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Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

American, 1921-2012

LeRoy Neiman, born LeRoy Runquist, is best known for his vibrantly colored paintings and screen prints, which draw on Impressionism and Pop Art and frequently feature portraits of athletes and musicians as well as depictions of sporting events. He is renowned for creating art during live coverage of the Olympics and other major American and international sports competitions. He once commented, “I use (bold) color to emphasize the scent, the spirit, and the feeling of the thing I’ve experienced.” 

Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Neiman showed an early aptitude for drawing. After returning home from WWII, he studied at the Saint Paul School of Art and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where his classmates included Robert Indiana and Leon Golub. Upon graduation in 1950, he began teaching at SAIC.

In 1953, his oil painting Idle Boats won first prize at the Twin City Show, where the Minneapolis Art Institute purchased it. Neiman’s reputation quickly grew, and museums such as the Carnegie Pittsburgh International Exhibition of Contemporary Painting, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington purchased his works.

In 1954, Neiman’s famous association with Playboy magazine began to take shape. Hugh Hefner commissioned Neiman to create an illustration for this fledgling magazine, and his piece won the 1954 Chicago Art Directors Award. This led to a relationship with Playboy that lasted five decades and included Neiman writing and illustrating the “Man at His Leisure” section and the creation of the well-known “Femlin” — a female nymph wearing only opera gloves, stockings and high heels — which appeared on the “Party Jokes” page in every issue since 1955.

In 1970, the 5th Dimension commissioned Neiman to create a cover illustration for the pop group’s album Portrait. In 1994, he created the illustration used for the playbill and the immense Broadway mural for the musical Busker Alley. He was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the highest honor of the state of Illinois, the Order of Lincoln, in 2009. 

Today, you can find Neiman’s works in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art (Newfields), among others. 

On 1stDibs, find LeRoy Neiman prints, drawings, paintings and more.

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Artist: Leroy Neiman
St. Johns Baseball Pitcher, Drawing by LeRoy Neiman
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: LeRoy Neiman, American (1921 - 2012) Title: St. Johns Baseball Player for Doodle for Hunger Year: 1999 Medium: Crayon on Paper with Photograph, signed in marker Frame Size: 1...
Category

1970s American Impressionist Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Crayon

Equestrian Horseman
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Equestrian Horseman" is a mixed media on paper by LeRoy Neiman. The artwork is signed lower right, "Leroy Neiman '66". The framed piece measures 40 3/4 x 46 1/2 x 1 1/2 in. LeRoy N...
Category

1960s Pop Art Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media

Original Sinatra on the Set
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Cumming, GA
Original Graphite and Pen Sketch on Paper 12 1/4″ x 15 5/8″ Viewable 26″ x 29 1/2″ Framed Circa 1960’s
Category

1960s American Impressionist Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Graphite

LeRoy Neiman 'Femling - Happy New Year 1982' Original ink & watercolor
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Pembroke Pines, FL
Artist: Leroy Neiman (1921 - 2012) Title: Femling - Happy New Years Type: Original Material: Ink & Paper Year Produced: 1982 Medium: ink on paper Size: 10.5" x 8.5" Framed approx.: 2...
Category

1990s Contemporary Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

He Lost His Head Over Her
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Cumming, GA
Original Graphite on Paper Dimensions 12.5″ x 8″ Viewable 27″ x 22.5″ Framed. Signed by Artist. Circa 1962.
Category

1960s American Impressionist Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Graphite

Reclining Woman
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Cumming, GA
Original Pen and Ink on Paper Dimensions 12″ x 16″ unframed 26 x 30 Framed Circa 1959.
Category

1950s American Impressionist Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Pen

Original Richard Burton, The Robe Film
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Cumming, GA
Original Graphite Sketch on Paper 1953 / Signed 1959 Inscribed “Sketch for Robe Feature” 10 5/8″ x 13 1/2″ Viewable 25″ x 29 1/2″ Framed The Robe, a fictional Biblical epic film was ...
Category

1950s American Impressionist Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Graphite

Club Alabam, Dunbar Hotel , LA
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Cumming, GA
Original Pen and Ink on paper Dimensions 10.5″ x 13″ unframed 24 x 27″ approximate framed Circa 1959
Category

1950s American Impressionist Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media

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Sailboats in the Harbor, Early 20th Century Figurative Landscape Watercolor
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LeRoy Neiman 'Femling - Happy New Year 1992' Original ink & watercolor
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LeRoy Neiman 'Femling with A HOT Iron' Original ink & watercolor
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Artist: Leroy Neiman (1921 - 2012) Title: Femling with A HOT Iron Type: Original Material: Ink & Paper Year Produced: 1992 Medium: ink on paper Size: 8.25" x 13" Framed Approx.: 20x...
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1960s Contemporary Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

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Ink, Watercolor

"Jimbo", Jimmy Connors, Tennis drawing by LeRoy Neiman 1983
By LeRoy Neiman
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Jimbo (Jimmy Connors) LeRoy Neiman, American (1921–2012) Date: 1983 Watercolor and Pastel on Paper, signed and dated in pencil Size: 14.5 x 12 inches Fra...
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MICHAEL JORDAN
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Aventura, FL
Drawing on paper. Hand signed and dated by the artist. Visible paper size 13.5 x 9.75 inches. Frame size: 24.5 x 21. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of Authenticity in...
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1980s Impressionist Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

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Paper, Mixed Media

John Lennon
By LeRoy Neiman
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: LeRoy Neiman Medium: Original mixed media, watercolor on paper Title: John Lennon Signed: Hand signed in pencil Year: c. 1980 Edition: Unique Framed Size: 32" x 26 1/2"
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Leroy Neiman drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Leroy Neiman drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of drawings and watercolor paintings to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Leroy Neiman in pencil, graphite, ink and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Leroy Neiman drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 13 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Martha Walter, Robert Hallowell, and Howard Chandler Christy. Leroy Neiman drawings and watercolor paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $4,000 and tops out at $50,000, while the average work can sell for $4,500.
Questions About Leroy Neiman Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    LeRoy Neiman’s art gives off the tone of impressionism. He uses vibrant colors and spontaneous and sporadic brush strokes to achieve the final outcome of his work. Shop a selection of LeRoy Neiman’s pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.

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