Bob Thompson Art

American, 1937-1966

An African-American, Bob Thompson had success in the 1960s as an artist, which was unusual for black artists of that era and led to his becoming a pivotal figure for African-American artists and for art historians. However, his life was cut short when he died in Rome in 1966 just before his twenty-ninth birthday. Thompson was a modernist who adapted Paul Gauguin's Fauvist use of interlocking planes of bright colors. He often used Biblical subjects, and created an effect of idealized, faceless figures. Among his paintings were Flagellation of Christ and St. George and the Dragon. Living among avant-garde artists in New York City, where he briefly had a studio on Rivington Street, and in Provincetown, Massachusetts, he was at odds with the prevalent Pop and Op art style of the time. He was also rebellious in that he declined to fill the traditional black- artist role of doing narrative, genre work about black life in America, nor was he willing to do pure abstraction, which was being touted as an expression of universal experience. Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Thompson had a year of frustrating pre-med studies at Boston University from 1955 to 1956, and then returned to Louisville and began art studies at the University of Louisville, where he met he met fellow student Sam Gilliam, as well as G. Caliman Coxe and Kenneth Victor Young. In 1958, he went to Provincetown, Massachusetts where he was influenced to move from abstraction to more figurative art. There he associated with figurative expressionists Lester Johnson, Red Grooms, Mimi Gross and Gandy Brodie. In 1959, he moved to New York's Lower East Side, not far from where Benny Andrews lived, and participated in group shows and single gallery exhibitions. In 1961, he first went to Europe, traveling in Rome, Madrid and Paris, and he returned in 1963. He also became a regular part of the downtown painters' and musicians' scene in New York. In 1998, the Whitney Museum of American Art held a retrospective of his figurative abstract work. Joseph Hirshorn donated 15 of Thompson's works to the Hirshorn Museum. His market value continues to sharply rise.

Artist: Bob Thompson

Bob Thompson"Untitled" Bob Thompson, Figurative Work on Paper, Black Abstract Artist, 1964

$15,000

"Untitled" Bob Thompson, Figurative Work on Paper, Black Abstract Artist

By Bob Thompson

Located in New York, NY

Bob Thompson Untitled, 1964 Felt tip pen on printed paper 11 x 20 1/2 inches Provenance: The artist Kathy Komaroff Goodman (gift from the artist) Hollis Taggart, New York Exhibited...

Category

1960s Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Andre DelfauA Modern 1950s Watercolor of Male Nude Bathers in Morocco by Artist Andre Delfau, ca. 1950

$285

H 14 in W 14 in D 0.13 in

A Modern 1950s Watercolor of Male Nude Bathers in Morocco by Artist Andre Delfau

By Andre Delfau

Located in Chicago, IL

A Mid-Century Modern 1950s watercolor of male nude bathers in Morocco by notable French artist, Andre Delfau. Image size: 7 1/2 x 7 3/4 inches. Gouache on paper, dating circa 19...

Category

1950s Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Gouache, Paper

Samuel Grunvald1940's Americana WPA Modernist Watercolor Painting Catskill Mountains Bungalow, c.1940s

$2,500

H 16 in W 18 in

1940's Americana WPA Modernist Watercolor Painting Catskill Mountains Bungalow

By Samuel Grunvald

Located in Surfside, FL

Bungalow (fauvist painting of New York scene) 1940's. image is 10X 11.5 inches. Hand signed lower right Watercolor painting on paper board Country Scene Samuel Grunvald was a Hunga...

Category

1940s Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Watercolor, Paper, Board

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for a Woman's Hat and Coat, circa 1940

$185

H 16 in W 12 in D 0.13 in

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for a Woman's Hat and Coat

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's hat and coat. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/4 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 inches. Provenance:...

Category

1940s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

Andre DelfauColorful 1950s Standing Male Bather in South of France by Andre Delfau, circa 1950

$335

H 14 in W 14 in D 0.13 in

Colorful 1950s Standing Male Bather in South of France by Andre Delfau

By Andre Delfau

Located in Chicago, IL

A vibrant 1950s Modern watercolor of a standing male bather in red & orange tones by notable French artist Andre Delfau. Painted in the south of France along the Cote d' azure (...

Category

1950s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Donald StacyOil Pastel and Gouache Painting, Figurative, Circa 1950s, 1950s

$500

H 17 in W 14 in

Oil Pastel and Gouache Painting, Figurative, Circa 1950s

By Donald Stacy

Located in Arp, TX

Donald Stacy "Mark" c.1950s Oil pastel and gouache paint on paper 14x17" unframed Unsigned Came from artist's estate Donald Stacy (1925-2011) New Jersey Studied: Newark School of ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel, Gouache

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Lounge Wear, circa 1940

$185

H 16 in W 12 in D 0.13 in

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Lounge Wear

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring elegant designs for women's lounge wear. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/2 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 inches. Provenance: Corn...

Category

1940s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Red Gown, Evening Wear, circa 1940

$185

H 16 in W 12 in D 0.13 in

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Red Gown, Evening Wear

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's red gown, evening wear. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/2 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 inches. P...

Category

1940s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Hats, Lily Daché, circa 1940

$185

H 16 in W 12 in D 0.13 in

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Hats, Lily Daché

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring a colorful design for a women's hat by Lilly Daché. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/4 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 inches. Water...

Category

1940s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, "Personal Choice of Gertrude Lawrence", circa 1941

$185

H 16 in W 12 in D 0.13 in

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, "Personal Choice of Gertrude Lawrence"

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, vintage, 1940s woman's fashion study featuring an elegant, colorful design titled "Personal Choice of Gertrude Lawrence, Star of Lady in the Dark". Gertrude Lawrence, fam...

Category

1940s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for a Woman's Hat, Suit and Coat, circa 1940

$185

H 16 in W 12 in D 0.13 in

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for a Woman's Hat, Suit and Coat

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring colorful designs for women's red Robin Hood hat, suit and coat. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/4 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 in...

Category

1940s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Red Gown, Evening Wear, circa 1940

$185

H 16 in W 12 in D 0.13 in

A Stylish Vintage 1940s Fashion Study, Design for Women's Red Gown, Evening Wear

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's formal dress, evening wear. Inscription reads: "Gold rayon and wool Bengaline dress suit for movie ...

Category

1940s American Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Pencil

Samuel Grunvald1940's American WPA Modernist New York City Watercolor Painting Tenement Market, c.1940s

$2,500

H 16 in W 18 in

1940's American WPA Modernist New York City Watercolor Painting Tenement Market

By Samuel Grunvald

Located in Surfside, FL

The Market, (fauvist painting of NYC scene) 1940's. image is 10X 11.5 inches. Hand signed lower right Lower East Side Tenements Pushcart Market Watercolor on paper board. Samuel G...

Category

1940s Modern Bob Thompson Art

Materials

Watercolor, Board, Paper

Bob Thompson art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Bob Thompson art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Bob Thompson in paint, paper, watercolor and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 1960s and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Bob Thompson art, so small editions measuring 30 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Hans Burkhardt, Frank Wilcox, and Joseph Solman. Bob Thompson art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $15,000 and tops out at $15,000, while the average work can sell for $15,000.