Louis Bunce Art

Lazzaro Donati (Italian, 1926-1977) Untitled (Abstract Woman), Mid-20th Century Oil on board 20 x 16 in. Framed: 25 3/4 x 21 7/8 in. Signed lower right Lazzaro Donati (1926-1977) was born in Florence in 1926 and attended the Academy of Fine Arts. He began to paint in 1953, and in 1955 held his first exhibition at the Indiano Gallery in Florence. Within three years eleven exhibitions followed in Italy, and as his reputation grew he was invited to give major exhibitions in London, Paris, New York, Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo. He is considered one of the foremost contemporary Italian painters and his paintings hang in museums and private collections throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. Mr. Donati lived and worked at 24 Piazza Donatello in Florence, the square where generations of artists have created works worthy of the great Florentine tradition. As you entered the narrow hallway to his studio, a gilded life-size Venetian angel beckoned you to his door. Once inside, the present faded away and you found yourself in an atelier where early masters might have worked during the Renaissance. Within, luxurious Persian rugs set off the innumerable objects d'art and antique furnishings. Light poured in through the sloping glass wall on the north side. A dramatic stairway led to an overhanging balcony which served as a private gallery where the artist hung some of his favorite early works. To the left of the entrance was a smaller studio where Donati sculpted, with a window overlooking the famous old English cemetery where tourists laid flowers on the grave of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In the main studio itself, where Donati received his clients in an atmosphere as polished as an office of a top executive, one hardly realized that it was here that the artist actually painted. His easel was covered with Persian blue velvet, the painting on the easel was already framed, his chair was upholstered in red velvet and on his palette the colors were arranged with the precision of a Byzantine mosaic. In a corner stand were his latest works, framed and ready to be sent off to his next exhibition in Europe or America. Donati was a born host with a warm welcome, an elegant man who possessed enormous charm a good nature and a keen sense of humor. Apparently shy, he preferred to speak on subjects extraneous to his art, purposely distracting you from his paintings, then leading you back to them, tactfully and without pretension. He spoke fluent French and English as well as some Spanish and German. "After all", he said, "you've got to know how to sell a painting to everyone." He had no sympathy for the "drip and splash" studios of his contemporaries, preferring to keep his studio tidy and spotless. "Painting is a matter of precision", he said, "If a painter can't put his paint where he wants it to go, I don't see how he can call himself a painter. For me it is absolutely necessary to control the paint." When asked to reveal the technique he used to achieve the enamel-like finish typical of his paintings he answered, "That is a secret between me and my butler. Actually, most of my paintings are done by him!" But in fact behind the façade, Donati was a serious craftsman who devoted to his painting as a way of life and means of expression. From the beginning of his career, his paintings revealed a striving for perfection and continual research in problems of style and technique. His early works indicated a momentary interest in surrealism and abstract art; they were predominantly two dimensional, depending on line and strong color. But by 1958, with his painting The Lady with a Fan...

"Picos" is an abstract painting created in 1971 by Modernist artist, Stanley Bate. The piece features an earthy, muted palette, giving it a serene feeling with deep grey, muted brown...

Original oil paint on heavy archival paper abstract by the American artist, Martin Rosenthal. Bold, vibrant colors. Signed lower right by the artist and dated 1964. Condition is goo...

A charming 1950s modernist oil on canvas by Claude Richard Mazier (France, 1926–2011), this composition captures a poetic village scene where architecture and nature merge into a dre...

Dramatic abstract oil painting on board by renowned Mexican artist Leonardo Nierman, titled Prophesy. The composition rises with intense vertical energy, evoking a sense of cosmic tu...

Abstract painting, ca. 1950s measures 25 x 30 inches. Oil on canvas, unsigned and unattributed. Stunning modernist custom carved picture frame by Newcomb Macklin. ca. 1950 productio...

Vintage American modernist trompe l'oeil street scene oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 33 by 15 inches overall, and 30 by 12 painting alone. Excellent condition...

Original oil paint on heavy archival paper abstract by the American artist, Martin Rosenthal. Bold, vibrant colors. Signed lower right by the artist and dated 1965. Condition is ver...

This 1960s painting by Modernist artist Stanley Bate is an energetic abstract composition with a warm red and orange palette with small pops of bright blue throughout. The painting i...

This original Modern abstract painting by Stanley Bate is made with oil paint on canvas, and was painted circa 1960. It features a bold, vibrant red hue, with dark shapes lining the ...

“Warlock” is a striking 1950s abstract oil and metal foil on board painting by Colorado modernist George Cecil Carter. This powerful work exemplifies mid-20th-century Abstract Expressionism, with a dynamic palette of dark blue, gray, white, orange, and purple. The combination of textured metal foil and oil paint creates a compelling interplay of light, shadow, and surface, adding depth and a tactile dimension to the composition. Bold forms and rhythmic brushwork convey energy, emotion, and modernist sophistication. Signed by the artist in the lower right and titled and dated on the verso, the painting is presented in its original George Nix frame, with overall dimensions of 30 ¾ x 36 ¾ inches and an image size of 23 ¼ x 29 ¼ inches. Its scale and striking color make it an exceptional focal point for collectors of Abstract Expressionism, mid-century modern art, and Colorado regional modernism. Born in Woodward, Oklahoma, Carter had no formal art training but developed a distinctive style shaped by a diverse life that included work as a coal and gold miner and as a machinist at Schneebeck’s Industries in Colorado Springs. Mentored by Charles Bunnell at the Broadmoor Academy, Carter emerged as a leading figure in Colorado’s Abstract Expressionist movement, exhibiting nationally alongside contemporaries such as Al Wynne, Mary Chenoweth...

"Newstand" by Modernist painter Stanley Bate features a dark grey and brown perimeter with a white, blue and red composition that features geometric crosshatched lines with integrate...