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Irving Norman Abstract Paintings

American, Lithuanian, 1906-1989

The Lithuanian-American artist Irving Norman was a social Surrealist who painted large-scale and highly detailed critiques of contemporary life with hopes that viewers would consider the consequences of their actions and change their behavior.

Influenced by the dire conditions of the Great Depression, Norman’s massive canvases feature armies of clone-like figures behaving in the clockwork manner in which they have been programmed. He moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1934 before helping to defend the Spanish Republic from the fascist Franco dictatorship.

Norman survived the Spanish Civil War and in 1939 settled on Catalina Island off the Southern California coast, where he began drawing and painting from the atrocities he had witnessed. In 1940, he moved to San Francisco and had a solo exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Art two years later. Norman then traveled to Mexico City and saw the murals of Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros before moving to New York City to study at the Art Students League from 1946 to 1947. He returned to San Francisco in the late 1940s. In 1988, fire destroyed Norman’s home, studio, artwork and personal papers.

Find original Irving Norman paintings and prints on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Heather James Fine Art)

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Artist: Irving Norman
How Come, Surrealist Oil on Canvas Painting, 20th Century, Framed
How Come, Surrealist Oil on Canvas Painting, 20th Century, Framed

How Come, Surrealist Oil on Canvas Painting, 20th Century, Framed

By Irving Norman

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"How Come" is a Modern surrealist oil on canvas painting by Irving Norman in 1968. The artwork is 90 x 60 inches and 91 1/4 x 61 1/2 x 1 5/8 inches with the fram, weighing less than ...

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20th Century Surrealist Irving Norman Abstract Paintings

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Irving Norman abstract paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Irving Norman abstract paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Irving Norman in oil paint, paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Surrealist style. Not every interior allows for large Irving Norman abstract paintings, so small editions measuring 60 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Fernando de Szyszlo, Kate Orr, and Marguerite Blasingame. Irving Norman abstract paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $200,000 and tops out at $200,000, while the average work can sell for $200,000.