Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

American, 1913-2000

Conrad Marca-Relli, son of Italian parents was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1913 and is considered the father of the New York abstract expressionism. In 1930 he studied design at the Cooper Union for one year and worked for the Works Progress Administration until 1940. Conrad Marca-Relli served for the U.S. Army during World War II for four years, from 1941 to 1945. Till then, the work of Mark-Relli was characterized by his depictions of circus-themed or urban and architectural landscapes, the result of the influence of Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico. During the latest years of the 40’s, he returned to Manhattan and took part along with other artists, most of them war veterans, the "Downtown group" whose workshop was in Greenwich Village. In 1949 this group formed the New York School, in which artists like Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock and Robert Rauschenberg were also part of, and who dedicated its existence to explore the avant-garde of the moment. In 1948, Conrad Marca-Relli showed his work to the public for the first time in an exhibition organized by Leo Castelli called "Ninth Street Show”, considered as the first exhibition of abstract expressionism. During the era of the 50s, Marca-Relli definitely explores abstraction and combines it with elaborated collages. It is said that Mark-Relli began working the art of collage due to lack of paint, and then discovered how to represent some light effects like the reflection in certain surfaces such as adobe. As he was investigating this technique, his works were became increasingly complex, in the use of colors, shapes and textures. In these years, Marca-Relli taught at Yale University and bought a house at the Springs, in the vicinity of East Hampton, a community that began to develop as an artist colony. Interestingly, the home of Marca-Relli was beside Pollock’s, with whom he became close friends. It would be Marca-Relli himself who identified the body of his friend to the police the day of his death. In the 60s, Marca-Relli uses industrial vinyl to give texture to his works and shapes are outlined with painted, or real nails, emphasizing the three dimensional plasticity. In 1967 he received his first retrospective exhibition at the Whitney Museum of Modern Art. Conrad Marca-Relli died in 2000 after living in cities like London, Paris, Ibiza and Parma.

Artist: Conrad Marca-Relli

Conrad Marca-Relli 1Composition, c. 1970

Price Upon Request

Composition

By Conrad Marca-Relli 1

Located in New York, NY

This unique artwork by Conrad Marca-Relli is offered by CLAMP in New York City.

Category

1970s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Charlotte ElizabethWhisper - Large Scale Original Pastel Tone Oceanscape Sunset Painting on Canvas, 2024

$6,100

H 49 in W 67 in

Whisper - Large Scale Original Pastel Tone Oceanscape Sunset Painting on Canvas

By Charlotte Elizabeth

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Charlotte Elizabeth has been working with paint professionally for over fifteen years. Elizabeth’s training in theatre design preceded a busy career as a Theatrical Scenic Artist in ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Kate SalenfriendNight Time 5053, 2025

$2,600

H 48 in W 24 in D 1.5 in

Night Time 5053

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Kate SalenfriendBright 5044, 2025

$6,400

H 60 in W 48 in D 1.5 in

Bright 5044

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Kate SalenfriendBright Light 4985, 2025

$1,300

H 24 in W 24 in D 1.5 in

Bright Light 4985

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Kate SalenfriendLightness 4984, 2025

$2,600

H 48 in W 24 in D 1.5 in

Lightness 4984

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Alison Haley PaulVentana, 2022

$16,250

H 72 in W 60 in D 2.5 in

Ventana

By Alison Haley Paul

Located in Napa, CA

Oil, charcoal, wax, pigment, and graphite on canvas. Alison Haley Paul is a contemporary painter of lavishly textured landscapes full of nuanced color. Her work conjures up connotat...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Wax, Oil, Graphite, Pigment

Kate SalenfriendRound Pond 5056, 2025

$1,300

H 24 in W 24 in D 1.5 in

Round Pond 5056

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Kate SalenfriendMini Me 4961, 2024

$400

H 10 in W 8 in D 1.5 in

Mini Me 4961

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Kate SalenfriendNight Light 2 5042, 2025

$4,700

H 36 in W 48 in D 1.5 in

Night Light 2 5042

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Alison Haley PaulOngoing, 2025

$4,875

H 24 in W 48 in D 2.5 in

Ongoing

By Alison Haley Paul

Located in Napa, CA

Alison Haley Paul is a contemporary painter of lavishly textured landscapes full of nuanced color. Her work conjures up connotations and geographical memories: that summer you spent ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Wax, Oil, Graphite, Pigment

Kate SalenfriendBom 4970, 2024

$1,300

H 24 in W 24 in D 1.5 in

Bom 4970

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Kate SalenfriendBest Time 5040, 2025

$4,700

H 36 in W 48 in D 1.5 in

Best Time 5040

By Kate Salenfriend

Located in Napa, CA

Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...

Category

2010s Contemporary Conrad Marca-Relli Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Conrad Marca-relli paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Conrad Marca-Relli paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Conrad Marca-Relli in canvas, fabric, oil paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 1970s and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Conrad Marca-Relli paintings, so small editions measuring 27 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Grace Graupe-Pillard, Tom Holland, and Dick Crispo.