Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11

Norman Rubington
Mid Century Abstract Expressionist Guitarist Figurative

1952

About the Item

Wonderful abstract expressionist painting of guitarist painted by Norman Rubington (American, 1921 - 1991) while in Rome, 1952. Signed lower left and on verso. Dated "11 - 52, Roma" on verso. Unframed. Image size: 27.50"H x 19.75"W. "At five," Norman Rubington says, "everyone is a painter. I just kept on." Having so decided, Norman Rubington, born June 20, 1921 in New Haven, Connecticut, enrolled in the Yale School of Fine Arts in 1939. He studied there until 1943, when he left for service in the Corps of Engineers at Will Rogers Air Base in Oklahoma. In the service Rubington trained in map-making, mosaic overlay from aerial photos, and photo interpretation for military intelligence. He sketched and painted at every opportunity and executed a mural in the Service Club. He continued to work while on tour of duty in India and China. Rubington left for France in 1946 to study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. His work was highly acclaimed and immediately accepted for exhibition in the Salons. In 1948 he had his first one-man show in Paris at the Salon d'Automne. He was invited to join a group of French painters as the only American representative, and illustrated a limited-edition book produced by the group titled Douze Peintres, Douze Poetes. After completing his studies under the G.I. Bill, Rubington moved back to New York, had his first one-man show, and then in 1951, was awarded the Prix de Rome. Inspired to return to Europe, he lived and worked at the American Academy in Rome until 1954, participating with Italian and American painters in various group shows as well as a one-man show at Rome's Schneider Gallery. Back in the United States after 1954, Rubington began a series of shows in Boston, New York and San Francisco. He returned to Paris in 1958 after receiving a grant from the Tiffany Foundation and, after completing a series of new paintings, submitted them for show in New York. A selection from this group gained him a Guggenheim Fellowship, enabling him to return to his Paris base. During the following years, Rubington devoted some time to book illustration and experimental films. Writing under the nom de plume "Akbar del Piombo" and using collages of 19th-century engravings for the illustrations, he produced a series of satirical works on socially and politically relevant subjects. In 1965 he illustrated The Olympia Reader for Grove Press, working with literary greats such as William Burroughs. His unique style of animation became the forerunner of Monty Python's Flying Circus. By 1970 Rubington had returned to New York following a summer residency at the McDowell Art Colony in New Hampshire. He continued working on his art up until the day he died - New Year's Day 1991. Exhibition venues included the Salon d'Automne, City Center of New York, Boston Printmakers, Berman Museum of Art, American Academy in Rome, Museum of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Corcoran Gallery and Art Institute of Chicago. His collages and manuscripts have been gifted to the Bienecke Rare Book Room and Manuscript Library of Yale University, where he studied at the Yale School of Fine Art.
  • Creator:
    Norman Rubington (1921 - 1991, American)
  • Creation Year:
    1952
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 27.5 in (69.85 cm)Width: 19.75 in (50.17 cm)Depth: 0.75 in (1.91 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Professionally cleaned; new UV-resistant varnish.
  • Gallery Location:
    Soquel, CA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: D83091stDibs: LU54211400252
More From This SellerView All
  • Three Mysteries Abstract Expressionist
    By Kristin Cohen
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Three Mysteries by California abstract expressionist artist Kristin Cohen (American, b.1963). Titled "Three Mysteries", signed "Kristin Cohen" and dated "2000" on verso. Image, 30"H ...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Woman With Air Guitar and Musicians Figurative Abstract
    By Michael William Eggleston
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Modernist abstract figurative oil painting of a woman with musicians by San Francisco artist Michael William Eggleston (American, 20th century). Signed with monogram "MWE" and dated ...
    Category

    Early 2000s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Fauvist Faces Abstract
    By Chris Hamamoto
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Compelling abstract figurative portrait with bold color fields by Southern California artist Chris Hamamoto (American, 20th Century). Signed lower left corner. Unframed, gallery wrapped. Size: 24"H x 20"W x 2"D. Chris, a native of Southern California, has enjoyed creating artwork since childhood. After trying various media, he decided to specialize in painting on canvas and paper with acrylic paints. He is inspired by the works of Monet, Van Gogh, Sergeant, and Diebenkorn. Chris displays and sells his paintings in art festivals throughout California, Arizona, and Nevada. Education: Los Angeles Valley...
    Category

    1990s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Vintage Bay Area Figurative Movement -- "Napoleon's Ambition"
    By Katherine Barieau
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Stunning abstract Bay Area Figurative Movement piece titled "Napoleon's Ambition" by Katherine Barieu (American, 1917-2010), 1982. Signed and dated lower right corner. Presented in grey painted slat shadow box frame. Image size: 16"H x 16"W. Framed size is 17"H x 17"W x 1.50"D. Born in 1917, Katherine Barieau was among the artists associated with the University of California at Berkeley in the 1950s. She remained active in the regional art scene throughout the following decades, producing abstract and figurative work in oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media and collage. The daughter of Scottish immigrants, Barieau was raised in Cambridge, MA. She graduated from Wellesley College (BA 1938) and later settled in California. Her art studies culminated with her enrollment in the art department at the University California, Berkeley (MFA 1953). A quote from a 1992 artist statement reads, "I was caught up in the wave of Abstract Expressionism and influenced by the riches in the Unconscious (I had a Jungian therapist). I have never ceased to experiment with media and searching to find how best to express inner ideas. It was wonderful to be exposed to established and active painters, to have a chance to study with experienced painters, to have friends who were also exploring and involved." Her teachers included John Haley, James McCray, Glenn Wessels and Felix Ruvolo. Her friends included fellow UC students Paul Wonner, Theophilus Brown and Jerrold Davis - as well as Richard Diebenkorn after this return to Berkeley in 1953. Barieau also studied with the California watercolorist Alexander Nepote, and with the New York School Abstract Expressionists Esteban Vicente and Kyle Morris...
    Category

    1980s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • L'enfer de deux - Abstract Figurative
    By J. Gregory
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Wonderful vintage abstract expressionist work "Inferno for Two" by a New York artist J. Gregory (American, 20th C.). Signed lower left "J. Gregory '85", Daruma Gallery frame label on...
    Category

    1980s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • "Pan of Bolts" and on Verso Joan Brown Swimming W/Manuel Neri Walking on Water
    By Sally Kissinger Wilt
    Located in Soquel, CA
    "Pan of Bolts" and on Verso Joan Brown Swimming W/Manuel Neri Walking on Water Sally Wilt studied with Joan at California School of Fine Art Stunning lar...
    Category

    1960s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

You May Also Like
  • "Manhattan Night Life"
    By Vaclav Vytlacil
    Located in Lambertville, NJ
    Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Vaclav Vytlacil (1892-1984) He was born to Czechoslovakian parents in 1892 in New York City. Living in Chicago as a youth, he took classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, returning to New York when he was 20. From 1913 to 1916, he enjoyed a scholarship from the Art Students League, and worked with John C. Johansen (a portraitist whose expressive style resembled that of John Singer Sargent), and Anders Zorn. He accepted a teaching position at the Minneapolis School of Art in 1916, remaining there until 1921. This enabled him to travel to Europe to study Cézanne’s paintings and works of the Old Masters. He traveled to Paris, Prague, Dresden, Berlin, and Munich seeking the works of Titian, Cranach, Rembrandt, Veronese, and Holbein, which gave him new perspective. Vytlacil studied at the Royal Academy of Art in Munich, settling there in 1921. Fellow students were Ernest Thurn and Worth Ryder, who introduced him to famous abstractionist Hans Hofmann. He worked with Hofmann from about 1922 to 1926, as a student and teaching assistant. During the summer of 1928, after returning to the United States, Vytlacil gave lectures at the University of California, Berkeley, on modern European art. Soon thereafter, he became a member of the Art Students League faculty. After one year, he returned to Europe and successfully persuaded Hofmann to teach at the League as well. He spent about six years in Europe, studying the works of Matisse, Picasso, and Dufy. In 1935, he returned to New York and became a co-founder of the American Abstract Artists group in 1936. He later had teaching posts at Queens College in New York; the College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California; Black Mountain College in North Carolina; and the Art Students League. His paintings exhibit a clear inclination toward modernism. His still lives and interiors from the 1920s indicate an understanding of the art of Cézanne. In the 1930s, his works displayed two very different kinds of art at the same time. His cityscapes and landscapes combine Cubist-inspired spatial concerns with an expressionistic approach to line and color. Vytlacil also used old wood, metal, cork, and string in constructions, influenced by his friend and former student, Rupert Turnbull. He eventually ceased creating constructions as he considered them too limiting. The spatial challenges of painting were still his preference. During the 1940s and 1950s, his works indicated a sense of spontaneity not felt in his earlier work. He married Elizabeth Foster in Florence, Italy, in 1927 and they lived and worked in Positano, Italy for extended periods of time. Later on, they divided their time between homes in Sparkill, New York and Chilmark, Massachusetts, where Vyt, as he was affectionately called, taught at the Martha's Vineyard Art...
    Category

    1930s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • 'Allez!' At the Match. Toulon Rugby Club. Large Expressionist Oil on Canvas.
    Located in Cotignac, FR
    Large abstract expressionist oil on canvas of Toulon Rugby Club supporters at a rugby match. Unsigned. Extremely vibrant and energetic depiction of Toulon ...
    Category

    Late 20th Century Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Crimson Adornment
    Located in Ibadan, Oyo
    Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gallery) About Artist Abiodun Nafiu Azeez is an accomplished artist with a diverse background in contemporary painting, particularly Osogbo art. However, his true passion lies in abstract expression, where he seeks to promote African art, culture, and nature. Influenced by his artist father, he paints to preserve memories and connect with broader societal concerns. Abiodun's artistic style is characterized by the abstraction and simplification of human compositions. He employs vibrant oil colors, often focusing on primary colors that transition into secondary and tertiary hues. His subjects stand out against neutral backgrounds, creating a harmonious balance in his paintings. A prominent feature in his works is the use of red, blue, and yellow tones, subtly blended to emphasize form and shape. His artistic journey includes training under renowned bead painting contemporary artist Jimoh Buraimoh...
    Category

    1990s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Untitled
    Located in Ibadan, Oyo
    Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gallery) About Artist Abiodun Nafiu Azeez is an accomplished artist with a diverse background in contemporary painting, particularly Osogbo art. However, his true passion lies in abstract expression, where he seeks to promote African art, culture, and nature. Influenced by his artist father, he paints to preserve memories and connect with broader societal concerns. Abiodun's artistic style is characterized by the abstraction and simplification of human compositions. He employs vibrant oil colors, often focusing on primary colors that transition into secondary and tertiary hues. His subjects stand out against neutral backgrounds, creating a harmonious balance in his paintings. A prominent feature in his works is the use of red, blue, and yellow tones, subtly blended to emphasize form and shape. His artistic journey includes training under renowned bead painting contemporary artist Jimoh Buraimoh...
    Category

    1990s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Vibrant New York City Times Square, Figural Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting
    By Simon Gaon
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Simon Gaon (born 1943) is an American painter, Expressionist, and action painter. This is a thick impasto oil painting. with a lot of texture and color. This is a nighttime scene of Midtown Manhattan, Times Square, 42nd st. New york city. He is best known for his intense, tempestuous, action oriented paintings of the cityscape. He was also a co-founder of the Street Painters, a group of eight New York City artists who painted directly from the city life they observed on the streets of America's largest city. Born in 1943 in Manhattan, Gaon at an early age displayed creative talents. By age 14 he began painting while attending the Roosevelt School in Stamford, Connecticut. A key influence on him was painter Arthur Bressler (1927–1975) who was Gaon's teacher and mentor. Gaon graduated from the High School of Art and Design in New York City. In 1962, Gaon won the art studio award scholarship from the Art Students League which allowed him to study art on the European continent. In 1964, he studied in Academia 63 in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and furthered his European education with the Art Students League Merit Scholarship (1965) and the Edward G. McDowell traveling scholarship. He later stayed more than ten years in Europe, primarily in Paris, where his style evolved. The works of the Fauvist (Fauve) painters - Andre Derain, Maurice Vlaminck as well as Chaim Soutine, Oskar Kokoschka, Lovis Corinth, Gen Paul, and especially Vincent Van Gogh have all strongly influenced his work. His work is part of the figurative abstraction the was resurgent in NY in the second half of the 20th century. The influence of Robert Beauchamp, Lester Johnson, Jan Muller, Peter Saul, and Leon Golub as well as Rhino Horn artists...
    Category

    Early 2000s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

  • Vibrant New York City Times Square, Figural Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting
    By Simon Gaon
    Located in Surfside, FL
    Simon Gaon (born 1943) is an American painter, Expressionist, and action painter. This is a thick impasto oil painting. with a lot of texture and color. Times Square with 42nd st in Manhattan, New York city He is best known for his intense, tempestuous, action oriented paintings of the cityscape. He was also a co-founder of the Street Painters, a group of eight New York City artists who painted directly from the city life they observed on the streets of America's largest city. Born in 1943 in Manhattan, Gaon at an early age displayed creative talents. By age 14 he began painting while attending the Roosevelt School in Stamford, Connecticut. A key influence on him was painter Arthur Bressler (1927–1975) who was Gaon's teacher and mentor. Gaon graduated from the High School of Art and Design in New York City. In 1962, Gaon won the art studio award scholarship from the Art Students League which allowed him to study art on the European continent. In 1964, he studied in Academia 63 in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and furthered his European education with the Art Students League Merit Scholarship (1965) and the Edward G. McDowell traveling scholarship. He later stayed more than ten years in Europe, primarily in Paris, where his style evolved. The works of the Fauvist (Fauve) painters - Andre Derain, Maurice Vlaminck as well as Chaim Soutine, Oskar Kokoschka, Lovis Corinth, Gen Paul, and especially Vincent Van Gogh have all strongly influenced his work. His work is part of the figurative abstraction the was resurgent in NY in the second half of the 20th century. The influence of Robert Beauchamp, Lester Johnson, Jan Muller, Peter Saul, and Leon Golub as well as Rhino Horn artists...
    Category

    Early 2000s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

Recently Viewed

View All