82

WALT KUHN

American, 1877-1949

"Girl in Green"

oil on canvas
unsigned
30 x 25 inches

  • Provenance: Estate of the artist; Salander-O'Reilly Galleries, Inc., New York, New York; Barridoff Galleries, Portland, Maine; Private Collection, New York, New York; Private Collection, Minnesota.
  • Exhibited: New York, New York, Salander-O'Reilly Galleries, Inc., "Walt Kuhn", May 1 - June 30, 1984, Portland, Maine, Barridoff Galleries, July 21, August 31, 1984 and Flint, Michigan, Flint Institute of Arts, September 30 - November 11, 1984, cat. no. 40 (illustrated in color); St. Paul, Minnesota, The Catherine G. Murphy Gallery, The College of St. Catherine, "American Scene Painting", February 4 - March 3, 1995.
  • Notes: Copies of the relevant pages from the exhibition catalog "Walt Kuhn" accompany this lot.

    Together with Robert Henri and John Sloan, Walt Kuhn assisted in the organization of the "Exhibition of Independent Artists" in April of 1910. The following year, with a group of like-minded artists he founded the Association of American Painters and Sculptors (AAPS), with the aim of promoting contemporary artists through non-juried exhibitions. Led by Arthur Bowen Davies as president, the AAPS organized the famed 1913 Armory Show introducing Cubism, Fauvism, Expressionism and other forms of European modernism to an American audience. Kuhn traveled abroad in 1912 as AAPS secretary to assist with the selection of artists ahead of the Armory Show.

    In the decade following the Armory Show, Kuhn experimented with various styles and media. In 1925, after a near-death experience, he devoted himself to developing his own unique style. He returned to Europe to study Old Master paintings and ancient art. A lover of the circus and the stage, his subjects included burlesque and vaudeville performers, circus acrobats and clowns.

    By 1935, Kuhn succeeded in developing his own style depicting boldly colored figures against stark backdrops. Despite their colorful costumes and staged poses, his portraits are psychologically probing. In the current example, the posture and expression of the sitter defy her bouncy curls, excess makeup and jovial costume. She looks dignified and serious, indicating that there is more than meets the eye.


    Tags: oil painting, figure, portrait, clown, circus, 20th century, Modern, modernism, contemporary
  • Condition: in overall excellent condition; unlined canvas; a few tiny scattered dots of in-paint 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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