Abstract Expressionist Alfonso Ossorio grappled with themes of childhood, birth, sexuality, mythology and religion in his vivid art. Before becoming close friends with artists Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner and Jean Dubuffet, he inherited a sugar fortune and amassed an art collection that became part of the Fogg Museum at Harvard University. It includes works by artist Thomas Derrick, sculptor Eric Gill, wood engraver Philip Hagreen, illustrator Denis Tegetmeier and artist and poet David Jones.
Born in 1916, Ossorio grew up in Manila in the Philippines. He later attended a Catholic boarding school in England and settled in the United States in 1930. He enrolled at Harvard in 1934 and, in 1937, launched an art career with cover designs for publications of work by poet Arthur Rimbaud. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1938 and complemented his art history studies with studio art classes at the Rhode Island School of Design. After his first solo exhibition at the Wakefield Gallery in 1941, Ossorio served the American Armed Forces until 1946. He met his lifelong partner, Ted Dragon, in 1948, as well as Pollock who guided his exploration of Abstract Expressionism.
Ossorio’s major works included a mural commissioned for the Chapel of St. Joseph the Worker in the Philippines. His return to his home country fueled a search inwards as a source of inspiration.
Ossorio bought an East Hampton, New York, estate, known as the Creeks, in which he housed Dubuffet’s entire Compagnie de l’Art Brut collection. By the late 1950s, Ossorio was heavily involved in curating and organizing exhibitions including shows featuring Pollock, Dubuffet, Willem de Kooning, Hans Hofmann, Mark Rothko and David Smith.
In the 1960s, Ossorio created his best known works. These “congregations,” as he called them, are assemblage sculptures of shells, pearls, feathers and driftwood playing on the connections between life and decay, and the raw and the refined.
Ossorio’s art is in collections around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. International exhibitions featuring his work have been held at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Scotland and the National Museum of Modern Art in Japan as well as the L’Art Brut Museum in Switzerland and the 2019 Singapore Biennale.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Alfonso Ossorio prints and multiples.
Untitled VI, Abstract Etching by Alfonso Ossorio
By Alfonso Ossorio
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alfonso Ossorio (Filipino, 1916-1990) Title: Untitled VII Year: 1984 Medium: Etching, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: PP Image Size: 24 x 17.75 inches Paper Size...
Etching
Amordie, Abstract Expressionist Etching by Alfonso Ossorio
By Alfonso Ossorio
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alfonso Ossorio (Filipino, 1916-1990) Title: Amordie Year: 1983 Medium: Etching, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 36 Image Size: 11 x 7 inches Paper Size: 18 x 12 in. ...
Etching
Untitled VII, Abstract Expressionist Etching by Alfonso Ossorio
By Alfonso Ossorio
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alfonso Ossorio (Filipino, 1916-1990) Title: Untitled VII Year: 1984/1990 Medium: Etching, signed in pencil Edition: P.P. Image Size: 23.5 x 17.75 inches Paper Size: 30.75 x ...
Etching
Untitled
By Henri Goetz
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Untitled Signed in pencil lower right (see photo) Edition: 25 (9/25) (see photo) Engraving, drypoint & carborundum Printed by the artist Condition: Excellent, slight residue on rever...
Drypoint, Etching
Baby, Baby
By Louisa Chase
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Baby, Baby Etching & aquatint printed in colors, 1991 Signed, dated, titled & numbered in pencil (see photos) Edition: 35 (4/35) plus 10 AP Condition: Excellent, colors fresh Image/...
Aquatint
$1,450
H 26.5 in W 21.75 in D 0.25 in
African American Abstract Expressionist Etching Aquatint "Anatomy of Aphrodite"
By Warrington Colescott
Located in Portland, OR
An important abstract expressionist color aquatint etching by the celebrated African American artist (1921-2018), titled "An Anatomy of Aphrodite", signed & dated 1959. Colescott was...
Etching, Aquatint
$8,446
H 35.12 in W 26.82 in D 1.58 in
Incredible framed artwork by contemporary artist (after Rembrandt) monochrome
By Glenn Brown
Located in London, GB
This is a truly stunning work by contemporary great, Glenn Brown. This work is an Artist Proof, one of only 12 created. The frame is handmade by famous London framers, Darbyshire. I...
Paper, Etching
$4,850
H 30 in W 22 in D 1 in
"Femme Au Collant Rose", Rufino Tamayo, Figurative Abstraction, Etching, 30x22
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in Dallas, TX
"Femme Au Collant Rose" by Rufino Tamayo is a Figurative Abstraction lithograph limited edition measuring 30x22 in. The piece is framed beautifully with a white mat in a gold and bla...
Etching
$6,800
H 30 in W 22 in D 1 in
"Hombre Blanco", Rufino Tamayo, Figurative Abstraction, Lithograph, 30x22 in.
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in Dallas, TX
"Hombre Blanco" by Rufino Tamayo is a Figurative Abstraction mixografia in color limited edition measuring 30x22 in. The piece is framed beautifully with...
Etching
$18,500
H 34 in W 26 in D 1 in
"Torso", Rufino Tamayo, Figurative Abstraction, Mixographia, 34X26 in.
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in Dallas, TX
"Torso" by Rufino Tamayo is a Figurative Abstraction Mixographia limited edition measuring 34X26 in. The piece is mounted onto a piece of black board and floated between two pieces o...
Etching, Mixed Media
The Razor's Edge
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
A superb impression of this scarce color aquatint and lift-ground etching on German Etching paper. Signed and numbered 27/36 in pencil, lower right. Printed by Catherine Mousley in t...
Color, Etching, Aquatint
$2,800
H 15.5 in W 11.5 in D 0.5 in
Torero (de-accessioned from the Denver Art Museum) Engraving Signed 17/30 Framed
By Stanley William Hayter
Located in New York, NY
Stanley William Hayter Torero (de-accessioned from the Denver Art Museum), 1929-1933 Engraving on laid paper, third (final) state, on heavy BFK Rives...
Engraving, Etching
$25,000
H 23 in W 31 in D 2 in
Pull Out All Flags, iconic Abstract Expressionist etching aquatint, SIgned 33/50
By Robert Motherwell
Located in New York, NY
Robert Motherwell Pull Out All Flags (Engberg, Banach 263), 1980 Aquatint and etching in colors, on German Etching paper, with full margins Hand-signed by artist, Pencil signed and n...
Etching, Aquatint
$5,700
H 22 in W 30 in D 1 in
"Manos en Rojo", Rufino Tamayo, Red Hands, Abstraction, Etching, 22x30 in.
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in Dallas, TX
"Manos en Rojo" by Rufino Tamayo is a Figurative Abstraction lithograph limited edition measuring 22x30 in. The piece is framed beautifully with a white mat in a silver and black fr...
Etching
$7,650
H 30 in W 22 in D 1 in
"Cabeza en Gris", Rufino Tamayo, Figurative Abstraction, Lithograph, 30x22 in.
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in Dallas, TX
"Cabeza en Gris" by Rufino Tamayo is a Figurative Abstraction lithograph limited edition measuring 30x22 in. The piece is framed beautifully with a white mat with a silver liner and ...
Etching
Abstract Expressionist etching by Alphonso Ossorio
By Alfonso Ossorio
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alfonso Ossorio (Filipino, 1916-1990) Title: Quem Quaeritis Year: 1984 Medium: Etching, signed in pencil Edition: 20/36 Image Size: 23.5 x 17.5 inches Paper Size: 31 x 24 inches
Etching
Abstract Expressionist etching by Alphonso Ossorio
By Alfonso Ossorio
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alfonso Ossorio (Filipino, 1916-1990) Title: Quod, dixi, dixi Year: 1984 Medium: Etching, signed in pencil Edition: P.P. Image Size: 23.5 x 17.5 inches Paper Size: 31 x 21 in...
Etching
Untitled IV
By Alfonso Ossorio
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alfonso Ossorio (Filipino, 1916-1990) Title: Untitled IV Year: 1984 Medium: Etching, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: PP Image Size: 8 inches in diameter Paper Si...
Etching
Untitled III, Abstract Print by Alfonso Ossorio
By Alfonso Ossorio
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alfonso Ossorio (Filipino, 1916-1990) Title: Untitled III Year: 1984 Medium: Etching, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: PP Image Size: 24 x 17.5 inches Paper Size:...
Etching