George Avakian

"Group Image" George Avakian, Group Photo of Artists, Artist Portrait, Fluxus

1958

Nat Fein Babe Bows Out, 1948 Signed lower right Gelatin silver print on paper Image size: 16 x 20 inches Mat size: 22 1/2 x 24 3/4 inches Nat Fein (1914–2000) was a prominent Ameri...

Attributed to Hans Namuth Robert Rauschenberg Gemini Editions advertisement Photograph on paper 14 x 11 Provenance Estate of Carolyn Brown, New York 2025. Born in Essen, Germany, ...

Saul Leiter 2 Merce Cunningham Contact Sheets, 1954 Dated and inscribed by Carolyn Brown on verso Kodak safety film 10 x 8 inches Provenance Estate of Carolyn Brown, New York 2025. Saul Leiter (1923-2013) was born in Pittsburgh to a father who was a well-respected Talmudic scholar. His passion for the arts ignited during his late teenage years, and despite being urged to follow in his father's footsteps to become a Rabbi, he chose to forgo theological studies, moving to New York at the age of 23 to delve into painting. In the city, he formed a friendship with Abstract Expressionist painter Richard Pousette-Dart, who was exploring photography. This connection, along with a subsequent friendship with W. Eugene Smith, deepened his fascination with photography. Leiter's initial black and white images reveal a remarkable talent for the art form. By the 1950s, he also began to explore color, producing a substantial and noteworthy collection during the early stages of this medium. His uniquely muted color palette often imparts a painterly essence that distinguishes his work from that of others in his era. Leiter's inaugural showcase of color photography took place in the 1950s at the Artist's Club, a gathering spot for many Abstract Expressionists of that period. Edward Steichen included twenty-three of his black and white works in the influential 1953 exhibition "Always the Young Stranger" at the Museum of Modern Art and also showcased twenty of Leiter's color photographs during the 1957 MoMA event "Experimental Photography in Color. " In the late 1950s, art director Henry Wolf featured Leiter's color fashion photography...

Cy Twombly Earle and Carolyn Brown at the Stevenson's in Brewster, 1955 Identified and inscribed on the reverse by the sitter Carolyn Brown Photograph on paper 8 x 8 inches Provenance Gift of the artist Estate of Carolyn Brown, New York, 2025. Cy Twombly gained fame for his art that combined cultural, historical, and poetic elements—particularly those from classical antiquity—with abstract shapes and his distinctive script. Born Edwin Parker Twombly, Jr. on April 25, 1928, in Lexington, Virginia, he began his artistic journey under the guidance of Pierre Daura and Marion Junkin at Washington and Lee University. This initial training was complemented by his formative experiences at the Arts Students League of New York and Black Mountain College, where he established enduring friendships with influential figures like Robert Rauschenberg, John Cage, and Merce Cunningham. A pivotal moment for Twombly was his 1952 trip to Italy and North Africa with Rauschenberg, funded by a grant from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. This journey allowed Twombly to engage deeply with the rich cultural history that would inform his future artistic endeavors, leading to the creation of significant early pieces. Twombly made his way back to Italy in 1957 and 1958, during which he presented his first solo exhibition in Italy at Galleria La Tartaruga, owned by Plinio De Martiis. In 1959, he married Luisa Tatiana...