65

PAUL WONNER

American, 1920-2008

Tabletop Still Life

acrylic on canvas
signed and dated lower right center "Paul Wonner 1988 Dec"
72 x 48 inches

  • Provenance: Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, California; Private Collection, Connecticut

    Framed dimensions: 82 1/2 x 58 x 1 1/2 inches

    Born in Tucson in 1920, Paul Wonner moved to the San Francisco bay area to study at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. After earning his bachelor's degree and military service in Texas, Wonner moved to New York where he continued his artistic training at the Art Students League.

    In 1950, he returned to California and completed a Master's degree in Fine Arts at University of California, Berkeley. In the 1950s, he worked as a librarian at the University of California, Davis and in the 1960s moved to Southern California where he taught at the University of California Santa Barbara and Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles.

    In the bay area, his contemporaries David Park and Richard Diebenkorn provided friendly support for Wonner's work. Wonner emulated their style of painting with rich brush strokes until the late 1970s. He then started painting crisp images emphasizing bright light and sharp shadows, focusing primarily on still-life themes. Although inspired by Dutch masters, Wonner chooses objects from everyday life as his subjects.

    The present lot is a prime example of Wonner's approach to still-life. The objects float in a surrealistic space. In addition to classical flowers, Wonner included shoes, scissors, ribbon, and on a small piece of paper, his signature, as if it were a note left on the table.

    Tags: oil painting, listed artist, modern / contemporary, 20th century, still-life
  • Condition: in excellent overall condition; relined canvas; one tiny white dot visible above the lamp; no restoration apparent under UV

    We are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Shannon’s is merely a subjective qualified opinion. Frames on all paintings are sold "As Is". Frames may need some conservation. 
    NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD “AS IS” IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE. 

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April 27, 2023 6:00 PM EDT
Milford, CT, US

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