Sale 6445
| Philadelphia
| Philadelphia
Estimate$30,000 – $50,000
To request further details about this lot, please email [email protected]
Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have
We are grateful for the research conducted by Susan Weininger, Professor Emerita, Roosevelt University.
Provenance:
The Artist
Wendell & Esther Wilcox, Chicago, gifted by the Artist
Collection of August Becker, gift from the above
Exhibited:
Chicago, State of Illinois Art Gallery, March 18-May 17, 1991, (also traveled to Springfield, Illinois State Museum, July 28-October 25, 1991), p. 69
New York, Karma, Gertrude Abercrombie, August 9-September 23, 2018, p. 123, illus.
Lot Essay:
Like many artists in the beginning stages of their careers, Gertrude Abercrombie’s early work includes many portraits, both of herself and of new friends and colleagues, who were willing subjects and offered her the opportunity to hone her skills. In 1934, Abercrombie was employed the Public Works of Art Project, (forerunner of the Illinois Art Project), which allowed her the income to move into her first independent residence in the Weinstein Building, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. It was here that she met more artists and writers who became lifelong friends, including Tud Kempf, Charles Sebree, Thornton Wilder, and Cati Mount. This not only attests to the varied and noteworthy social connections Abercrombie established in the first decade of her career, but from the beginning her portraits were distinctive, penetrating and often idiosyncratic, offering an extremely intimate image of the sitter.
The Portrait of Wendell Wilcox, c. 1935, depicts one of the many young writer friends Abercrombie made in the 1930s. Focused purely on his head, neck and shirt collar, Wendell faces right in three-quarter view, his large eyes looking toward something unknown, conveying a dreamy quality. The collar of his shirt, which is angular and not symmetrical, seems to reflect Abercrombie’s interest in Cubist abstraction at this moment in her career, something seen on the reverse of the portrait of Esther Wilcox, Wendell’s wife (c. 1936, also featured in this auction). Although the artist never fully developed her interest in this kind of abstract mode, her awareness of and experimentation with a variety of styles and media persisted throughout her life.
The present portrait, beyond its stylistic experimentation, is a sensitive portrayal of a young man who is on the cusp of a successful writing career, complex and thoughtful, with a most appealing vulnerability. In 1935, Thornton Wilder invited Abercrombie to attend a lecture Gertrude Stein was giving at University of Chicago; she asked if she could bring Wendell along. He impressed Stein so much that they went on to conduct a correspondence that lasted the rest of her life. In her 1937 Everybody’s Autobiography, the author wrote that Wendell “…has a feeling for meaning that is not beyond what the words are saying and of course that does make more brilliant writing and that is what he is doing.” (Stein, Everybody’s Autobiography, London, 1985, pp. 233-34) Portrait of Wendell Wilcox demonstrates Abercrombie’s ability to create an image that is not only a recognizable likeness but also includes the subtle and complex aspects of a deeper psychological reality.
Framed: 16 1/2 x 14 1/2 inches.
The physical condition of lots in our auctions can vary due to age, normal wear and tear, previous damage, and restoration/repair. All lots are sold "AS IS," in the condition they are in at the time of the auction, and we and the seller make no representation or warranty and assume no liability of any kind as to a lot's condition. Any reference to condition in a catalogue description or a condition report shall not amount to a full accounting of condition. Condition reports prepared by Freeman's staff are provided as a convenience and may be requested from the Department prior to bidding.
The absence of a posted condition report on the Freeman's website or in our catalogues should not be interpreted as commentary on an item's condition. Prospective buyers are responsible for inspecting a lot or sending their agent or conservator to inspect the lot on their behalf, and for ensuring that they have requested, received and understood any condition report provided by Freeman's.
Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.
