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.
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 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
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
$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
Untitled
By Sam Francis
Located in London, GB
Sam Francis Untitled 1991 Etching in colours, Edition of 19, Colour Trial Proof 119.4 x 71.1 cms (47 x 28 ins) SF17883
Etching
$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
$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
$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
$1,500
H 15.44 in W 11.63 in
'Green Shade' — Mid-century Modernism, Abstract Expressionism, Atelier 17
By Stanley William Hayter
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Stanley William Hayter, 'Green Shade', color etching and scraper, 1963, edition 50, (only 39 printed), B&M 278. Signed, titled, dated, and numbered '1/50' in pencil. A superb, richly-inked, luminous impression, with fresh, vivid colors, on Barcham Green textured cream wove paper; the full sheet with margins (2 3/16 to 3 1/4 inches), in excellent condition. Printed: intaglio black-green, contact lumogen yellow, soft roller phthalo green. Scarce. Image size 15 7/16 x 11 5/8 inches (392 x 295 mm); sheet size 21 1/8 x 16 inches (537 x 406 mm). Matted to museum standards (unframed). Collection: The British Museum ABOUT THE ARTIST Stanley William Hayter (1901-1988) was a British painter and printmaker associated in the 1930s with Surrealism and from 1940 onward with Abstract Expressionism. Regarded as one of the most significant printmakers of the 20th century, Hayter founded the legendary Atelier 17...
Etching
$6,500
H 13.63 in W 20.75 in
Ancient Landscape II Etching, Abstract Expressionist, Signed, 1950s
By Louise Nevelson
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Ancient Landscape II (Ancient City) Etching and drypoint, 1953-1955 Signed and titled in pencil by the artist; (see photo) Annotated: "E130 A/1" in pencil lower right Estate stamp v...
Etching
$7,600
H 30 in W 22 in D 1 in
"Torre Blanca", Rufino Tamayo, Figurative Abstraction, Etching, 30x22 in.
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in Dallas, TX
"Torre Blanca" by Rufino Tamayo is a Figurative Abstraction etching limited edition measuring 30x22 in. The piece is framed beautifully with a white matt and light silver frame. Rufi...
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
$7,550
H 22 in W 24 in D 1 in
"Dos Figuras en Ochre", Rufino Tamayo, Figurative Abstraction, Etching, 22x24 in
By Rufino Tamayo
Located in Dallas, TX
"Dos Figuras en Ochre" by Rufino Tamayo is a Figurative Abstraction Mixographia limited edition measuring 22x24 in. The piece is framed beautifully with a white matt and gold frame ....
Etching
$600
H 22.5 in W 30 in D 1 in
Over the River Abstract Expressionist Print, Etching, 2010s, Framing Available
By Karen Seapker
Located in Columbus, OH
In this edition by Karen Seapker, deep greens and blues streak across the canvas with swift gestural velocity. Although abstract, this work is reminiscent of a landscape, with green ...
Etching, Archival Pigment
$7,500
H 21.5 in W 24 in D 1.5 in
Stanley Hayter - Meduse, scarce abstract expressionist etching, Signed/N Framed
By Stanley William Hayter
Located in New York, NY
Stanley WIlliam (Bill) Hayter Meduse, 1958 High Viscosity Etching & Engraving Pencil signed, titled and numbered from the edition of 50 (10/50) on the front Catalogue Raisonne Bl...
Mixed Media, Etching, Aquatint
$1,250
H 22.25 in W 15.5 in
Comet, Outer Space Dark Series Aquatint Etching Color Abstract Expressionist
By Pat Steir
Located in Surfside, FL
Pat Steir (born 1940) is an American painter and printmaker. Her early work was loosely associated with Conceptual Art and Minimalism, however, she is best known for her abstract dri...
Etching, Aquatint
$1,250
H 22.25 in W 15.5 in
Comet, Outer Space Dark Series Aquatint Etching Color Abstract Expressionist
By Pat Steir
Located in Surfside, FL
Pat Steir (born 1940) is an American painter and printmaker. Her early work was loosely associated with Conceptual Art and Minimalism, however, she is best known for her abstract dri...
Etching, Aquatint
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