Adolph Gottlieb’s Imaginary Landscape and Malvina Hoffman’s 1913 Bronze Sculpture Lead Art, Design, Jewelry and Antiques Auction

Adolph Gottlieb (1903 – 1974) was an Abstract Expressionist painter, sculptor, and printmaker. He formed lifelong friendships with artists Barnett Newman, Mark Rothko, David Smith, Milton Avery, and John Graham. In the 1960s, Gottlieb simplified imagery usage to create his Burst and Imaginary Landscape paintings. In a 1967 interview, he said, “Everything is part of nature, I just paint from my personal feelings, and my reflexes and instincts. I have to trust these.” Imaginary Landscape No. 1 is a 1957 gouache and ink work by Adolph Gottlieb available in the Art, Design, Jewelry and Antiques auction, presented by Concept Gallery. Black and white colors dominate the painting while carrying the weight of all the emotions and duality the artist was trying to express through abstract dots and lines.

La Frileuse (Shivering Girl), executed in 1913 by Malvina Hoffman (1885 – 1966), is also a leading lot. It is a cast bronze sculpture with a lotus base as a fountain with seven slots. The lotus base is attached to a newer marble base with the artist’s name inscribed. The figure alone measures 39 inches tall. The bronze sculpture comes with a lengthy typed letter from the artist to the consignor, signed and dated February 1965. The letter recounts the making of the sculpture: “I came across the photo the other day of this little girl posing for this statue in my first studio in New York, and I must say the picture proved that this pose was a natural and easy one for the child.” Among jewelry lots, an 18-karat white gold diamond ring, featuring a prong-set 2.04-carat, round brilliant-cut diamond with I color, SI2 clarity is notable. The central diamond is surrounded by six diamond baguettes, four straight baguettes, and two tapered baguettes. View the complete catalog for this Art, Design, Jewelry, and Antiques sale and find other online auctions on Bidsquare.