1950s Paintings

Enamel on copper artwork 1950s Striking Female Backside Nude Enamel Art on Copper bold blue green color unsigned attributed style of Studio Del Campo ...

Beautiful oil on canvas of a beach scene by the Danish artist Christian Aabye Tage. Signed but not dated. Christian was very active in the postcard field, drawing for all the C...

A nice example of an early abstract expressionist painting conveying the emotional expression and depth of field through layered spontaneous brush strokes; unsigned; the ae movement ...

Oil on canvas. Signed. Provenance: Bo Mattssons collection, Malmö. W: 66,6 cm/ 2' 2 1/5" H: 56 cm/ 1' 10" D 2,7 cm cm/ 1"

Watercolor of Gloucester harbor scene by listed American Artist Gordon Grant (framed and under glass)...Soho location.

Wonderful atmospheric oil on canvas of Paris by Russian/French artist Constantine Kluge (1912 - 2003). Signed lower left “C. Kluge” and dated ‘55. In excellent condition. Framed bea...

Parisian cityscape, signed and framed oil on canvas by Serge Belloni, ‘57 This painting has all the quintessential features of Belloni’s renowned Parisi...

A beautiful oil on canvas painting by Harriet Rosendale, ca' 1950's, depicting a farmhouse in abstracted, impressionist style. Harriet Rosendale was a well-known and well-listed Ccon...

During the early 1950s Guy Bourdin had established himself as an artist with the eye of a painter, working primarily on paper Bourdin created images containing fascinating stories and compositions. His early experimental work bridges the gap between Surrealism and his later photography which at the time was still in its infancy. This early cat drawing...

This romantic feeling oil painting of two young lovers is finished in thin washes of earth tones. Signed "Michael Martin '58". The painting sits in a large silvered frame...

Mid-century framed oil painting on canvas by Ed Florens dated 1954 is a splendid still life which comes from a centuries-old tradition of such a genre in Europe, and has been carried...

Beautiful oil painting on canvas. A splendid marina at dawn with boats and fishermen. Excellent pictorial quality impressionist style. Signed Martelli, Italian artist. Sold with frame.

Vintage oil on canvas painting somewhat reminiscent of Norman Rockwell’s work, featuring a woman in a purple dress tying her sons tie as he prepares to go to school, watched by a small white dog...

Artist: Rolph Scarletti (Canadian, 1889 – 1984) Object: Modernist Abstract Composition Period: Ca. 1950’s Medium: Guache on paper, framed Dimensions (unframed): Height: 9-1/3” Width: 12” Dimensions (framed): Height: 22-3/4”” Width: 25-3/4” Rolph Scarlett (Canadian, 1889 – 1984) was a consummate explorer of twentieth-century abstract painting. Never afraid of trying new styles, curious and opinionated, constantly engaged with the world around him while steadfastly aware that he was on his own path and his alone, Scarlett more than once proved to be at the artistic zeitgeist of the eras in which he lived. Exposed very early on to the work of Paul Klee through a chance meeting in Europe with the artist himself, Scarlett took up abstraction with a fervor that never diminished during his long and impressive career. To create something that had never existed before: this was Scarlett’s great cause. And that is what is most obvious when you look at Scarlett’s work—you have never seen anything quite like it. Scarlett was Canadian-born, came of age in the Midwest, and spent few important years in Hollywood, where he designed stage sets. His work from this early period echoes Klee’s use of color, his confidence in naïve, primitive forms, and his blend of abstraction and figuration. In its flat spatial qualities it prefigures the Indian Space painting of the 1940s by a decade. He moved to New York in 1933 and eventually found his first great patron at the Museum of Non-Objective Painting, directed by Baroness Hilla Rebay and art patron Solomon R. Guggenheim. Guggenheim would collect over 60 works by Scarlett for his collection, more than any other artist outside of Vasily Kandinsky and Rudolf Bauer. As a frequent exhibitor and lecturer at the Museum of Non-Objective Painting (MNOP), Scarlett honed his sensitive feel for bodies in space and capitalized on his trademark use of bright, vivacious colors into accomplished, perfectly harmonized geometric works. However, Scarlett soon morphed these hard-edged forms into a nuanced expressionistic abstraction which, at its best, seems to be populated by dancing forms that animate the canvases. Along this way he was advised by Rudolf Bauer, the German expatriate and one of the originators of non-objective painting in the teens. Bauer had the idea for the Museum, and Rebay, his champion, had found in Solomon Guggenheim a patron for manifesting it. When Bauer emigrated just before World War II, he wanted to meet Scarlett. The two became friends, and Bauer advised Scarlett on his work over the course of many years. Even in a 1979 interview, Scarlett began to tear up as he recalled his first meeting with Bauer, a man whose work he "worshipped," describing that, "It was a touching moment for me, I’ll tell you." Scarlett and Rebay also had a close, important relationship, one in which he bore the brunt of her sometimes condescending, if motherly, critiques and admonitions with tolerance and gratefulness. Eventually, though, he had to push back. In a letter from 1951 he writes, "I have noticed with growing amazement that during the past three years you have accepted less and less of my work—and, that same work, which you rejected has been accepted and shown in the best and largest shows all over this country." This period—the late 1940s to the early 1950s—did in fact correspond to Scarlett’s most critical success, and to a return to the fanciful forms and characters of his pre-war work. At the same time, he found his own rhythm and complexity using a drip style similar to, though denser and more opaque than, the one made famous by Jackson Pollock, who had worked for many years at the MNOP and with whom he shared common influences. In 1949 he had a very well received solo show in 1949 at the Jacques Seligmann Gallery, reviewed very favorably in The New York Times: "The impression made by these paintings is one of originality and strength." He was also included in a juried show "American Painting Today" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1950 and in the Whitney Annual of 1951. The curator for the Whitney show in fact bypassed a selection of Scarlett’s careful geometrics in favor of a new "lyrical" drip painting—one which he describes as having had "a helluva good time" making. Rebay articulated her loss of control over Scarlett very keenly in one of her last official letters to him: "So your way ended in the horrid jungle it is in now; even a Mr. Pollock’s smearage was not bad enough for you to have a try at; and betraying yourself, you betrayed art and my faith in you, and my present disgrace by my failure to foresee such an outrageous possibility—since you even paint objectively now." Yet, despite the fact that he was moving in his own direction when the change in leadership took place at the Museum of Non-Objective Painting and Rebay was forced out as director, Scarlett was hit hard. He understood this change rightly as a betrayal by the establishment. Scarlett was a unique individual and soul, and was affected personally and philosophically by the idea that the movement with which Scarlett had aligned his talents seemed to disappear overnight, and his life’s work rendered valueless. Without the Museum’s support, Scarlett decided eventually to move to the artists’ community of Shady, New York, just outside of Woodstock. He had occasional shows throughout the years, but mostly settled down to regional obscurity. He began making jewelry, which had been his first trade, and it was following a show of his jewelry in 1975 at the Jaro Gallery, that he was rediscovered by Samuel Esses, and his wife Sandy. Samuel Esses was a successful businessman and an avid collector. He always sought out that which was unusual and, like Scarlett, was ahead of his time in many ways. For example, in 1979, Sam became enthralled with the early graffiti appearing on the New York subway trains. With the sole goal of preserving these groundbreaking yet short lived works of art he was inspired to create "The Esses Studio," a painting warehouse and workshop for graffiti artists to work in a studio, collaborate, and paint on canvas. The biggest names of graffiti writing participated—Futura, Crash, Dondi, Zephyr, and Daze to name a few. The project was well received and provided critical validation at an important time for this alternative form of abstraction to be recognized by the established art world. The success of the "Esses Studio" helped fuel an alternative fire that would propel gallerists and curators to acknowledge other street artists and provide a foundation of acceptance for the early careers of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. It is not a stretch to say that what Esses saw in the graffiti art of the 1970s was very similar to what he saw in 1950s-era Scarletts—something raw, honest, and melding many twentieth century influences into one unique form. Inspired by the importance of the collection and the passion of the collector, Weinstein Gallery...

A charming 8" x 10" oil on canvas by a French street artist Soiret. Titled "Paris Opera House". Nice painted with thick brushstrokes and vivid colors.

1950s Art Pink Abstract painting Oil on Canvas by Miguel Alvarez Acosta former director of the INBA and cultural ambassador to Mexico. Mexican Modernism 28.5 h x 22.5 w x 1.13 d Ori...

Love this painting. The original "The smiling boy" by Frans Hals, 17th century. This Delfs blue tile panel image is hand painted by Nico Koelewijn in the 19...

Masonic Sheepskin Man Portrait We are proud to offer a highly unusual subject matter oil on canvas painting by the recently deceased Cornish artist James Scrase. A fine example from a member of the Royal Society of National Portraits members, trained under the guidance of Italian artist Annigoni in the early 1970s. James produced some wonderful piece of art in many different mediums. The unusual thing about this portrait is not only the fact that the subject sits proud in a sheepskin coat as his best attire, but also the fact that the artist name is hidden in the note painted...

Pierre Verite (1900-1993). Le dépôt dans le quartier de La Ruche. Huile sur toile, signée en bas à droite. 100 x 80 cm. Etiquette Musée Jacquemart André...

A magnificent example of midcentury reverse-painted glass, this piece by Marianna von Allesch depicts a woman and her square-jawed dog, possibly a boxer, amidst a grove of trees and ...

1950s oil on canvas of a floral arrangement. Signed on back. In a wood frame.

A large, oil on canvas by Hilda Altschule, 1950, American artist, titled "Orpheus and Euridyce".

Subdued in palette but gorgeous in subtle detail, this painting of a seated male nude from behind captures the sensuality and beauty of the human figure. The painter, Roberto Lupetti...

Oil on canvas of a blue woman wearing a red top, holding a Mexican hat. Painted in the expressionistic style. Rustic wood frame, signed B. Maltz, 1957. Framed size: 41" H x 21" W ...

A 1950s beat generation urban portrait of a man in a fedora, resembling the author William S. Burroughs. An audacious palette depicting the neon soaked...

Mid Century Modern Aviation Art, Vintage Airplanes Oil on Canvas. Unsigned. 42.5 x 31H x 1.5 D, Art 35 W x 23.5 H Original unrestored vintage condi...

Beautiful limited edition lithograph on paper by Bernard Buffet done in the 1950's. The piece is in excellent condition signed and dated. 29 1/2" high x 24 1/2" wide If you are ...

Over his long career, John Lear liked to depict nude or half-nude male figures set in fantastic or exotic environments such as the circus, carnival, deserted beach, or Dali-esque set...

Period abstract oil paint on canvas by New York artist, Jacob Semiatin. Signed lower right, Semiatin, circa 1958. Heavy impasto paint. Expressive use of brush and tube paint applicat...

Mixed-media on board on gesso ground, in gouache and oil using the impasto technique. The work also includes areas of collage using applied materials beneath the paint to add depth ...

20th century sailboat seascape painting, Geoffrey Chatten, circa 1950. Title on reverse, "Sailing Barge, Yarmouth Roads". From Chatten's website, ...

Brilliantly hued and striking in composition, this painting by famed Broadway designer Raoul Pene du Bois is one of his largest works we have ever seen. Perhaps a study for one of hi...

Parker Panttila (Brooklyn, New York 1924-2002) pen and watercolor on board. Surrealist in style, incorporating both macabre and comedic sensibilities....

Midcentury abstract expressionist ink drawing on paper by Salvatore Grippi, 1953. Measures: 9.5" x 12". This ink wash figurative abstract Expressionist piece on paper is signed by it...

Abstract oil (16" x 20") by Norman Gorbaty (b. 1932), circa late 1950s. Gorbaty was a young artist in his 1920s when his work was included in a 1954 show of American printmakers at t...

Beautiful autumn colors abstract mountain landscape by IHP.

Magnificent Mexican MCM watercolor on paper depicting a Veracruz woman donning the traditional white cotton and lace "jarocho" dress posing by an Industria...

Göteborg, on Sweden's west coast, is a seafaring town, home to Volvo and SKF, is the powerhouse of Swedish industry. This oil painting on canvas, signed by Ivar Berg depicts Eriksber...

Leo Russel Gouache 1956. Organic abstract shapes on paper framed in distressed gold leaf and under glass. Image is 8.5 x 11. Frame is 26.5 x 33.

Signed oil painting of country town and church by a listed Bucks County artist with original wood frame-Hampton location.

This extraordinarily rare and important painting, for the cover of the December, 1952 issue of "American Manhood" magazine, depicts a fallen scuba diver, p...

Watercolor A view of St. Paul's Cathedral in London- Sergio Manfredi (1932-?) Italian painter, Signed and dated "S. Manfredi 1958" lower left and inscribed "London St. Paul's Cathedr...

Edouard Leon Cortes (French, 1882-1969) "Porte Sain-Denis" signed Édouard Cortès l/r. Oil on canvas. Measuring 21 /2 by 25 inches. Provenance: Wall...

Oil painting of New England Haystack by Listed American Artist Wayne Morrell was shown in Grand Central Gallery.

A nice mixed media on paper by the noted artist Frederick Siegfried Franck. It is dated and signed lower left. A brief bio from Wikipedia follows: Frederick Franck...

Midcentury semi-abstract oil on canvas painting dated '50, signed Boardman in a wood frame of the period

Signed Mid-century painting of clowns by listed American artist George Russin. (1910-2010) Nice , heavy impasto oil on board with palette knife tec...

Midcentury Texas Abstract Oil on Canvas by Gary Minkert. Gorgeous abstract oil on canvas by Gary Minkert titled "Paths In Space", circa 1959. J.Gary Minkert, "MINK," (10 June 1910-22 July 1969) was a Texas artist, sign painter...

An abstract landscape painting by Chinese artist and collector Chi-Chien Wang or Jiqian Wang (Chinese: 王己千, 1907 – 2003), better known as C. C. Wang. The artist emigrated and settled in NYC after 1949 and devoted himself to art, mostly traditional Chinese paintings rooted in ink and watercolor, but he also experimented with western techniques to depict Chinese landscape in a revolutionary way. This painting was one of this creations. It was painted in 1957 when he was teaching at New York Art Student League and was bought and collected by one of his students. Signed and framed, acrylic on canvas. Canvas sight 26 by 40.

"La cinematheque Française" oil on canvas with relief, circa 1950, signed TH.

Johannes Meyer Andersen (1918-2005) listed Danish artist, street musician from nice, oil on canvas. Signed: J. Meyer Andersen, Nice 1958. Measures: 86 x 69 cm. (94 x 77 cm). In ve...

This masterful and extraordinary painting, filled with ghostly nudes in various poses in a dark interior, with Orpheus playing the lyre in the garden outside lit in an otherworldly golden light was clearly created by Pavel Tchelitchew, Eugene Berman or another Mid-Century master of Surrealism. Full of symbolism and allegory, the interior features sheep and nude figures who are in deep sleep or some kind of euphoric stupor. Some figures are painted in a silvery white, as if lit by the moon, and others are suffused in a golden lifelike...

One of the strongest Mid-Century portraits we have seen, this depiction of a young man in a vivid, emerald-green sweater was painted by Paul Zimmerman, an important artist who grew u...

A contemporary of Paul Cadmus, and like him, highly focused on depicting the male figure in various settings and positions, John Lear never gained fame beyond his circle of admirers ...

Mid-Century Modern still life decorative oil painting.

Georg Glud, still life, oil on panel. Listed Danish artist. In very good condition. Signed, dated 59. Measures: 96 x 81 cm.

Provence is a geographical region and historical province of Southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône River to the west to the Italian border to the e...

Signed and titled lower left and verso, Robert Steed, New York, NY, "Wellfleet Facade". Oil paint on paper. Beautiful layered and intricate abstracted cityscape. The piece is in exce...