Mid-Century Modern Paintings
MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Vintage Framed Original Wood Cut Artwork “ the Child and the Falcon “ by Kate
Located in Seattle, WA
“ The Child and the Falcon “ was Created by Kate Bossier in 1979. Numbered 10/20. Red and Black Accents. Vintage Condition Consistent with Age as Pictured.
Dimensions. 29 W ; 1/2 D ...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Wood
Vintage Signed Original Landscape Watercolor Framed Painting.
Located in Seattle, WA
Vintage Watercolor Painting of Landscape on paper within a Silver Toned Frame. Signed in the Lower Left Hand Corner by Artist . Vintage Condition Consistent with Age as Pictured.
Di...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Metal
Mid Century Dystopian Surrealist Oil Painting
Located in London, London
Oil painting
On board
Dystopian view
Mid Century.
Category
Mid-20th Century British Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint
Mauro Reggianni Oil on Canvas Geometric Painting
By Mauro Reggiani
Located in Westport, CT
Mauro Reggiani 1897-1980 oil on canvas, geometric circa 1970. Mauro Reggiani. Painting Size is 26 x 26 with return painted edges.
Nonantola/ Modena 1897 -
Mailand 1980
Mauro R...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Large Abstract Hard Edge Artwork
Located in Raleigh, NC
Massive geometric hard edge painting on wood. This piece features one large geometric shape against a white background. The shape consists of varying shades of blue ombré stripes. Bl...
Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Wood, Paint
Vintage Signed Original Painting on Canvas of Windmill Landscape.
Located in Seattle, WA
Canvas has been Nailed on to the Frame as Pictured. Cracking Paint Consistent with Age.Slight Petina in the Paint.Signed by Artist in the Lower Corner. Vintage Condition Consistent w...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
David Johns (b. 1948) Large Abstract Harmony: Acrylic on Canvas Navajo
Located in West Palm Beach, US
Abstract Harmony: David Johns' Acrylic on Canvas b 1948
This captivating abstract acrylic on canvas by David Johns, born in 1948 in Winslow, Arizona, reflects his unique blend of fo...
Category
1980s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
$4,800 Sale Price
38% Off
Vintage Boho 1968 Original Abstract Figural Oil on Canvas
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Immerse yourself in the vibrant creativity of 1968 America with this Vintage Boho Original Abstract Figural artwork. With its dynamic composition and expressive form, this piece capt...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
French Expressionist Still Life in Green-Orange-Black by Serge Labégorre, 1978
Located in Salzburg, AT
Expressionist still life painting in green-black-orange colors by Serge Labégorre - professionally framed
Passionate still life designed with thick bru...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
Vintage Boho Oil Portrait Painting on Canvas
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Embodying the essence of American bohemian spirit, this 'Vintage Boho Oil Portrait On Canvas' is a captivating blend of nostalgia and artistic expression. With its intricate details ...
Category
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Original Painting
Located in Seattle, WA
Vintage Mid-Century Modern original painting green forest blue sky multicolor spot scenic trees
Dimensions. 30 3/4 Hx 36 3/4W x 1 1/2 D.
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint
$316 Sale Price
20% Off
Panting of Twins, Acrylic on Canvas MCM American
Located in Southbury, CT
If I were asked, Augusten Burroughs, as a gift we offer you either this Picasso, that Vermeer, an 18th Century French Pastoral featuring chickens or this midcentury acrylic on canvas...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Painting by Peter Keil, Acrylic On Paper, C 1974, Germany, Red/Blue/Yellow/Black
By Peter Keil
Located in New York, NY
Peter Robert Keil was born to an artist blacksmith father whom he lost very early in his childhood during the Second World War. During the end phase of the war, Keil's mother, also a...
Category
1970s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Painting by Peter Keil, Acrylic on Paper, C 1964, Modern Art, No Frame
By Peter Keil
Located in New York, NY
Peter Robert Keil was born to an artist blacksmith father whom he lost very early in his childhood during the Second World War. During the end phase of the war, Keil's mother, also a...
Category
1960s German Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Paul Wightman Williams, Midcentury Abstract Mixed Media on Paper, 1944
Located in Norwalk, CT
Paul Wightman Williams, American (20th century).
This diminutive mixed-media watercolor, pastel, and ink on paper depicts a haunting abstracted face. It is float-mounted in a faux-g...
Category
1940s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paper
Abstract Danish Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in London, London
Oil on canvas
Danish
Late 20th century.
Category
Late 20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Mid-century Modern Still Life Tomato with Vase Impasto Oil Painting
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Charming mid-century modern still life oil painting of a tomato and vase. I love the impasto style-well done!
Category
1960s Unknown Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Wood
Life Painting Standing Figure by John Kaine, 1960
Located in London, GB
The abstract life painting of a standing or kneeling figure by John Kaine 1960's Acrylic was executed on board framed with pine wood.
John Kaine presents us with a female nude in a p...
Category
1960s European Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint
Original Nude Artwork by Jean Olds
Located in Raleigh, NC
Original artwork by artist Jean Olds. Olds’ work often combines bold colors and expressive brushstrokes to evoke a sense of movement and energy. Her pieces have been exhibited in gal...
Category
1980s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint, Paper
Havers Abstract/Cubist Oil Painting
Located in North Miami, FL
Custom framed cubist/ abstract painting by Havers. circa 1960's This amazing piece has vivid coloring and rich texture. Professional framing selected by Gustavo Olivieri Antiques...
Category
1960s Dutch Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood
Bearing Gifts, Framed Lithograph 3/90 by Irving Amen
By Irving Amen
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Outstanding color lithograph, titled “Bearing Gifts” from 1950s and annotated 3/90, signed by American artist Irving Amen.
Amen (1918-2011) is known as one of the most important p...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Glass
$316 Sale Price
20% Off
Triptych Color Field Painting by Henry Kallem, circa 1960s
By Henry Kallem
Located in Peabody, MA
A masterful construction of color field work by noted NY artist Henry Kallem. The dimensions also play with the illusions of op art, creating depth and movement. This painting, title...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Painting by Al Bates
Located in Houston, TX
Houston artist Al Bates (1931-...). Charcoal on a thin tracing paper. Signed lower right. Depicting the chicken ranch, with Bonnie and Clyde. Measures: 17 1/2" x 23 1/2". The custom-...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paper
$5,500
Vintage Landscape Painting
Located in Duxbury, MA
Landscape oil painting. Framed.
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint
Modern Painting Oil on Cardboard Teal Turquoise Blue Altausseer See by Begg 1967
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid-Century Modern vintage Oil on cardboard painting in teal, turquoise and blue color tones with a motif of the Ausseer lake in Altaussee by Begg 1967, Austria.
A wonderful impress...
Category
1960s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint
Ciro Oduber Arosemena Painting "Seated Man"
By Ciro Oduber Arosemena
Located in Westport, CT
Ciro Oduber Arosemena painting title "Seated Man," dated 1950.
Panama, Born 1921-d 2000 oil on canvas.
Exhibited Museum of Contemporary Art Panama 6/15/92.
with original...
Category
Mid-20th Century Panamanian Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Wood, Acrylic, Canvas
Vintage Signed Male Nude Portrait
Located in Seattle, WA
Vintage Nude Portrait Study of a Sitting Man. Appears to be Pastel and Watercolor on Paper.
Dimensions. 26 W ; 20 H
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paper
Vintage Early 21st Century Abstract Portrait - Framed and Signed
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Behold the timeless allure of "Ethereal Essence," a vintage early 21st-century abstract portrait elegantly framed and personally signed by the artist. This American masterpiece weave...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Vintage Early 21st Century Abstract Portrait In Blues-Framed And Signed
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Dive into the soulful resonance of 'Vintage Early 21st Century Abstract Portrait in Blues – Framed and Signed.' This Americana masterpiece, both enigmatic and profound, unveils a sym...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Vintage Framed and Signed Painting of Mountain in the Forest.
Located in Seattle, WA
Wood Framed Vintage Painting of Mountain in the Forest. Possibly Acrylic on Canvas. Unique Pencil Reed Style Frame. Signed in the Lower Corner a...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood
Vintage Framed Artwork on Canvas
Located in Seattle, WA
Framed Artwork within a Black Frame.Signed M.Bile as Pictured.Textured Paint Creates a 3D Effect.Green and Yellow Color Palette. Abstract City Landscape.
Dimensions. 54 W ; 3 D ; 23 H
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Jack Beckemeyer 1976 Red Blue Orange and Yellow Printed Acetate Painting
Located in Chattanooga, TN
Large scale stenciled painting by Jack Beckemeyer. The piece is well documented with three notes included. One note card is pasted to the back, indicating the exact acquisition date....
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Metal
Vintage Mid Century Modern Style Framed Floral Painting
Located in Seattle, WA
Vintage Painting of Daisies and Other Varieties of Plants. Looks to be of the Mid century Modern Period. Signed in the Corner as Pictured.Slight C...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Wood
Oil on glass painting "City lights" painted by Yugoslav artist M. Pipić in 1977
Located in Beograd, RS
In this listing you will find a striking painting done by a Yugoslav artist M. Pipić, depicting a cityscape at night time. A stark contrast between the deep blue architecture and the...
Category
1970s Serbian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Glass, Paint
James Coignard "Es Chuchoteurs" Oil Painting
Located in Toledo, OH
James Coignard "Es Chuchoteurs" Oil Painting. James Coignard, painter, ceramist, sculptor and etcher was born in Tours in 1925. His collaboration with gallery Hervieu made him known ...
Category
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Two Abstract Etced Metal Paintings with Red and Blue Enamel Dutch 1970s
Located in London, GB
Pair of abstract enamel etched paintings on steel created by etching and enamel by Manfred Jung,. The artist paints with acid directly onto the polished metal which etches a relief ...
Category
1970s Dutch Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Aluminum
Large Modern Abstract Oil Painting "Morning Glory" by Peter Caruso, NYC Artist
By Marcelo Caruso
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large 60" x 48" modern abstract oil on canvas painting. "Morning Glory" by Peter Caruso, NYC Artist. Amazing use of color, texture, space, very cool 1970s vibe. Would enhance any mod...
Category
1880s American Antique Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Alexander Brook Painting Dated 1955
By Alexander Brook
Located in Hudson, NY
Signed dated ad titled “The Irresistible Landscape”. This painting was personal to the artist as Brook was born on July 14, 1898 ad at the age of twelve was bed-ridden with Polio. This painting is a self-portrait showing the artist looking out the windows of the room he rarely was able to leave.
This painting was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fie Arts ad the Ogunquit Museum Of America Art, exhibition tags from both institutions are attached to the stretcher en verso.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Alexander Brook was a realist painter, whose works consisted mostly of still-life subjects, landscapes, and figures, often of women. He was very successful in his day, winning second prize to Picasso's first prize at the Carnegie Institute International Exhibition of Modern Painting in 1930. In New York, he studied at the Art Students League between the years of 1914-1918. It was at the Art Students League that Brook developed significant relationships with Niles Spencer, Reginald Marsh, Kenneth Hays Miller, Yasuo Kuniyoshi and, perhaps most significantly, Peggy Bacon, whom he married in 1920. Along with Kenneth Hayes Miller, Brook studied with John C. Johansen, Frank V. DuMond, George Bridgeman and Dimitri Romanofski. Within this group lay the foundations of American Realism. Brook was a member of the Society of Independent Artists, who rebelled against the strictures of the National Academy of Design. In 1938 Brook traveled to Savannah, Georgia, there he did some of his most provocative work. After two years in the South, Bacon and Brook were divorced. Brook later married the painter Gina Knee.
During the years 1928 through 1939, Alexander Brook had works in over one-hundred exhibitions, fifteen of which were one man shows. By 1942, Brook had resumed teaching at the Art Students League. Demand for the artist's work kept him in significant collections, galleries, and museums, including the Downtown Gallery (New York), the National Academy of Design, the Rehn Gallery, the Larcada and the Knoedler galleries. Some feel Brook may have retreated from the art world with the rise of Abstract Expressionism, although a sketchbook that he kept from 1949 to 1951 reveals an active engagement in painting and served multi purposes--a repository for his ideas, an address book, notebook, and travel diary. Of special interest are his notes on watercolor technique. It also includes tips for using new painting tools...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Abstract Artwork on canvas ( no wood frame )
Located in Seattle, WA
Artwork is on canvas material, without the wooden frame. Abstract Art, believed to be vintage. Would be ideal in frame. Vintage Condition as pictured. Listing is for described item ...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Bruce Myers Mid-Century Abstract Original Oil on Canvas Painting No. 5
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Bruce Myers mid-century abstract original oil on canvas painting no. 5
This painting measures: 22 wide x .75 deep x 28 inches high.
This painting is in good vintage condition.
...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Midcentury Semi-Abstract Oil Painting by Boardman
By Jeanne Boardman
Located in Water Mill, NY
Midcentury semi-abstract oil on canvas painting dated '50, signed Boardman in a wood frame of the period
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Blue Eyed Couple with Eye Glasses, Photo-Realistic 20th Century Oil Painting
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This representational double portrait of a couple is signed with initials "MN" in the lower left corner, by an unidentified artist.
It is a flat, washed out image, perhaps painted by...
Category
1950s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oak
$495 Sale Price
52% Off
Mid Century Abstract 4 Panel Hanging Wall Art
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Mid Century Abstract 4 Panel Hanging Wall Art
This art measures: 13.75 wide x 1 deep x 35.75 inches high
We take our photos in a controlled lighting studio to show as much detail a...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Modern Still-Life Pinecone Oil Painting Panel Buffie Johnson 1974 Plant Series
By Buffie Johnson
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil on linen. "Pit Thea", Study of a pine cone. From the Plant Series 1968-1989. Signed lower left, dated 1974. Signed and titled and dated on back. 20" X 24" (floating frame 21" X 25").
My imagery is rooted in the world of the spirit which manifests itself through ritual, myth and symbol. The monolithic single-image plant forms which I began painting in 1968 are potent symbols of the ancient Great Goddess in Her aspect as ‘Lady of the Plants’, who . . . has been worshipped under a thousand names since the beginnings of prehistory.”
(Buffie Johnson, Artist’s Statement for the exhibition catalogue of The Language of Symbols, Landmark Gallery, New York City, April 1980.)
“... in the ancient world ... such images were perceived as sacred. This sense of divinity inherent in the plant has inspired these icons and through them I hope to evoke a similar magical experience. These forms were created both as metaphors for the spiritual mystery of nature . . . [and] as celebrations of the feminine.”
(Buffie Johnson, Artist’s Statement for the exhibition catalogue of Buffie Johnson: The Spirit of Plants, Chuck Levitan Gallery, New York City, October 3rd – October 26th, 1997.)
BORN: February 20, 1912 New York City
DIED: August 11, 2006 at her home and studio , Greene Street, New York City
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
1937 * Jake Zeitlin Gallery, Los Angeles (First Solo Exhibition)
1939 * Galerie Andre J. Rotge, Paris: “Peintures Recentes de Buffie Johnson” (First Solo
Exhibition in Paris)
1939 * Wakefield Gallery, NYC: “Buffie Johnson” (First Solo Exhibition in New York)
1941 * James O’Toole Gallery, NYC: “Recent Paintings and Portraits by Buffie Johnson”
1942 * Robert C. Vose Galleries, Boston: “Paintings and Portraits by Buffie Johnson”
(First Solo Exhibition in Boston)
1944 * Caresse Crosby's G Place Gallery, Washington, D.C.
1945 * Howard Putzel’s 67 Gallery, NYC: “An Exhibition of Recent Paintings by
Buffie Johnson”
1948 * The John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota: “Buffie Johnson”
* Galleria del Cavallino, Venice: “Buffie Johnson”
1949 * The Hanover Gallery, London: “Buffie Johnson” (First Solo Exhibition in London)
* Galerie Colette Allendy, Paris: “Buffie Johnson”
* The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota
* Galleria del Cavallino, Venice
1950 * Betty Parsons Gallery, NYC: “Recent Works by Buffie Johnson”
1951 * Galerie Bing, Paris
* The Paul Mellon Gallery, The Choate School, Wallingford: “Exhibit of Portraits:
Buffie Johnson 1936-51”
1956 * Galerie Bing, Paris: “Buffie Johnson: Exposition de peintures”
1960 * Galerie Bing, Paris: “Buffie Johnson: peintures recentes”
* Bodley Gallery, NYC: “Buffie Johnson”
1961 * Gallery Thibaut, NYC: Buffie Johnson: “Phases of the Sun”
1963 * World House Gallery, NYC
1964 * Galeria de Antonio Souza, Mexico City: “La exposicion de las obras de Buffie Johnson”
* The Granville Gallery, NYC: “Buffie Johnson: Recent Paintings”
* World House Gallery, NYC
1966 * Galeria de Antonio Souza, Mexico City
1969 * The New School for Social Research/The New School Associates, NYC: “Buffie
Johnson: Creation Myths - Oils”
1973 * Max Hutchinson Gallery, NYC: Buffie Johnson: Paintings 1968-1973”
1975 * Palm Beach Galleries, Palm Beach “Buffie Johnson”
1976 * Andre Zarre Gallery, NYC: “Buffie Johnson: Recent Paintings”
1977 * The Stamford Museum and Nature Center, Stamford: “Two Organic Women:
Buffie Johnson / Stella Snead”
1979 * Gallery 700, Milwaukee: “Buffie Johnson: Floral Paintings”
1981 * Ankrum Gallery, Los Angeles: “Buffie Johnson”
* Landmark Gallery, NYC: "Retrospective"
1984 * Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland: “Buffie Johnson”
1989 * 56, Bleecker Gallery, Ltd., NYC: “Buffie Johnson Portraits 1936-1947”
1991 * Cardiff House at University of California, Santa Cruz: “The Numbering Series”
1992 * PMW Gallery, Stamford: “Buffie Johnson: A Span of Time” Retrospective
1993 * The Institute for Contemporary Art, P. S. 1 Museum, Long Island City:
“Buffie Johnson: Paintings from the 40s and 90s” curated by Director, Alanna Heiss
1995 * Kingsborough Community College Art Gallery of The City of New York, Brooklyn:
“Buffie Johnson: Plants”
1996 * Millennium Art Gallery, East Hampton: “Perceptions”: Buffie Johnson – A Retrospective
of her work from the 1940s to the 1990s”
1997 * Chuck Levitan Gallery, NYC: “Buffie Johnson: The Spirit of Plants" (Part I)
1998 * Chuck Levitan Gallery, NYC: “Buffie Johnson: The Spirit of Plants" (Part II)
2002 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: "Buffie Johnson: Transcendentalist"
2007 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: "Buffie Johnson Memorial Exhibition"
Group exhibitions:
1938 * Galerie Le Niveau, Paris: “Paysages: Exposition de Groupe”
1939 * Wakefield Gallery, NYC
* The Fine Arts Gallery, Balboa Park, San Diego: The Fine Arts Society of San Diego:
“The Eleventh Annual Southern California Art Exhibition”
* Galerie de Beaune, Paris: “VIIe Exposition de Gravures et Platres Gravés du Groupe
de L’Atelier 17”
1940 * Wakefield Gallery, NYC: “Group of Small Paintings”
1941 * Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh: "International Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture"
* Marie Sterner Gallery, NYC: “International Group of Contemporary Painters”
* The American British Art Center, NYC: “First ABAC Exhibition: Paintings and
Sculpture from England, Canada & America”
* The American British Art Center, NYC: “Stage and Circus: An Exhibition of
Contemporary Paintings, Designs and Model Stages by American and British Artists”
1942 * Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach: “Fourth Annual Exhibition by Artist Members”
* Parke-Bernet Galleries, NYC: “A Loan Exhibition of Paintings for the Benefit of The
American Red Cross representing Happier Days in The United Nations arranged by
Marie Sterner”
1943 * Peggy Guggenheim's Art of This Century, NYC: “Exhibition by 31 Women”
1945 * Howard Putzel’s 67 Gallery, NYC: “Preview 1945-1946 Season of Two-man and
Group Exhibitions at this Gallery”
* Howard Putzel’s 67 Gallery, NYC: “40 American Moderns”
1946 * Walker Art Center, Minneapolis: "136 Americans"
* The Springfield Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield, MA: “Sixth Annual Spring
Purchase Exhibition: 30 Paintings by 30 Contemporary American Artists”
1948 * Salon des Realites Nouvelles, Paris
1949 * Salon des Realites Nouvelles, Paris
1950 * The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn: "Fourth National Print Annual Exhibition"
* La Galerie Arnaud, Paris: “sculpteurs et peintres abstraits americains de paris”
* The Riverside Museum, NYC: “Creative Art Associates”
* Guild Hall, Moran Gallery, East Hampton: 10 East Hampton Abstractionists”
1951 * Guild Hall, East Hampton: “Frankly Romantic”
1953 * Guild Hall, East Hampton: "A Selection from 12 East Hampton Collections"
* Guild Hall, East Hampton: "17 East Hampton Artists"
* The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn: "17th Biennial International Watercolor Exhibition"
1954 * stabile Gallery, NYC
* Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC: “The Whitney Annual”
* The Baltimore Museum, Baltimore
* Hampton Gallery & Workshop, Amagansett: "Group Show: Eight Painters,
Two Sculptors"
1955 * stabile Gallery, NYC
* Moderna Galerija, Ljubljana, “Exposition Internationale de Gravure”
1956 * Haus der Heimat, Iserlohn: "Junge Amerikanische Kunst"
* Group Espace, Paris
* Guild Hall, East Hampton: “13 Artists of the Region: Museum Acquisitions and
Recent Works”
1957 * Signa Gallery, East Hampton: "Second Exhibition"
1959 * Hirschl & Adler Galleries, NYC: "Works by Gallery Artists"
1960 * Guild Hall, East Hampton: "Monotypes and Prints"
* Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC: Friends of the Whitney Museum of American
Art: "Business Buys American Art"
* Bodley Gallery, NYC
* The Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia: “Monotypes & Prints of Related
Techniques” Shown concurrently with the publication of Henry Rasmusen’s
Printmaking with Monotype
1961 * Bertha Schaefer Gallery, NYC: "Contemporary Collage"
1964 * Long Island University/The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton: "Long Island Artists"
at Long Island University’s Galleries
* Guild Hall, East Hampton: “Festival of the Arts Exhibition: Artists of the East Hampton
Area Each showing one of his own works along with a favorite work of art or object from
his collection.”
1965 * The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton: "Twelve Women Painters of the South Fork”
1970 * Le Salon International de la Femme, Nice. (Medailles d’argent)
1971 * Museum of Modern Art, NYC: "Penthouse Exhibition"
* Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC: "American Art of Our Century"
1972 * Kunsthaus Hamburg, Hamburg: "Gedok American Woman Artist Show"
* Suffolk Museum and Carriage House, Long Island: “Unmanly Art”
1973 * The New York Cultural Center, NYC: "Women Choose Women"
* Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC: “1973 Biennial Exhibition:
Contemporary American Art"
* Women's Interart Center, NYC: "In the Beginning: Women and Religion"
* University of Texas at Austin, "The Ciba-Geigy Collection of Contemporary Paintings"
* A .I. R. Gallery, NYC
* Brooklyn College, Brooklyn: "New York Women Artists"
* Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA: "New York Women Artists"
1974 * Kresge Art Center Gallery, Michigan State University at East Lansing: “Works by
Women from the CIBA-GEIGY Collection”
* Weatherspoon Art Gallery, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro: “Works
by Women from the CIBA-GEIGY Collection”
* Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills: "Waves: An Artist Selects"
* Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids: "Waves: An Artist Selects"
1975 * Women's Interart Center, NYC: "Color, Light & Image"
* The Pratt Institute Gallery, Brooklyn: "Women's Exchange Exhibitions: Artists from
the Women Artist Historical Archives of the Women’s Interart Center"
* Ashawagh Hall, Springs: "Women Artists Here & Now"
* The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield: "A Change of View"
* The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn: "Works on Paper: Women Artists"
* Whitney Museum of American Art, NYC: "Women from the Permanent Collection"
1976 * Buecker & Harpsichords, NYC: “Recent Portraits of Sari Dienes”
* Soho Art Tour: A Benefit for Guild Hall of East Hampton
* Guild Hall, East Hampton: "Artists and East Hampton: A 100 Year Perspective"
* Landmark Gallery, NYC: “10 Artists"
* The Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D. C.: "A Bicentennial Edition of Banners"
* Chuck Levitan Gallery, NYC: "A Bicentennial Edition of Banners"
* National Museum Singapore, Singapore: “Artists Celebrate the Bicentennial”
* Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, San Antonio: "American Artists ‘76: A Celebration"
* The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx: "The Year of the Woman: Reprise"
1977 * The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx: "The Magic Circle"
* Hurlbutt Gallery, Greenwich: The Friends of the Greenwich Library Present:
"Contact: Women and Nature” The Works of 30 contemporary women artists selected
by New York critic and author Lucy R. Lippard
* The Brooklyn Museum Art School, The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn:
"Contemporary Women: Consciousness and Content"
* New York University, Contemporary Arts Gallery, NYC: Visual Artists Coalition
Exhibition: “Women Painters and Poets”
1978 * Women’s Interart Center, NYC: Women Artists: Sketch Books
1979 * Elaine Benson Gallery, Bridgehampton: "Five Artists New York/Hamptons"
* Connecticut College, Cummings Center, New London: Visual Artists Coalition
Exhibition: “Women Painters and Sculptors”
* Clayworks Benefit Exhibition, 4 Great Jones Street, NYC
1980 * Landmark Gallery, NYC: "The Language of Symbols"
* Fordham University, Lowenstein Library Gallery, NYC: “Evocative Images”
* The Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota, Duluth, “Invitational Print Show”
1981 * Landmark Gallery, NYC: "118 Artists"
* The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton: "Alive at the Parrish"
* American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, NYC: "Paintings And Sculpture
by Candidates for Art Awards"
1982 * Westbeth Gallery #1, NYC: “Sexuality in Art: Two Decades from a Feminist
Perspective.” One of sixteen shows of “Views by Women Artists: Sixteen
Independently Curated Theme Shows Sponsored by the New York Chapter of
the Women’s Caucus for Art”
* The State University of New Jersey Rutgers, Mabel Smith Douglass Library,
New Brunswick: Women Artist Series at Douglass College: “Modern Masters:
Women of the First Generation”
* Frank Merino Gallery, NYC: “Heresies 3rd Annual Art Benefit: Work by 146
Women Artists for Sale at Artists’ Prices”
1983 * Philadelphia College of Art, Philadelphia: “An Exhibition of Work by Artists
in the Historical Archives of the Women’s Interart Center of New York City”
1984 * Suzanne Gross Gallery, Philadelphia: "Major Contemporary Women Artists: In
Celebration of Simone de Beauvoir"
1985 * The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton: "Looking At Pictures"
1987 * Schick Art Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs: "Self-Portraits: The
Message, The Material"
* Hofstra Museum - Emily Lowe Gallery, Hempstead: "Self-Portraits: The
Message, The Material"
1988 * Phoenix II Gallery, Washington, D. C.: “Small Works by Forty-Two Artists
1989 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: "Early Abstractions: Painting and Sculpture of the
40’s and 50’s"
* Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville in conjunction with Bennett Galleries,
Knoxville: "American Women Artists: The 20th Century"
1990 * Queensborough Community College Art Gallery, Bayside: "American Women Artists:
The 20th Century"
* Guild Hall/East Hampton Center for Contemporary Art, East Hampton: "East Hampton
Avant-Garde: A Salute to the Signa Gallery 1957-60"
1991 * Harmon-Meek Gallery, Naples, FL: “Gallery Group Exhibition”
* Harmon-Meek Gallery, Naples, FL: “Recently Added Artists”
* Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: “The Prevailing Fifties”
1992 * The Institute for Contemporary Art, P. S. 1 Museum, Long Island City: "Slow
Art: Painting in New York Now." Curated by the museum’s Director, Alanna Heiss
* Stuart Levy Gallery, NYC: “American Vanguard: Jackson Pollack, Lee Krasner
and Friends” for the benefit of The Study Center Development Fund of The Pollock-
Krasner House and Study Center, East Hampton, New York
* Harmon-Meek Gallery, Naples, FL: “Flowers in Art”
* Melvin Gallery, Florida Southern College, Lakeland: “Women Artists From the
Harmon- Meek Gallery”
* Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: “The Americas”
1993 * Richard Anderson Gallery, NYC: “Songs of Retribution.” Curated by Nancy Spero
* Snyder Fine Art, NYC: “Out of the ‘50s”: Works Shaped by the Aesthetic of the 1950s
* Benton Gallery, Southampton: “Woman!”
* The Museum of the Provincetown Art Association, Provincetown: The Art
Students League of New York and The Provincetown Art Association and Museum
Exhibition of: “The League at the Cape” Part II: Contemporary Invitational Section
* Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: “Women of the Fifties”
1995 * The New York Open Center, NYC: “The Creative Call to the Divine: An interfaith art
show and healing experience”
* Millennium Gallery, East Hampton: "Living Legends"
* Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: “Artists of the Fifties” (Part 2)
1997 * Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center, Springs, East Hampton: "Art of This Century:
The Women"
1998 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: “Earthly Delights”
1999 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: “The Immortals”
2000 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: “Buffie Johnson, William Scharf, Yvonne Thomas,
Rufus Zogbaum, Wilfrid Zogbaum: Feb. 12-April 29, 2000”
2001 * Emily Lowe Gallery, Hofstra University, Hempstead: “Abstract Expressionism, Then
and Now”
2003 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: "Re-Examining Abstract Art, Part 2"
2004 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: "New York School Artists: Work of 50’s & 60’s"
2005 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: "Betty Parsons & the Women"
2007 * Anita Shapolsky Gallery, NYC: "Collectors' Choices"
* Thomas McCormick Gallery, Chicago: “Suitcase Paintings...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint
$4,475 Sale Price
50% Off
Modern Abstract Long Oil on Canvas Figural Painting
Located in North Miami, FL
Unknown artist and unsigned, this wonderful vintage oil on canvas in rectangle long form displays beautiful colorful characters in an abstract figural manner. Simple vintage and orig...
Category
1970s North American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Original Hunting Dog with Foul Watercolor Painting by French Artist Jean Herblet
Located in Seattle, WA
Original watercolor painting of a hunting dog holding bird in a mouth. The measurements are 16" by 13 1/2" inside the mat and 26" by 22" in a high quality framing. Painting artist si...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Wood
Antonio Vallardi Squirrel Linen Canvas Print
Located in bari, IT
These posters, printed by Vallardi editore, were distributed mounted on wooden chopsticks by Merckelbach & Co of Amsterdam. The prints in warm colours on a black background are on linen sheets...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
$382 Sale Price
20% Off
Mid-Century Modern Green Watercolor Painting Semmering by Max Dättl 1961 Vienna
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid Century Modern vintage green painting with watercolor by Max Dättl (1894-1989)
The delicate watercolor painting on fibre board shows a landscape motif in Lower Austria Kreuzberg ...
Category
1960s Austrian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Natural Fiber
Big Abstract Painting by Bernard Slim 1967
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Big abstract geometric painting signed Bernard Slim from 1967.
Category
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Pierre Petit, "Son Secret Est Un Mystère", Oil on Canvas, Signed
By Pierre Petit
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pierre Petit, "son secret est un mystère", oil on canvas, signed.
"Her secret is a mystery"
Titled in the back.
Category
1970s European Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paint
Paint Scraper ‘96 Mixed Media Oil on Canvas
Located in West Palm Beach, US
**Title:** "Paint Scraper"
**Year:** 1996
**Medium:** Oil on Canvas with Mixed Media
**Dimensions:** 37.5" x 41.5"
**Signature:** Monogram AB 96
Paint Scraper" is a mixed...
Category
1990s American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Metal
Vintage Boho Original Floral Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Add a touch of artistic charm to your space with this vintage boho floral oil painting on canvas. Featuring rich, vibrant colors and intricate brushwork, this original piece captures...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Vintage Original Signed Watercolor Painting Titled “ Hampton Court “
Located in Seattle, WA
This beautiful watercolor on paper Shows a viewpoint of buildings through an archway. Signed, dated, and titled in the lower corner. Professionally framed and matted. Vintage Conditi...
Category
1940s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Wood
Large Pink&Red Original Mixed Media Abstract Painting by Artist Arlene Carr
Located in West Hartford, CT
Large original signed abstract mixed media painting in hues of red, pink and yellow. Titled "Hearts on Fire" by listed American artist Arlene Carr.
Category
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Enamel
Late 20th Century Vintage Boho Original Lips Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Bold, cheeky, and utterly unforgettable—this original oil painting of vivid red lips against a glowing yellow-orange background is a true statement piece for eclectic and modern inte...
Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Steven Lynch British Large Realism Painting
Located in West Palm Beach, US
Large square painting by e Lynch a British Artist. Steven Lynch is a professional artist living and working in the UK. His paintings are bought worldwide from Japan to the USA and h...
Category
2010s British Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas
$7,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Vintage Native American Male Portrait on Paper.
Located in Seattle, WA
Abstract Portrait of a Native American Man wearing a Traditional Headdress. Possibly Watercolor and Pastel on Paper. Signed JP Gaston as Pictured. Vintage Condition Consistent with A...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paper
Modern Expressionist Abstract Painting Signed Mullin
Located in Clarksboro, NJ
This listing is for a Modern Expressionist Abstract Painting. Featuring a vintage wood frame, original expressionist style abstract art with a mixture of colors, and a wire on the ba...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
$600 Sale Price
20% Off
Pedro Friedeberg Zebra, Ink on Paper from the Jungle Series
Located in Mexico City, MX
Important painting by Mexican artist Pedro Friedeberg depicting a zebra, from The Jungle series. Exposed in the 1984 exhibition at Galería de Arte Misrachi, Mexico City. Originally c...
Category
1980s Mexican Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Paper
Large 50" x 50" Modern Abstract oil on canvas painting by Martha Visser t Hooft
Located in Buffalo, NY
Large 50" x 50" Modern Abstract oil on canvas painting by Martha Visser t Hooft...
(1906-1994)
Martha Hamlin Visser't Hooft was an artist and teacher w...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Mid-century Modern paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern paintings for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage paintings created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, folk art, decorative objects and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with fabric, paint and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern paintings made in a specific country, there are North America, United States, and Europe pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original paintings, popular names associated with this style include Peter Keil, Jacob Semiatin, Daniel Clesse, and Charles Levier. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for paintings differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $45 and tops out at $275,000 while the average work can sell for $1,851.
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