions.

A fine contemporary painting perfectly capturing a bustling city street. Signed and dated. On the reverse is a label from the Bankside Gallery. Well presented in a painted wood frame...

Signed and inscribed in Cyrillic on the reverse. On wove.

A wonderful portrait of a young girl by the listed British artist Peter Collins. Very well presented in a contemporary black frame with card mount. Inscribed with the name of the sit...

A wonderful portrait of a young woman by the listed British artist Peter Collins. Here he has captured the sitter's effortless beauty with a small number of expressive pencil marks a...

A wonderful portrait of a young woman by the listed British artist Peter Collins. Here he has captured the sitter's effortless beauty with a small number of expressive pencil marks a...

Peter Collins ARCA - Framed Original c.1970s Pastel. Presented in a card mount and gold frame. Unsigned. On wove. Some surface marks to the mount but generally condition is fine. Pet...

"Prison Portrait" Portrait Drawing 14" x 10" in (1960) by Inji Efflatoun Signed and dated Inji Eflatoun pursued free studies in art. Since 1942, she has participated in the exhibi...

"Villager with Cane" Pencil Drawing 18" x 13" in (circa 1979) by Inji Efflatoun signed & dated Inji Eflatoun pursued free studies in art. Since 1942, she has participated in the ex...

An expressive sanguine drawing by the artist Samouil Nevelshtein, depicting a short-haired girl. Signed, dated and inscribed in Cyrillic to the lower right-hand corner. There is a la...

A very precise watercolour painting with gouache and graphite, depicting a surreal scene with three figures, possibly alluding to the Greek mythological story of Patroclus and Achill...

A wonderful portrait of a young woman by the listed British artist Peter Collins. Here he has captured the sitter's effortless beauty with a small number of expressive pencil marks a...

Bold magentas and vivid viridians are finished with charcoal and gouache to render a portrait full of mystic expression in Midlane's nuanced style. The artwork is unsigned and well p...

An inscription on the reverse reads 'Peasant girl in costume of the Saratov Province, late 19th century.' The artwork is also neatly monogrammed, signed, and dated. Well presented in...

JEKATERINA GRYAZEVA Born in Latvia, Riga 1968 Education 1979 - 1986 J.Rozentals Secondary Art School (Riga). 1987 - 1993 Academy of Art (Riga, Latvia), department of Graphics,...

Artist: Eve Nethercott, American (1925 - 2015) Title: Hampton Bays (P6.24) Year: 1958 Medium: Watercolor on Paper Size: 22 x 30 in. (55.88 x 76.2 cm)

JEKATERINA GRYAZEVA Born in Latvia, Riga 1968 Education 1979 - 1986 J.Rozentals Secondary Art School (Riga). 1987 - 1993 Academy of Art (Riga, Latvia), department of Graphics,...

Haystacks. 1960s. Bilateral. Paper, watercolor, 31x25 cm Dzidra Ezergaile (1926-2013) Born in Riga. School years alternate with summer work in the countryside. In 1947, she began h...

Self Portrait in Underwear John Hardy, American (1923–2014) Date: 1962 Pastels on Watercolor paper, signed and dated Image Size: 23.5 x 18 inches Size: 32 x 27 in. (81.28 x 68.58 cm)

The murder of John Lennon. The birth of my children. Nixon’s resignation. Brain surgery. Driven by the desire to express myself, and leave a physical record of my life and times, I’v...

Artist: Eve Nethercott, American (1925 - ) Title: West Hampton (P3.32) Year: 1958 Medium: Watercolor on Paper (Double-Sided), annotated Size: 14 x 19.5 in. (35.56 x 49.53 cm) Other ...

Pencil drawing of human profile in anterior view by artist Werner Bell, circa 1960. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with a gold border. Mat fits a standard-s...

Lucien Victor Guirand de Scevola (1871-1950) Portrait of Marie-Thérèse Piérat in Les Marionnettes, 1910 Pencil on paper, signed, dated and annotated lower ...

Bold portrait monotype with striped blue background by American artist Kismine Varner, 1990. Signed in pencil lower right. Original artwork on paper displayed on a white mat with ...

An original watercolor painting by Westley "Wes" Olmsted. This work is currently featured in the exhibition Man of Extremes at Benjaman Gallery in Buffalo, NY. Westley G. Olmsted (1934-2011) was a painter and sculptor. He was born in Buffalo, New York, and was a distant relative Frederick Law Olmsted...