$35,000
Oil on canvas, Signed in the lower right corner, F. Sinatra It dates to circa 1950, when the Sinatra/Gardner love affair was beginning, and was a gift from Frank to Ava. The dog obviously was a beloved pet - recently, the consignor found the dog's picture behind other old pictures in one of Ava's old frames! Given that Sinatra was a very private artist, this painting is a rare glimpse into an endeavor that he kept largely to himself. Painting quietly in his Palm Springs studio, Sinatra was undoubtedly influenced by the many exhibitions he saw in his lifetime, yet his early endeavors reflect an attempt to find a voice -- and one not associated with his famous vocal chords. These early pieces were figurative, representational, and as he developed as an artist, he would move from representational to mostly non-representational, color field pieces. The untitled painting's vertical, tonal, and textural striations gently surround an image of what might have been one of Sinatra's reported rescued dogs (as he was known to have three Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Ava famously collected her Pembroke Welsh Corgis). Since his creative outlet was of a personal nature, not to be paraded about in flashy gallery openings with personal appearances, this piece is about as intimate as they come -- a first foray into painting, as well as a gift to a treasured friend and lover. Frame is housed in a shadow box, accompanied by a black and white photograph of Ava and Frank and a plaque that Read more…
Auctioneer:
Juliens Auctions
Date:
2008-06-21
