1980s Figurative Prints

screenprint printed in color ink on wove paper. New York City subway station interior. Anthony Velonis (1911 – 1997) was an American painter and designer born in New York City who helped introduce the public to silkscreen printing in the early 20th century. While employed under the federal Works Progress Administration, WPA during the Great Depression, Velonis brought the use of silkscreen printing as a fine art form, referred to as the "serigraph," into the mainstream. By his own request, he was not publicly credited for coining the term. He experimented and mastered techniques to print on a wide variety of materials, such as glass, plastics, and metal, thereby expanding the field. In the mid to late 20th century, the silkscreen technique became popular among other artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol. Velonis was born into a relatively poor background of a Greek immigrant family and grew up in the tenements of New York City. Early on, he took creative inspiration from figures in his life such as his grandfather, an immigrant from the mountains in Greece, who was "an ecclesiastical painter, on Byzantine style." Velonis attended James Monroe High School in The Bronx, where he took on minor artistic roles such as the illustration of his high school yearbook. He eventually received a scholarship to the NYU College of Fine Arts, into which he was both surprised and ecstatic to have been admitted. Around this time he took to painting, watercolor, and sculpture, as well as various other art forms, hoping to find a niche that fit. He attended NYU until 1929, when the Great Depression started in the United States after the stock market crash. Around the year 1932, Velonis became interested in silk screen, together with fellow artist Fritz Brosius, and decided to investigate the practice. Working in his brother's sign shop, Velonis was able to master the silkscreen process. He reminisced in an interview three decades later that doing so was "plenty of fun," and that a lot of technology can be discovered through hard work, more so if it is worked on "little by little." Velonis was hired by Mayor LaGuardia in 1934 to promote the work of New York's city government via posters publicizing city projects. One such project required him to go on a commercial fishing trip to locations including New Bedford and Nantucket for a fortnight, where he primarily took photographs and notes, and made sketches. Afterward, for a period of roughly six months, he was occupied with creating paintings from these records. During this trip, Velonis developed true respect and affinity for the fishermen with whom he traveled, "the relatively uneducated person," in his words. Following this, Velonis began work with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), an offshoot of the Civil Works Administration (CWA), where he was assigned to serve the different city departments of New York. After the formation of the federal Works Progress Administration, which hired artists and sponsored projects in the arts, he also worked in theater. Velonis began working for the federal WPA in 1935. He kept this position until 1936 or 1938, at which point he began working in the graphic art division of the Federal Art Project, which he ultimately led. Under various elements of the WPA program, many young artists, writers and actors gained employment that helped them survive during the Depression, as well as contributing works that created an artistic legacy for the country. When interviewed in December 1994 by the Library of Congress about his time in the WPA, Velonis reflected that he had greatly enjoyed that period, saying that he liked the "excitement" and "meeting all the other artists with different points of view." He also said in a later interview that "the contact and the dialogue with all those artists and the work that took place was just invaluable." Among the young artists he hired was Edmond Casarella, who later developed an innovative technique using layered cardboard for woodcuts. Velonis introduced silkscreen printing to the Poster Division of the WPA. As he recalled in a 1965 interview: "I suggested that the Poster division would be a lot more productive and useful if they had an auxiliary screen printing project that worked along with them. And apparently this was very favorably received..." As a member of the Federal Art Project, a subdivision of the WPA, Velonis later approached the Public Use of Arts Committee (PUAC) for help in "propagandizing for art in the parks, in the subways, et cetera." Since the Federal Art Project could not be "self-promoting," an outside organization was required to advertise their art more extensively. During his employment with the Federal Art Project, Velonis created nine silkscreen posters for the federal government. Around 1937-1939 Velonis wrote a pamphlet titled "Technical Problems of the Artist: Technique of the Silkscreen Process," which was distributed to art centers run by the WPA around the country. It was considered very influential in encouraging artists to try this relatively inexpensive technique and stimulated printmaking across the country. In 1939, Velonis founded the Creative Printmakers Group, along with three others, including Hyman Warsager. They printed both their own works and those of other artists in their facility. This was considered the most important silkscreen shop of the period. The next year, Velonis founded the National Serigraph Society. It started out with relatively small commercial projects, such as "rather fancy" Christmas cards that were sold to many of the upscale Fifth Avenue shops...

A masked performer gestures his hands, wearing bright green garb, a long hat, and jaunty black shoes with white socks. Hockney paints in loose strokes of color: garnet, sapphire, bright yellow, and emerald green. This vintage David Hockney...

Presence is a beautiful offset realized after a photograph by Franco Fontana. Good conditions. Franco Fontana (Modena, 1933) is one of the Italian most famous contemporary photogra...

Artist: Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Title: Femme a la Chaise sur Fond Jaune Year: 1982 Medium: Lithograph on Arches paper Size: 28 x 21.5 inches Edition: 1000, plus proofs Condition: G...

While McNeil was a pioneer of the New York Abstract Expressionism movement, later in his life his work became more figurative, he focused on dancers and discos, like this piece. Alth...

Bird is a lithograph by Aldo Turchiaro, realized in 1980. Hand-signed on the lower right. Numbered, edition V/XXV. Good conditions except for aged margins. The artwork represents...

The Angels is a modern artwork realized by Felice Ludovisi in the 1980s. Mixed colored lithograph. Hand signed and numbered on the lower margin. Edi...

Red Horse on Orange, Three Geishas is an original hand drawn lithograph on archival Somerset printmaking paper, 100% acid free, by the renowned Chinese born artist Walasse Ting (DING...

Artist: John Kacere, American (1920 - 1999) Title: Blue Panties Year: Circa 1980 Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 300, HC 10 Image Size: 19 x 26 inches Size...

Six Heads Olympians is a vintage poster realized by the artist Henry Moore, in occasion of the XIV Winter Olympics games in Sarajevo, in 1984. Very good condition. Henry Spencer Mo...

Selected from the personal collection inherited by Marina Picasso, Pablo Picasso's granddaughter. After Pablo Picasso's death, his granddaughter Marina authorized the printing of t...

Robert Cottingham Don't Walk, 1985 Three color Linoleum Cut on Paper Pencil signed, inscribed to Bryan and annotated TP Published by Chip Elwell Fine Prints Trial Proof (unique) This is a Trial Proof that Robert Cottingham inscribed, annotated and gifted to Bryan Konefsky, his longtime studio assistant in both Newtown, CT and Santa Fe New Mexico. Only one other example - a variant - of this early print, exists and is in the collection of the Smithsonian. Due to the untimely death of printer Chip Elwell in October of 1986, only two proofs in the woodcut medium were pulled: the present work, which Cottingham gifted to his longtime studio assistant, and the one at the Smithsonian. Furthermore and in another interesting turn of events, Elwell's studio was burglarized shortly after his death and among the items stolen were the original wood blocks for DON'T WALK. This is an historic work; and the only one available on the market. Measurements: Framed: 15 inches x 13.5 inches x .3 inches Artwork 12 inches x 10.5 inches Robert Cottingham Biography Robert Cottingham (b.1935, Brooklyn, NY) is recognised for his Photorealist paintings of American urban landscapes, particularly his depictions of painted and neon shop signs...

Modern figurative surrealist lithograph by Mexican artist José Luis Cuevas. The work features two central seated figures with papers laid out on a table in front of them. The title r...

Van Heusen (Ronald Reagan). F. & S. II.356. By Andy Warhol Andy Warhol, a leading figure in the Pop Art movement, revolutionized the art world with his iconic works that celebrated...

Artist: Mark Kostabi (1960) Title: Factory Year: 1985 Edition: 45/100, plus proofs. Medium: Lithograph on Arches paper Size: 22.25 x 30 inches Condition: Good Inscription: Signed and...

Hand signed and editioned "38/38" in pencil and dated '85 lower right and left corners respectively. Published by Brooke Alexander Editions, New York.

Original Moulin Rouge - Striking small-format vintage poster by Rene Gruau. Archival linen-backed and in excellent condition, ready to frame. Bright, vibrant colors. Grade A. Celebr...

Artist/Designer; Manufacturer: Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990) Marking(s); notes: signed; ed. 280/1000; 1988 Materials: lithograph Dimensions (H, W, D): 11.25"h, 8.5"w; 21.5"h, 17...

Fantastical sepia etching titled "Metamorphosis" by Herbert L. Fink (American,1921 - 2006). Signed and dated 1982. Unframed. In mat. Image size: 13"H x 2...

Jane Dickson New York 1985: A rare 1980s announcement card published on the occasion of: "Works on Paper 1983-1984" at Brooke Alexander, Inc. from December 11, 1984 - January 12, 19...

Lithograph on grand vélin d'Arches pur chiffon spécialement fabriqués paper. Inscription: signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: from the folio, Œdipe ...

Adored by collectors and art lovers around the globe, Alex Katz is renowned for his elegant and distinctive version of figuration, with printmaking serving as an essential part of hi...

Artist: Lester Johnson, American (1919 - 2010) Title: Close Up Year: Circa 1980 Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 175 Paper Size: 28 ...

Artist: Sandro Chia, Italian (1946 - ) Title: Athletes Year: 1988 Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 300 Image Size: 29.5 x 21.5 inches Paper Size: 34 in. x ...

Marcel Marceau, French (1923 - 2007) - Le Troisieme Oeil (The Third Eye), Year: 1981, Medium: Lithograph on Japon paper, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 66/70, Image Size:...

Artist: Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) Title: Four Ages of Love: Summer Year: circa 1985 Medium: Offset lithograph on wove paper Edition: A.P. aside from the edition of 350, plus proofs...

Hand signed & numbered by the artist. From the edition of 325. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of Authenticity included. All reasonable offers will be considered. Pl...

Howdy Doody By Andy Warhol Andy Warhol, a leading figure in the Pop Art movement, revolutionized the art world with his iconic works that celebrated consumer culture and celebrity...

Marlene Dietrich Legendary Film Star 20th Century Litho NYT Published Mid-Centuy Al Hirschfeld (1903-2003) "Marlene Dietrich at the Palace, 1967" Hand-sign...

Artist: Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) Title: Composition for Lisa Year: 1984 Medium: Color silkscreen on wove paper Edition: 250, plus proofs Size: 17.75 x 23.25 inches Condition: Ex...

Lithograph, waxtype woodcut and screenprint on 638-g/m cold-pressed Saunders Waterford Paper. From the "Brushstroke Figures" series, 1989. Hand signed rf Lichtenstein, dated ('89) a...

Lithograph on grand vélin d'Arches pur chiffon spécialement fabriqués paper. Inscription: signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: from the folio, Œdipe ...

A lithograph from the Marina Picasso Estate Collection after the Pablo Picasso painting "Femme Assise et Joueur de Flute". The original painting was completed in 1967. In the 1970's...

Dramatic, large scale black, white, green and grey Western American landscape with river, grassy banks, trees, and rolling clouds filling the sky. Hang in minimalist, modern, and con...

Landscapes of The Mind is an original hand drawn, limited edition lithograph by Marius Sznajderman(Born-Paris,France 1926-2018) printed in black ink on white archival Arches paper, 100% acid-free, using traditional hand lithography printmaking methods. Landscapes of The Mind is a crisp, black and white abstract line drawing of artist memorabilia items within an attic-like interior illustrating various elements incuding faces, a sculpted female nude torso, artist paint brushes...

Marcel Marceau, French (1923 - 2007) - Crowd of Clowns, Portfolio: Le Troisieme Oeil (The Third Eye), Year: 1981, Medium: Lithograph on Arches Paper, signed and numbered in pencil...

David Hockney Tribute to violinist Jascha Heifetz, 1988 Offset Lithograph Poster 15 × 34 inches Limited Edition of 100 Unframed (unsigned) Another example of this work was featured i...

Screen print on Lenox museum board. From the Cowboys And Indians Portfolio. Hand signed and numbered lower front by Andy Warhol. Numbered 131/250 (there were also 50 AP's, 15 PP's, 15 HC's and 10 numbered in Roman numerals). Published by Gaultney, Klineman Art, Inc., New York. Printed by Rupert Jasen Smith, New York. The artwork is in excellent condition. All reasonable offers will be considered. In Cowboys and Indians, Warhol interspersed recognizable portraits of well-known American heroes with less familiar Native American images and motifs. It demonstrates his ironic commentary on America’s collective mythologizing of the historic West. Rather than portraying Native Americans within their historical landscape, Warhol chose to portray a romanticized version of the American West. The West that he chose to represent is familiar to everyone and can be seen in novels, films, and television series. Warhol’s Cowboys and Indians suite...

Artist: Mel Ramos, American (1935 - ) Title: Camilla Year: 1989 Medium: Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 161 Image Size: 37 x 32 inches Paper Size: 42 in. x 36 i...

Keith Haring Cover Art SFMMA 1984: Published by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art on the occasion of ‘The Human Condition SFMMA Biennial III’ 28 June-26 August 1984. Cover art created by Keith Haring specifically for the exhibit. Includes work by Jenny Holzer (reverse cover) with a foreword by Shirley Davis. An introduction by Henry T. Hopkins is followed up with essays by Dorothy Martinson, Wolfgang Max Faust, Achille Bonito Olivia, Klaus Ottman, and Edward Kienholz...

Victor Vasarely (1906-1997) - Autoportrait Silkscreen / Serigraph from 1989. Edition of 250. Dimensions of work: 47 x 37.5 cm The work is in Excellent condition. Fast and secure...

Wearing a hat, the woman is represented with a series of black and white shapes that surve alongside one another. Accented by a mustard yellow, the portrait features different perspe...

Pop Shop II Plate 3 By Keith Haring Keith Haring was a visionary American artist and social activist known for his iconic, colorful, and dynamic graffiti-inspired artwork that eme...

Selected from the personal collection inherited by Marina Picasso, Pablo Picasso's granddaughter. After Pablo Picasso's death, his granddaughter Marina authorized the printing of t...

CALYPSO by the woman artist Robin Morris, is an original limited edition lithograph printed using hand lithography techniques(not a photo reproduction or digital print) on archival Arches paper, 100% acid free. CALYPSO is a contemporary musical portrait portraying a man playing clarinet dressed in a yellow pin stripe suit...

Purple and red kimono by Patricia A. Pearce (American, b. 1948). This piece is unsigned, but was acquired with a collection of Pearce's work. No frame. Image, 27.5"H x 22.5"W Patrici...

Artist: Fritz Scholder (Native American, 1937-2005) Title: "ASU Portrait II" Portfolio: Arizona State University Centennial Portfolio *Signed by Scholder in pencil lower right Year: 1984 Medium: Original Lithograph on Arches Cover buff paper Limited edition: 49/100 Printer: Joseph M. Segura of the Print Research Facility, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Publisher: the Print Research Facility, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Reference: "Collaborative Works: Recent Work and Catalogue Raisonné of the Visual Arts Research Institute" - ASU/VARI No. 121, page 98 Sheet size: 20.25" x 15" Condition: Never framed, has been professionally stored away within its original portfolio case for decades. In mint condition Not a single example of this work has ever appeared at auction in over 40 years. Extremely rare Notes: Provenance: one owner ever - private collection - Scottsville, AZ; acquired directly from the publisher the Print Research Facility, School of Art, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ upon its release in 1984. Numbered by Scholder in pencil lower left. Comes from the 1984 "Arizona State University Centennial Portfolio" of eighteen prints in various mediums by Daniel R Britton, R. E. (Ron) Gasowski, Arthur W. Hahn, James Hajicek, Jules Heller...

Lithograph on grand vélin d'Arches pur chiffon spécialement fabriqués paper. Inscription: signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: from the folio, Œdipe ...

Lithograph on grand vélin d'Arches pur chiffon spécialement fabriqués paper. Inscription: signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: from the folio, Œdipe ...

Siesta  is a screen print realized by the Italian artist  Giuseppe Tampieri in 1988. Hand-signed  by the artist on the lower right. Numbered on the lower left. Edition 98/150. Very...

Monotype painting of American landscape with sky and sweeping clouds, printed in muted colors and black and white. A large train cuts a path atop a ridge. Michele Zalopany's masterfu...

THE DANCE is a handmade limited edition lithograph created by the renowned Polish artist Andre de Krayewski printed using hand lithography printmaking techniques on archival Arches paper 100% acid free. THE DANCE is a richly colored modern Art Deco interior scene portraying a dancing couple printed in shades of neon blue, magenta, orange, red, green, lavender, peach, and dark steel blue gray. THE DANCE is a dramatic graphic composition featuring airbrushed blends of vibrant color defining the light purple pedestal-style vases filled with green spiked leaves; two dancing figures are positioned in the center - one of a woman wearing a backless, form fitting yellow-gray dress, the second figure is a well groomed male dressed in a dark blue gray sharkskin suit...

Artist: Robert Longo Title: The Entertainer Year: 1986 Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 85 Size: 30 x 22 inches (76 x 56 cm)

PKZ Reprint - 1981 - Official 1981 reprint for Kunstgewerbemuseum, Zurich Printer: JE Wolfensberger Niklaus Stoecklin – PKZ – 1935 PKZ Burger-Kehl & Co. AG, Zurich, C Switerland Lit...

Partial portrait of two Flyers John Russell Clift, American (1925–1999) Date: 1980 Screenprint, signed and numbered in pencil Edition of 207/260 Size: 29 in. x 42 in. (73.66 cm x 106...

Keith Haring Pop Shop: Rare larger sized, vintage original Keith Haring 1980s Pop Shop bag designed by Haring for use at his famed New York store. A classic Keith Haring Pop Shop col...

Black Cat Color lithograph, 1981 Signed in pencil lower right Annotated: AP (Artist Proof) Printer: Jorge Dumas, Atelier Dumas, New York Condition: Very fresh colors Slight creasing ...

"Diamond Dust Shoes (Black and White)" is a screen print by American pop artist Andy Warhol. It is signed and editioned verso, " 18/60 Andy Warhol" Stamped verso, "© Andy Warhol 1980...

Artist: Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Title: Femme au Buste en Coeur Year: 1982 Medium: Lithograph on Arches paper Size: 29.5 x 21.75 inches Edition: 126/1000; 1000, plus proofs Conditio...

Selected from the personal collection inherited by Marina Picasso, Pablo Picasso's granddaughter. After Pablo Picasso's death, his granddaughter Marina authorized the printing of t...