Skip to main content

Lotan Lotan Paintings

1900-1985

Despite Lotan's elaborate fabrications about his past certain biographical aspects are known for sure. He was born Lotan S. Welshans on June 19, 1905, in Danville, Indiana. Records list his mother as Anna Laurel Worthington-Jenkins and his father as Unknown. He attended Proviso Township High School in Illinois, where he graduated in 1924. After high school, he attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts from 1924–26. Although he never graduated, records show he did complete almost 2500 hours of coursework. It's interesting to note that, particularly given Lotan's history of hyping and fabricating his past accomplishments, he was never known to mention the fact that he attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, a fine school in its own right. In the late 1920s, he most likely worked as a commercial illustrator for an advertising firm with ties to the automobile industry. Illustrated advertisements for Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz from the late 20s signed Lotan Welshans are known to exist. Several Works Progress Administration era paintings signed by Lotan Welshans are also known to exist. So although little is known about his life in the 1930s, he was spending time painting. In 1952, he arrived in Arizona accompanied by his girlfriend Ruth and their pet Bulldog, Sir Oliver Cedric. Ruth, who would later become his wife, was also an artist. In a letter that same year to California artist Claude Buck, Lotan claims to be living in the middle of the desert painting like never before. He goes on to state in the letter that he had recently changed his name to Lotan Lotan because it was part of losing the past and becoming an entirely new person and doing my best to create a new painting as well as a new personality. Lotan had no problem stretching the truth to help create his new persona. During his Arizona years, he typically signed his paintings ‘Lotan Lotan, Ph.D., MD’ even though he was neither a Ph.D. or a Medical Doctor. Throughout his life, he claimed to have received degrees in medicine and a Ph.D. in art from the University of Berlin in 1926. In a 1966 interview with The Carefree Enterprise, he recounts how he used to operate a medical clinic and a portrait studio side by side in London. He goes on in the interview to state that he did commission portraits of King George V of England, President Warren Harding, Mrs. Calvin Coolidge and General John Pershing. None of this has ever been substantiated and it is in all likelihood false. He also claimed at various times to have studied at the Académie Julian in Paris, the Kaiser-Friedrich​-Museum in Berlin and the National Academy of Design in New York. No evidence has ever been found to validate these claims. In the same letter to Claude Buck, where he tells of his efforts to recreate himself, he mentions serving in the Naval Ordnance Department during World War II as well as the trying years trying to run an art school in Chicago following the war. He then mentions the dissolution of his marriage and finally his move to Arizona. Shortly after he arrived in Arizona, Lotan married Ruth. For several years, they lived in Scottsdale under the name Lotan and Ruth Ateliers. Then in the late 1950s they moved to Cave Creek, where they lived for nearly 15 years. During this time the Lotans often bartered their artwork in exchange for rent. For many of these years, they lived next door to John Wade Hampton, one of the founders of the Cowboy Artists of America. During this time Lotan worked out of a studio in the Elbow Bend area of Carefree which he called L'Atelier. Lotan painted several murals during this time, including an eight-foot by forty foot mural for the Maricopa County Health Building. Lotan has been called the ‘Dali of the Desert’ on numerous occasions. Although many of his paintings from the Arizona years are of traditional Western themes, Lotan described his style as conceptualism. In 1971, Ruth was suffering from a terminal illness. The couple entered into a bizarre suicide pact which was to include the killing of their two bulldogs. Ruth followed through and Lotan killed the dogs but could not bring himself to complete the agreement. Shortly after the incident, Lotan moved to Prescott, where he continued to paint and teach for another 10 years. He was the cover artist for the Frontier Days program in 1982. Lotan died at the Pioneers Home in Prescott in 1985.

to
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
1
1
1
763
759
754
578
1
Artist: Lotan Lotan
Related Items
Funky Geometry, Triangles and Swirls in Red, Blue and Black, Retro Futuristic
Funky Geometry, Triangles and Swirls in Red, Blue and Black, Retro Futuristic

Funky Geometry, Triangles and Swirls in Red, Blue and Black, Retro Futuristic

By Natalia Roman

Located in Barcelona, ES

"Funky Geometry" is an abstract painting diptych by Spanish artist Natalia Roman. It is a beautiful combination of geometric shapes in a classy gamut of colors. The use of pastel ton...

Category

2010s Constructivist Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Gouache

Marine Spectrum, Mixed Media Seascape, Art Brut Style on Paper, Light Tones
Marine Spectrum, Mixed Media Seascape, Art Brut Style on Paper, Light Tones

Marine Spectrum, Mixed Media Seascape, Art Brut Style on Paper, Light Tones

By Enric Servera

Located in Barcelona, ES

This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us...

Category

2010s Abstract Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Watercolor

Marina Abismal, Mixed Media Painting, Blue Tones, Mediterranean Fish Patterns
Marina Abismal, Mixed Media Painting, Blue Tones, Mediterranean Fish Patterns

Marina Abismal, Mixed Media Painting, Blue Tones, Mediterranean Fish Patterns

By Enric Servera

Located in Barcelona, ES

This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a sal...

Category

2010s Abstract Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor, Mixed Media

Pink Seascape, Abstract Geometric Fish Patterns in Red, Monoprinting on Paper
Pink Seascape, Abstract Geometric Fish Patterns in Red, Monoprinting on Paper

Pink Seascape, Abstract Geometric Fish Patterns in Red, Monoprinting on Paper

By Enric Servera

Located in Barcelona, ES

This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us...

Category

2010s Abstract Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Watercolor, Rag Paper, Monoprint

Pastel River Flow, Organic Infinity, Surreal Landscape Pattern, Mauve & Black
Pastel River Flow, Organic Infinity, Surreal Landscape Pattern, Mauve & Black

Pastel River Flow, Organic Infinity, Surreal Landscape Pattern, Mauve & Black

By Natalia Roman

Located in Barcelona, ES

These series of paintings by Natalia Roman gather their inspiration from geometric, minimalist shapes and paintings from the beginning of Modernism, with a special emphasis on Art De...

Category

2010s Art Nouveau Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Paper

Modernist Shapes on Mauve, Mid Century Painting, Playful Floating Forms, Paper
Modernist Shapes on Mauve, Mid Century Painting, Playful Floating Forms, Paper

Modernist Shapes on Mauve, Mid Century Painting, Playful Floating Forms, Paper

By Ryan Rivadeneyra

Located in Barcelona, ES

Details: Title: Modernist Shapes on Mauve Medium: Acrylic Paint on Watercolor Paper Size: 100x70 cm , (40x28 inches) Year: 2026 * Frame is for illustrative purposes only. Artwork s...

Category

2010s Modern Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Paper

Marina Abismal, Mixed Media Painting, Blue Tones, Mediterranean Fish Patterns
Marina Abismal, Mixed Media Painting, Blue Tones, Mediterranean Fish Patterns

Marina Abismal, Mixed Media Painting, Blue Tones, Mediterranean Fish Patterns

By Enric Servera

Located in Barcelona, ES

This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us...

Category

2010s Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Kandahar
Kandahar

Virginia DehnKandahar, c. 1970

$5,500

H 18 in W 20 in

Kandahar

By Virginia Dehn

Located in Fairlawn, OH

Kandahar Acrylic and mixed media on fabric, c. 1970 Signed by the artist lower right (see photo) Kandahar is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country next to Pakistan. Inspired by the Dehns visit to Afghanistan in the 1960's. Provenance: Estate of the Artist Dehn Heirs Condition: Excellent Canvas size: 18 x 20 inches Virginia Dehn From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Virginia Dehn Virginia Dehn in her studio in Santa Fe Virginia Dehn (née Engleman) (October 26, 1922 – July 28, 2005) was an American painter and printmaker. Her work was known for its interpretation of natural themes in almost abstract forms. She exhibited in shows and galleries throughout the U.S. Her paintings are included in many public collections. Life Dehn was born in Nevada, Missouri on October 26, 1922.] Raised in Hamden, Connecticut, she studied at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri before moving to New York City. She met the artist Adolf Dehn while working at the Art Students League. They married in November 1947. The two artists worked side by side for many years, part of a group of artists who influenced the history of 20th century American art. Their Chelsea brownstone was a place where artists, writers, and intellectuals often gathered. Early career Virginia Dehn studied art at Stephens College in Missouri before continuing her art education at the Traphagen School of Design, and, later, the Art Students League, both located in New York City. In the mid-1940s while working at the Associated American Artists gallery, she met lithographer and watercolorist Adolf Dehn. Adolf was older than Virginia, and he already enjoyed a successful career as an artist. The two were married in 1947 in a private ceremony at Virginia's parents house in Wallingford, Connecticut. Virginia and Adolf Dehn The Dehns lived in a Chelsea brownstone on West 21st Street where they worked side by side. They often hosted gatherings of other influential artists and intellectuals of the 20th century. Among their closest friends were sculptor Federico Castellón and his wife Hilda; writer Sidney Alexander and his wife Frances; artists Sally and Milton Avery; Ferol and Bill Smith, also an artist; and Lily and Georges Schreiber, an artist and writer. Bob Steed and his wife Gittel, an anthropologist, were also good friends of the Dehns. According to friend Gretchen Marple Pracht, "Virginia was a glamorous and sophisticated hostess who welcomed visitors to their home and always invited a diverse crowd of guests..." Despite their active social life, the two were disciplined artists, working at their easels nearly daily and taking Saturdays to visit galleries and view new work. The Dehns made annual trips to France to work on lithographs at the Atelier Desjobert in Paris. Virginia used a bamboo pen to draw directly on the stone for her lithographs, which often depicted trees or still lifes. The Dehns' other travels included visits to Key West, Colorado, Mexico, and countries such as Greece, Haiti, Afghanistan, and India. Dehn's style of art differend greatly from that of her husband, though the two sometimes exhibited together. A friend of the couple remarked, "Adolf paints landscapes; Virginia paints inscapes." Virginia Dehn generally painted an interior vision based on her feelings for a subject, rather than a literal rendition of it.] Many of her paintings consist of several layers, with earlier layers showing through. She found inspiration in the Abstract Expressionism movement that dominated the New York and Paris art scenes in the 1950s. Some of her favorite artists included Adolf Gottileb, Rothko, William Baziotes, Pomodoro, and Antonio Tapies. Dehn most often worked with bold, vibrant colors in large formats. Her subjects were not literal, but intuitive. She learned new techniques of lithography from her husband Adolf, and did her own prints. Texture was very important to her in her work. Her art was influenced by a variety of sources. In the late 1960s she came across a book that included photographs of organic patterns of life as revealed under a microscope. These images inspired her to change the direction of some of her paintings. Other influences on Dehn's art came from ancient and traditional arts of various cultures throughout the world, including Persian miniatures, illuminated manuscripts, Dutch still life painting, Asian art, ancient Egyptian artifacts...

Category

1970s Abstract Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Red Landscape Sunset, Abstract Impressionist, Gestual Brushstrokes, Coastal Art
Red Landscape Sunset, Abstract Impressionist, Gestual Brushstrokes, Coastal Art

Red Landscape Sunset, Abstract Impressionist, Gestual Brushstrokes, Coastal Art

By Albert Ducet

Located in Barcelona, ES

In "Red Landscape Sunset" Ducet reconsiders impressionist landscape paintings through a contemporary and gestual lens. Natural elements are translated into simplified forms and energ...

Category

2010s Post-Impressionist Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Black Terrazzo Confetti Painting, Abstract Floating Shapes Diptych on Paper 2022
Black Terrazzo Confetti Painting, Abstract Floating Shapes Diptych on Paper 2022

Black Terrazzo Confetti Painting, Abstract Floating Shapes Diptych on Paper 2022

By Natalia Roman

Located in Barcelona, ES

This series of hand painted acrylic paintings by Natalia Roman are inspired by the colors and textures of Italian terrazzo tiling. The patterns created combine a variety of vivid col...

Category

2010s Abstract Impressionist Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Paper

Red Seascape, Abstract Geometric Fish Patterns, Monoprinting on Rag Paper, 2024
Red Seascape, Abstract Geometric Fish Patterns, Monoprinting on Rag Paper, 2024

Red Seascape, Abstract Geometric Fish Patterns, Monoprinting on Rag Paper, 2024

By Enric Servera

Located in Barcelona, ES

This series by Enric Servera explores the relationship of humans to salt and seawater. The intention of these works is to submerge us into the sea, a salty treasure that surrounds us...

Category

2010s Abstract Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Watercolor, Monoprint, Paper

Wild Blooming Lavender, Abstract Expressionist Landscape, Wild Flowers Prairie
Wild Blooming Lavender, Abstract Expressionist Landscape, Wild Flowers Prairie

Wild Blooming Lavender, Abstract Expressionist Landscape, Wild Flowers Prairie

By Albert Ducet

Located in Barcelona, ES

In "Wild Blooming Lavender" Ducet reconsiders impressionist landscape paintings through a contemporary and gestual lens. Natural elements are translated into simplified forms and ene...

Category

2010s Post-Impressionist Lotan Lotan Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

Previously Available Items

Lotan Lotan paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Lotan Lotan paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Lotan Lotan in paint and more. Not every interior allows for large Lotan Lotan paintings, so small editions measuring 24 inches across are available. Lotan Lotan paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,800 and tops out at $3,800, while the average work can sell for $2,800.