Description: An unusually complex mixed media (pastel, charcoal) drawing of ballerinas, 17 1/2" by 13 3/4" (27" by 23 1/4" framed), signed at lower right "Julian". This is a fine, uncommon work by noted California-associated artist JULIAN RITTER (1909-2000). The imagery features several ballerinas in various dance poses, the beauty of the female form the center of attention, as it usually was, in Ritter's art. The forms are placed in fractured planes such as would be seen in Cubist art, making the final result most interesting and modern. There is a very long biography on Wikipedia, in keeping with the artist's long and complex life. Born in Hamburg, Germany before World War I, he was in Los Angeles while young, going on to Chicago for art training, among his teachers, Stanley Reckless. He returned to Los Angeles, working for the movie studios in the 1930's, before serving in the army in World War 2. After the war, the artist drew increasing attention and achieved wide commercial success, with his clown paintings best known. In the 1950's he had wide gallery representation. Later in life he desired to get away from the repetitive subject matter the market seemed to demand of him. Written on the backing paper of this work is "Purchased in 1962". So, we can believe that this is an example of the artist's attempt to break away from the typical subject matter for which he was best known at this point in mid-century. After a stroke, the artist was less active, doing some teaching, before passing in Maui in 2000.
Price: 575 USD
Location: Santa Monica, California
End Time: 2025-01-04T07:18:40.000Z
Shipping Cost: 5 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Type: Drawing
Subject: Ballerina
