Leon Polk Smith Art
American, 1906-1996
Leon Polk Smith (1906 -1996) holds a unique place in a long tradition of American geometric abstract painting, which includes such artists as Bourgoyne Diller, Fritz Glarner, Al Held, and Ellsworth Kelly. Born near Chikasha, a Native American territory later annexed by the U.S. as the state of Oklahoma, Smith’s parents, who were of Cherokee ancestry, raised him with both a strong sense of his heritage and an abiding respect for the land. Art would eventually draw Smith to New York where he would quickly embrace elements of geometric abstraction in his work. His visual vocabulary was influenced by such historical figures as Hilla Rebay, both an abstract painter and the first director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Dutch De Stijl painter Piet Mondrian. However, many of Smith’s hard-edge compositions could be viewed as distillations of imagery drawn from the Oklahoma landscape and Native American art forms of his youth. Polk Smith’s exploration of non-objective imagery in the late 1950s put him at the forefront of movements including Color Field, Minimalist, and Hard Edge painting. Robert Buck, former director of the Brooklyn Museum, described Polk Smith as “an influential pioneer in the development of American Modernism”, adding, “He created a new vocabulary in painting that has had a far-reaching influence on subsequent generations of artists.”
One of Smith’s earliest and most successful forays into printmaking came in 1968 when he received a grant to work at June Wayne’s Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles. Smith would create sixteen untitled prints at Tamarind. These bold and vibrant prints incorporate a variety of his painting motifs, many of which relate to his Correspondence Series of 1960-1967, with their interplay of organic forms on solid color backgrounds. Prints would continue to be an important aspect of Smith’s creative output. The artist would go on to make over 50 print editions in this country and Europe.(Biography provided by Betsy Senior Fine Art)
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Werkubersicht/Work-Overview D, Large Silkscreen by Leon Polk-Smith
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed and numbered minimalist silkscreen from the Werkubersicht/Work-Overview Portfolio. Leon Polk Smith is credited with the founding of the hard-edge art movement...
Category
1970s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview H, Large Silkscreen by Leon Polk-Smith
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed and numbered minimalist silkscreen from the Werkubersicht/Work-Overview Portfolio. Leon Polk Smith is credited with the founding of the hard-edge art movement...
Category
1970s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview I, Large Silkscreen by Leon Polk-Smith
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed and numbered minimalist silkscreen from the Werkubersicht/Work-Overview Portfolio. Leon Polk Smith is credited with the founding of the hard-edge art movement...
Category
1970s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview E, Large Silkscreen by Leon Polk-Smith
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed and numbered minimalist silkscreen from the Werkubersicht/Work-Overview Portfolio. Leon Polk Smith is credited with the founding of the hard-edge art movement...
Category
1970s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview J, Large Silkscreen by Leon Polk-Smith
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed and numbered minimalist silkscreen from the Werkubersicht/Work-Overview Portfolio. Leon Polk Smith is credited with the founding of the hard-edge art movement...
Category
1970s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview F, Large Silkscreen by Leon Polk-Smith
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed and numbered minimalist silkscreen from the Werkubersicht/Work-Overview Portfolio. Leon Polk Smith is credited with the founding of the hard-edge art movement...
Category
1970s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Untitled (Tondo) A
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
A screen print on paper by American artist Leon Polk Smith.
Edition of 80
Category
Mid-20th Century Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Paper, Screen
Untitled, from the portfolio formen der farbe
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
A silkscreen on paper from American artist Leon Polk Smith.
Category
Mid-20th Century Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Paper, Screen
Untitled (Tamarind O )
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
A Leon Polk Smith Lithograph print on paper from 1968 with a Mid-century modern sense of style.
Category
Mid-20th Century Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Untitled (Tondo) C
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
A screen print on paper by American artist Leon Polk Smith.
Edition of 80.
Category
Mid-20th Century Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Paper, Screen
Color Forms (G)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1974, screenprint, 33 x 23 1/4 inches, edition of 150
Category
1970s Color-Field Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Untitled (Tamarind M)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1968, Lithograph on paper, 30 5/16 x 22 3/8 inches, edition of 20
Category
1960s Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Untitled (Tamarind H)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1968, Lithograph on paper, 23 x 17 1/2 inches, edition of 20
Category
1960s Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Color Forms (E)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1974, screenprint, 33 x 23 1/4 inches, edition of 150
Category
1970s Color-Field Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Color Forms (F)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1974, screenprint, 33 x 23 1/4 inches, edition of 150
Category
1970s Color-Field Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Color Forms (B)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1974, screenprint, 33 x 23 1/4 inches, edition of 150
Category
1970s Color-Field Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Untitled (Tamarind C)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1968, lithograph on paper, 30 x 21 1/8 inches, edition of 20
Category
1960s Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Untitled (Tamarind B)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1968, lithograph on paper, 29 3/4 x 19 3/4 inches, edition of 20
Category
1960s Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview A
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1947-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview D
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1949-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Color Forms (A)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1974, screenprint, 33 x 23 1/4 inches, edition of 150
Category
1970s Color-Field Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview G
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1970-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview E
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1952-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Color Forms (D)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1974, screenprint, edition of 150
Category
1970s Color-Field Leon Polk Smith Art
Color Forms (C)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1974, screenprint, 33 x 23 1/4 inches, edition of 150
Category
1970s Color-Field Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview F
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1962-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview C
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1949-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview B
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1947-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Untitled (Tamarind K)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1968, Lithograph on paper, 30 x 22 inches, edition of 20
Category
1960s Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Werkubersicht/Work-Overview J
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1983-1987, serigraph on paper, 46 1/2 x 32 inches, edition of 90
Category
1980s Abstract Geometric Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Screen
Untitled (Tamarind A)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1968, lithograph on paper, edition of 11
Category
1960s Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Untitled (Tamarind J)
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
1968, lithograph on paper, edition of 20
Category
1960s Hard-Edge Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Lithograph
Collage #34
By Leon Polk Smith
Located in New York, NY
LEON POLK SMITH
Collage #34, 1970
Canvas collage, and pencil on paper
50 x 25-1/2 inches
54-1/2 x 40-3/16 inches
Lower right - "Leon Polk Smith 1970"
Category
1970s Abstract Leon Polk Smith Art
Materials
Canvas, Carbon Pencil
Leon Polk Smith art for sale on 1stDibs
1stDibs offers a wide variety of authentic Leon Polk Smith art for sale. If you're looking for a way to add color to a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue, purple, green and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Leon Polk Smith in screen print, lithograph, paper and more. Much of this artist's original work was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the abstract style. Not every interior allows for large Leon Polk Smith art, so small editions measuring 17.5 inches across are available. Customers interested in this artist might also find the works of Peter Voulkos, Agnes Martin and Sean Scully. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $4,000 and tops out at $8,500 while the average work can sell for $7,500.