Provenance

Estate of Lester F. Avnet

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See all 13 works of art
The image features a group of figures standing closely together in various stances and interacting. They have distinct facial features and different hairstyles. They are dressed in elaborate robes with intricate patterns, some wearing headpieces. One figure has a halo-like feature around their head. The background has a textured pattern of diagonal lines.
Melchior Lorch, Eight Ladies in Ancient Costumes, 1567/1573, pen and brown ink on laid paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.7

Eight Ladies in Ancient Costumes

Melchior Lorch · 1567/1573 · pen and brown ink on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1971.66.7

The sculpture depicts a male figure in a lunging position, with one leg in front of the other and his torso leaning forward. The man has both arms cut off just below the shoulders and legs cut off just below the knees, with the limbs ending in flat planes. His facial features are stylized, with a sharp, angular nose, curving brows with no visible eyes below them, and thin lips in a neutral expression. The man is nude, but his chest has no visible detail. He has short, textured hair, and the entire surface of the sculpture has some faint texture, similar to hammered metal. The sculpture is made of a reflective black material.
Raymond Duchamp-Villon, Torso of a Young Man, 1910, bronze, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.12

Torso of a Young Man

Raymond Duchamp-Villon · 1910 · bronze ·  Accession ID  1971.66.12

The abstracted form of a woman with one hand lifted to the top of her head is cast in bronze in this freestanding sculpture. The woman’s body faces us in this photograph, and light from the right gleams white on the smooth surfaces. The woman’s hips and legs are created with curving forms and creases to suggest ankles, knees, and groin. The woman stands with weight mostly on her left foot, to our right, and that arm ends just below the shoulder. Her other arm drapes over the top of her long hair. There is a curving hole, bean-shaped hole where her face would be framed by long hair. Her feet stand on a narrow, disk-shaped base. The background behind the sculpture lightens from black along the top through blue to white along the bottom.
Alexander Archipenko, Woman Combing Her Hair, model 1915, cast c. 1958, bronze, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.10

Woman Combing Her Hair

Alexander Archipenko · model 1915, cast c. 1958 · bronze ·  Accession ID  1971.66.10

This is a sketch of three figures' upper bodies and faces. The central figure is a woman holding a child, who is facing left. On the right side is another figure looking at the child, and below them is a third figure in a dynamic pose with an extended arm. The figures are drawn with delicate, flowing lines on textured brownish paper.
Francesco Vanni, Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine with Saint Jerome, black chalk on light brown paper squared in brown ink, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.9

Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine with Saint Jerome

Francesco Vanni · · black chalk on light brown paper squared in brown ink ·  Accession ID  1971.66.9

The image shows a drawing of a man sitting on a chair. He has a beard and mustache, with facial features that include a prominent nose and intense expression. He is wearing a turban or headscarf, a long robe with wide sleeves, and is gesturing upwards with one arm. His other arm is resting on the chair's armrest. The background is plain with a reddish-brown hue.
Anonymous Artist, Seated Prophet, red chalk on two joined sheets of laid paper prepared with red wash, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.5

Seated Prophet

Anonymous Artist · · red chalk on two joined sheets of laid paper prepared with red wash ·  Accession ID  1971.66.5

The image is a portrait drawing showing the head and shoulders of a person facing forward. The person has symmetrical face, prominent features, and a slightly elongated nose. Their hair is curly and voluminous, encircling the head in loose, swirling lines. The person has a serious expression with closed lips and large, almond-shaped eyes. They are wearing a loose-fitting garment, suggested by diagonal lines on the shoulders. The drawing is set on a plain background, focusing entirely on the simple, bold pencil lines of the figure without any additional context or environment.
Constantin Brâncuși, Woman's Head, c. 1910, conté crayon with blind stylus on wove paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.2

Woman's Head

Constantin Brâncuși · c. 1910 · conté crayon with blind stylus on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1971.66.2

The image depicts a landscape featuring a distant ridge of hills, with faint outlines of a structure along the horizon. The sky is characterized by dense clusters of clouds. The vegetation and trees are intricately detailed, with earthy tones dominating the color palette. Depth is conveyed through the layering of trees and diminishing detail in the background.
German 16th Century, River Landscape, 1544, pen and black ink with white heightening on red-brown prepared paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.6

River Landscape

German 16th Century · 1544 · pen and black ink with white heightening on red-brown prepared paper ·  Accession ID  1971.66.6

The image shows a couple seated on a park bench. The person on the left has reddish-brown hair styled in a voluminous way, wearing a white dress with black accents. The person on the right wears a cap, a checkered jacket, and a striped shirt. The setting includes stylized trees and a textured ground.
Juan Gris, Man and Woman on Bench, 1908/1909, charcoal, gouache, and watercolor on wove paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.4

Man and Woman on Bench

Juan Gris · 1908/1909 · charcoal, gouache, and watercolor on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1971.66.4

Henry Fuseli, Midnight, 1765, pen and brown ink with brown wash on laid paper, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.3

Midnight

Henry Fuseli · 1765 · pen and brown ink with brown wash on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1971.66.3

The sculpture depicts a seated human figure on a black chair. The figure is a woman with legs slightly apart and hands raised toward her neck, as if adjusting or examining a small, dangling object. The sculpture appears to be made of plaster with a rough, off-white texture. The surface treatment gives the sculpture an unfinished look with visible tool marks and uneven surfaces. The sculpture is life-sized and has a minimalistic style with simplified facial and body features.
George Segal, Girl Putting on an Earring, 1967, plaster and mixed media, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 1971.66.13

Girl Putting on an Earring

George Segal · 1967 · plaster and mixed media ·  Accession ID  1971.66.13

Bibliography

1970

  • "L.F. Avnet Dead; Industrialist, 57." The New York Times (4 January 1970): 76.