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Louise Nevelson
Louise Nevelson, Untitled, painted wood sculpture, 1950s
1950s

Name: Louise Nevelson, Untitled, painted wood sculpture, 1950s
Brand: Louise Nevelson

$77,000List Price

About the Item

This work is an example of Nevelson's early, small-scale abstract constructions that relied on found materials selected for their visual or emotional appeal. In her search for new materials Nevelson was drawn to wood, as opposed to bronze or marble. This choice reflected her past; her father was a woodcutter and lumberyard owner, and the organic material was a common presence throughout her childhood. The assembled rectilinear wooden blocks of this work present a unified exploration of vertical and horizontal axes, in a visual experiment with constructed forms that influenced her subsequent wall sculptures. However, the format of this work is still that of a conventional sculpture presented on a base, much like traditional, old master sculptures. While many of her later works were painted in monochromatic black, white, or gold because of the personal symbolism of these colors, Nevelson painted this work a bright green that she chose not to reprise in later sculptures. Louise Nevelson was born Kiev, Russia. Her family moved to the United States in 1905, and in 1920 she moved to New York City and began studying at the Art Students League in 1929. Using old pieces of wood, found objects, she constructed huge walls, enclosed box arrangements of complex and rhythmic abstract shapes. Her first one-woman show was at the Karl Nierendorf Gallery in NYC in 1941. She had solo exhibitions at the Norlyst and Nierendorf Galleries from 1943 to 1944. In later years she studied printmaking and experimented with marble and terra-cotta. Her fame came about from her show Ancient Games and Ancient Places at Grand Central Moderns, and she is considered one of the most important American sculptors.

Creator:
Louise Nevelson (1899 - 1988, American)
Creation Year:
1950s
Dimensions:
Height: 31 in (78.74 cm)Width: 12 in (30.48 cm)Depth: 11.5 in (29.21 cm)
Medium:
Wood,Oil
Movement & Style:
Abstract Expressionist
Period:
1950-1959
Condition:
Gallery Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU105213427421

Shop All Louise Nevelson

Louise Nevelson

Louise Nevelson was one of the leading American female sculptors of the 20th century, and she did it on her own terms. She was a pioneer of installation art and created large-scale monochromatic sculptures that are today known for their provocative, compartmentalized forms. While her assemblages involved a range of materials, she is best known for her wooden sculptures. Working in a single color was her signature, and all-encompassing color demanded an all-encompassing focus for this artist — she even kept separate studios for work in black, white and gold.

Nevelson was born in what is now Ukraine in 1899 and emigrated to the United States with her family in 1905. She moved to New York City as a young woman in 1920 to study at the Art Students League. In the 1930s, Nevelson traveled around Europe, came into contact with the works of Picasso, studied with Hans Hofmann and assisted Diego Rivera in New York City.

Nevelson had her first solo show in 1941 at the Nierendorf Gallery in New York. In the late 1940s, she studied with Stanley William Hayter and worked as a ceramicist in the workshop of revered furniture designer Vladimir Kagan, who let her take scraps from the factory to use in her sculptures. (As a child, Nevelson had also worked with discarded wood from her father's lumber yard.)

By the early 1950s, Nevelson had traveled to Guatemala and Mexico. She was inspired by pre-Columbian art and the totemic works of ancient cultures. Nevelson began creating the first of her iconic wood sculptures and later participated in the legendary “Sixteen Americans” exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Her work was acquired by prominent institutions in the years that followed.

Nevelson made reliefs in shadow boxes and was for a time affiliated with New York City’s Sidney Janis Gallery as its first female Abstract Expressionist artist (her work was abstract but she also drew on the Cubist and Constructivist movements). In the early 1960s, Nevelson showed her art in Chicago, Manhattan, Paris and West Germany. It was around this time that she exhibited at Pace Gallery in Boston and New York. The gallery represented her for the duration of her career.

Nevelson died in 1988, but her legacy is immense. Her work is held in virtually every major American art museum, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art. Her permanent large-scale public sculptures are installed all over the country, including in Louise Nevelson Plaza in New York City's Financial District.

On 1stDibs, find original Louise Nevelson sculptures, prints and drawings.

Louise NevelsonUntitled, 1983

$60,500

H 19.5 in W 15.75 in

Untitled

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Caviar20 is excited to be offering this striking collage by the inimitable Louise Nevelson, who is regarded as one of the most original, influential, and successful American sculptors of the 20th century. Nevelson's enduring appeal lies in her distinct visual language, which is apparent in all of her works, regardless of medium. While her iconic monochromatic wood assemblages are instantly recognizable, she continuously experimented with diverse materials, including resin, steel, and bronze, as well as numerous printmaking techniques. Collage was an important part of Nevelson's practice, defining her signature aesthetic. Much like her approach to printmaking, her collages possess a sculptural ethos that transcends the two-dimensional surface, imbuing the composition with a remarkable sense of volume, texture, and depth. One could argue that Nevelson's sculpture was informed by collage in that she took assorted existing forms combining them in order to create an entirely new and distinct arrangement. This untitled collage is an exceptional example of the artist's mastery of the medium. Featuring an assemblage of wood veneer, mirror, and metal, this work reflects Nevelson's meticulous sense of form and rhythm. Subtle details, such as the alternating direction of the wood veneer grain further heighten the visual complexity of the otherwise minimal composition. The inclusion of wood veneer marks a notable shift for Nevelson, who was previously loyal to a strict monochromatic palette of black or white. It wasn’t until the 1970s with her experimentation in collage that she expanded her palette. Nevelson also created jewellery and this collage acknowledges her activity in that realm. Created at the age of 83 during the final chapter of her career, this piece powerfully captures Nevelson's enduring spirit and dedication to artistic innovation. Today Nevelson's work can be found in every major public collection across North America and beyond. Questions about this piece? Contact us. Visit our Toronto gallery on Thursdays or by appointment. "Untitled" USA, 1983 Mixed media collage Metal, mirror, wood, and wood veneer on grey mat board mounted on 0.25" Luan plywood Signed and dated by artist, bottom right Nevelson Estate no. LN 40830 19.5"H 15.75"W (work) 31"H 21"W (framed) Very good condition Literature: Stein, Judith. Louise Nevelson Collages...

Category

1980s American Modern Mixed Media

Materials

Metal

Modernist Abstract Wood and Wire Sculpture Manner of Louise Nevelson

$1,480

H 16 in W 15 in D 14 in

Modernist Abstract Wood and Wire Sculpture Manner of Louise Nevelson

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Buffalo, NY

Wonderful Modernist abstract wood and wire sculpture manner of Louise Nevelson.

Category

Vintage 1970s Unknown Bauhaus Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wire

Louise NevelsonUntitled - Mixed Media Assemblage Relief Painting on Wood Panel, 1974, 1974

$125,000

H 29.75 in W 25 in

Untitled - Mixed Media Assemblage Relief Painting on Wood Panel, 1974

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Palm Desert, CA

Louise Nevelson's ‘Untitled' (1974) brings the sculptor's signature assemblagist vision to an intimate, collage-based format. At the height of her international reputation in the ear...

Category

Late 20th Century Assemblage Mixed Media

Materials

Wood, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Newsprint

Brutalist Collage Wall Sculpture in the Style of Louise Nevelson

$1,800

H 27.5 in W 20.5 in D 1.5 in

Brutalist Collage Wall Sculpture in the Style of Louise Nevelson

By Louise Nevelson

Located in La Mesa, CA

This striking wooden wall sculpture is a one-of-a-kind studio piece that embodies the bold architectural language of brutalist design, in the style of Louise Nevelson and mid-century...

Category

2010s American Brutalist Wall-mounted Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Louise NevelsonThe Great Wall, 1970

$9,750

H 30.25 in W 25.5 in

The Great Wall

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Caviar20 is thrilled to present the esteemed work of Louise Nevelson - one of the most revered and unique artists of the 20th century. (Also, an artist who continues to be undervalu...

Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Prints

Materials

Metal

Louise NevelsonUNTITLED, 1963

$4,500

H 38 in W 28 in

UNTITLED

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Portland, ME

Nevelson, Louise. UNTITLED. Baro 36. Tamarind Number 801. Lithograph, 1963. Edition of 20, plus 2 Printer's Proofs, 1 Trial Proof, and 3 Artist's Proofs. Inscribed "Tamarind Impressi...

Category

1960s Abstract Abstract Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Louise NevelsonUntitled, 1975

$8,000

H 46.5 in W 33.5 in

Untitled

By Louise Nevelson

Located in New York, NY

Very good impressions of these 4 color screenprints on white wove paper. Each signed, dated and numbered 15/25, 18/36, 15/39 or 6/40 in pencil.

Category

1970s Modern Abstract Prints

Materials

Color, Screen

Louise NevelsonSigned and dated 76 "Untitled" wood and paper collage by artist Louise Nevelson, 1976

$90,000

H 32 in W 25 in

Signed and dated 76 "Untitled" wood and paper collage by artist Louise Nevelson

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Boca Raton, FL

"Untitled" wood and paper collage by artist Louise Nevelson. Hand-signed and dated Louise Nevelson -76. Framed under glass.

Category

1970s Abstract Mixed Media

Materials

Wood, Paper

Louise NevelsonSky Garden, 1971

$9,500

H 25.5 in W 16 in

Sky Garden

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

As always, Caviar20 is thrilled to present the esteemed work of Louise Nevelson - one of the most revered and unique artists of the 20th century. (Also, an artist who continues to b...

Category

1970s Abstract Abstract Prints

Materials

Metal

Louise NevelsonGeometric Abstract Screenprint by Louise Nevelson, 1984

$2,400

H 38.25 in W 28 in

Geometric Abstract Screenprint by Louise Nevelson

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Long Island City, NY

An Abstract Geometric screenprint by Louise Nevelson. This print is in Nevelson’s typical style, using layers of fragmented geometric shapes to create depth. Nevelson is best known f...

Category