Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
American, b. 1927
From Cavalier Galleries:
Artist Michael Aviano has been drawing since childhood. His first oil paintings were done when he was in junior high school. In the 1940’s Michael applied to the Art Students League, NYC, where the school director, Steward Klonis, was so impressed by his talent that he immediately enrolled him in Frank J. Reilly’s painting class. This was an honor, as it often took up to two years to gain entrance into Reilly’s classes. Frank J. Reilly studied with the famous League teacher, Frank Vincent Dumond (American 1865-1951), who in turn studied under Benjamin Constant (1845-1902), Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) and Gustave Boulanger (1824-1888), important painters of the French Academic Tradition. During his years at the Art Students League, Michael received annual scholarships and awards for his excellence in painting.
Michael Aviano began exhibiting his work in New York in the 1960’s and built a reputation as an outstanding portrait and still life painter. The 1970’s brought Michael to Grand Central Art Galleries, NYC , the country’s premier gallery of American Realism. There his work was shown alongside such masters as Emil Carlsen, John Singer Sargent, George Innes, William Merritt Chase and such contemporaries as David Leffel, Richard Schmid, Charles Pfahl, and Priscilla Roberts. The catalog cover and invitation for the 59th Annual Founders Exhibition at Grand Central Galleries featured Michael’s painting The Collector. As the 1980’s came to an end, so, too, did the era of Grand Central Art Galleries.
The early 1990’s brought Michael to an important crossroad in his life as a painter. He decided that he would no longer paint portraits, but would continue teaching and painting floral still life. In 2010 he won the prestigious Juror’s Choice Award from the Susan Kathleen Black Foundation for his floral painting Youthful Flowers, Youthful Triton, which will be included in the foundation’s “Blossom—Art of Flowers” national tour. He also focuses his energy on creating important figure paintings. Michael is considered one of the pre-eminent figure painters working today.
Michael Aviano lives a very private and spiritual life which is devoted to painting. His larger works such as Mars and Venus can take up to three years to reach their grand conclusion.
EDUCATION The Arts Students League, New York, NY, 4 year scholarship
Studied under Frank J. Reilly, Ivan Olinsky, and Edwin Dickenson
EXHIBITIONS Naples Museum of Art, Naples, FL
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ
Susan Kathleen Black Foundation: Blossom—Art of Flowers national exhibition,
Parrish Art Museum: 26th Annual Juried Exhibition of Art, New York, NY
National Academy of Design, New York, NY
Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
National Arts Club, New York, NY
Hudson Valley Art Association, New York
Union League Club, New York, NY
Parrish Art Museum, South Hampton, NY
Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA
S.U.N.Y. Plattsburgh Art Museum, New York
Museum of the City of New York, New York
Cavalier Galleries: Figurative Group Show, Greenwich, CT
Cavalier Galleries: Contemporary Still Life New York, NY
FOUNDED Aviano Academy of Fine Arts, New York, NYto
1
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
6
252
83
78
74
1
2
Artist: Michael Aviano
Samson and Delilah
By Michael Aviano
Located in Greenwich, CT
Category
20th Century Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
The Monk King II
By Michael Aviano
Located in Greenwich, CT
Self portrait of the artist as a monk.
American, b. 1927
Artist Michael Aviano has been drawing since childhood. His first oil paintings were done when he was in junior high school. In the 1940’s Michael applied to the Art Students League, NYC, where the school director, Steward Klonis, was so impressed by his talent that he immediately enrolled him in Frank J. Reilly’s painting class. This was an honor, as it often took up to two years to gain entrance into Reilly’s classes. Frank J. Reilly studied with the famous League teacher, Frank Vincent Dumond (American 1865-1951), who in turn studied under Benjamin Constant (1845-1902), Jules Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) and Gustave Boulanger (1824-1888), important painters of the French Academic Tradition. During his years at the Art Students League, Michael received annual scholarships and awards for his excellence in painting.
Michael Aviano began exhibiting his work in New York in the 1960’s and built a reputation as an outstanding portrait and still life painter. The 1970’s brought Michael to Grand Central Art Galleries, NYC , the country’s premier gallery of American Realism. There his work was shown alongside such masters as Emil Carlsen, John Singer Sargent, George Innes, William Merritt Chase and such contemporaries as David Leffel, Richard Schmid, Charles Pfahl, and Priscilla Roberts...
Category
20th Century American Realist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Related Items
Girl with Braided Hair, Raphael Soyer
By Raphael Soyer
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Raphael Soyer (1899-1987)
Title: Girl with Braided Hair
Year: Circa 1987
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 12 x 9 inches; framed size, 19 x 16 inches
Condition: Excellent
Inscripti...
Category
1980s American Realist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$8,400 Sale Price
20% Off
H 12 in W 9 in
Portrait of Gerardina Van Osch by Dutch artist Johan Hendrik Neuman (Dutch)
Located in Soquel, CA
A beautiful realist mid 19th century portrait of Gerardina Van Osch (Dutch, 1819-1898) by Jan Hendrik Neuman (Johan Heinrich Neuman) (German, 1819-1898). S...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
$2,800 Sale Price
20% Off
H 47 in W 38 in D 2 in
Antique American Oil Painting Portrait Young Woman Necklace Period Frame Rare
Located in Buffalo, NY
A beautiful and rare antique American portrait of a young woman in a stunning period frame, likely original to the piece.
Unsigned but beaut...
Category
1890s American Realist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$1,289
H 12 in W 10 in
Portrait of 19th Century Philadelphia Merchant, Quintin Campbell
Located in Doylestown, PA
19th Century portrait of Quintin Campbell in the style of Thomas Sully. The 30 x 25 inches oil on canvas is framed in an ornate frame. Provenance: Private collection, Bucks County, P...
Category
19th Century American Realist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Likeness of Jack London
By Robert Alexander Graham
Located in Soquel, CA
Early 20th Century Likeness of Jack London
Wonderful portrait of a gentleman with a striking likeness to Jack London by Robert Alexander Graham (American, ...
Category
Early 1900s Realist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
$2,650
H 31.25 in W 24.25 in D 1 in
"Book Rest" oil painting seated woman with a book on lap colorful modern framed
By Kelly Carmody
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
An oil painting by Contemporary American painter, Kelly Carmody. A woman, seated in a yellow room, wears a patterned dress and holds a book, turned down, onto her lap. She rests her ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Impressionist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Linen
Portrait of a Lady, Oil on Canvas, 1840's, In Style of Jacob Eichholtz
Located in Doylestown, PA
This interior portrait of a woman dressed in an elegant lace shawl is a 30" x 25" oil on canvas painting in the style of Jacob Eichholtz. The artist is unknown but the painting is believed to have been painted in the 1840's. It is not signed but framed and in good condition. Provenance: Private Collection, Old Queens Gallery...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Realist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$750
H 34 in W 28 in D 2 in
Mid-Century Portrait of a Young Girl with Red Hair
Located in Soquel, CA
Charming portrait of a young girl with red hair wearing a typical mid-century frilly dress and high-cut bangs, by an unknown artist (American,...
Category
1950s American Impressionist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
"Rising" (2025) by Derek Harrison, Original Oil Painting, Western
Located in Denver, CO
"Rising" by Derek Harrison (US based) is an original oil painting that depicts a western couple with horses on a hillside.
Derek Harrison is a representational painter who works in...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil
$8,500
H 28 in W 36 in D 2 in
Into the Distance Portrait Impressionism Original oil Painting, Ready to Hang
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Vadim Zang
Title: Into the Distance
Medium: Oil on Linen
Year: 2010
Style: Impressionism
Dimensions: 20" x 16" x 0.8" inch (51 x 41 x 2cm)
Presentation: Unframed, Gallery Wra...
Category
2010s Impressionist Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Linen, Oil
$5,000
H 20 in W 16 in D 0.8 in
Mid Century Fauvist Portrait of a Man
By Sydney Helfman
Located in Soquel, CA
Striking and colorful mid century Fauvist portrait of a man by Sydney Helfman (American, 1926-2010). The expressive and vibrant color palette, a signatu...
Category
1960s American Modern Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$2,280 Sale Price
20% Off
H 30 in W 24 in D 0.75 in
Mother and Child 1920s - with Newcomb Macklin Giltwood Frame
By H. Willard Ortlip
Located in Soquel, CA
Excellent figurative painting of a mother and child by H. Willard Ortlip (American, 20th Century), 1927. Signature and date lower left "H. Willard Ortlip 1927." Presented in a giltwo...
Category
1920s Old Masters Michael Aviano Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Linen, Stretcher Bars
$6,500
H 40 in W 35.5 in D 3 in
Michael Aviano portrait paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Michael Aviano portrait paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Michael Aviano in oil paint, paint, fabric and more. Not every interior allows for large Michael Aviano portrait paintings, so small editions measuring 33 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Robert Riggs, Joseph Christian Leyendecker, and Gershon Benjamin. Michael Aviano portrait paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $42,000 and tops out at $85,000, while the average work can sell for $63,500.