Very well drawn, original conte crayon study of a female nude, in a strong Modernist style, by the listed Russian/American artist Abraham Solomon Baylinson (1882 - 1950), painted in 1929.

With excellent provenance: direct from the artist to his friend, the renowned modernist art critic Walter Pach (1883 - 1958), who gifted it to his second wife Nikifora Loutsi Pach, then sold by Christies, London in 2011.

Signed "A S Baylinson" and dated 1929 lower left, inscribed "For Nikifora from Walter Pach 257" (his collection number). Further inscribed verso within a circle "NLP 257" (Nikifora Loutsi Pach) and with Christie's, London consignment labels.

Conte crayon on textured, buff toned wove paper, in the original wood frame with later, acid free single mount and backing.

Drawing in excellent original condition, (see photos). Frame and mount clean (see photos).

Image 37.5cm x 49.5cm, frame 54.5cm x 66.5cm.

Comes with our Certificate of Authenticity - guaranteed authentic and original.

One of two works by Abraham Solomon Baylinson, from the Walter Pach collection, that I have listed.

Delivered ready to hang.

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Abraham Solomon BAYLINSON 1882 – 1950

Russian/American modernist painter and teacher.

Born in Moscow, Russia on 6 January 1882, the Baylinson family moved to the United States around 1892. Abraham Solomon Baylinson studied at the Art Students League of New York, the National Academy of Design and the New York School of Art. While at the New York School of Art he trained under Robert Henri and Homer Boss, alongside students such as Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Glenn Coleman, Eugene Speicher, and Patrick Henry Bruce.

He was secretary for the Society of Independent Artists from 1918 to 1934 and showed his work at the Society's exhibitions from his joining in 1917 until 1942. Baylinson was an instructor of drawing and painting at the Art Students League from 1931 to 1933. In 1931 a fire in his studio destroyed almost twenty years of work (over 500 paintings and drawings) – most of his early Modernist movement output. When he began painting after the fire his style slowly evolved into more representational art.

He exhibited widely across North America, including at the National Gallery of Canada, 1934, 1935; Detroit Institute of Arts, 1937; Art Institute of Chicago, 1931-37 & 1942-43; Corcoran Gallery, 1939; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1932-33, 1946, 1948; Toledo Museum of Art, 1946; Whitney Museum of American Art, 1933, 1935, 1937-38, 1940-41 and regularly with the Society of Independent Artists, New York.

He died on 6 May 1950 in New York City. The following year a major retrospective exhibition of his work was held - A.S. Baylinson, 1882-1950: A memorial exhibition of paintings and conte crayon drawings: in the Art Students League Gallery, October 21st to November 10th, 1951. New York: The Gallery.

His work is held in several notable collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Newark Museum.

References:

 "Abraham Solomon Baylinson (1882-1950)". Spanierman Gallery, 2011.

 "A. S. Baylinson papers, 1929-1955". In the Archives of American Art, by Jean Fitzgerald. Archives of American Art. 2005.

 "Artist Lost Life's Work. A.S. Baylinson Had 500 Paintings in Burned Building". The New York Times. January 31, 1931.

 "A. S. Baylinson, 68, Art Leader, Dead. Ex-Secretary of Independent Society. Had Shown His Work in Leading U.S. Galleries". The New York Times. May 7, 1950.

Walter Pach 1883 – 1958

American artist, critic, lecturer, art adviser and art historian.

Pach wrote extensively about modern art and championed its cause. Through his numerous books, articles, and translations of European art texts Pach brought the emerging modernist viewpoint to the American public. 

He organized exhibitions of contemporary art for New York City galleries of the period. He was also extremely helpful to Arthur B. Davies, president of the landmark exhibition of 1913, the "International Exhibition of Modern Art," known as the Armory Show, as well as to one of its founders Walt Kuhn, by bringing together leading contemporary European and American artists. Another original founder Jerome Myers spent over a year supervising the American portion of the show.

Pach helped John Quinn and Walter Arensberg gather their collections. He also secured individual works for museums, such as a portrait by Thomas Eakins for the Louvre, and Jacques-Louis David's The Death of Socrates for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pach's fluency in French, German, and Spanish made it possible for him to understand and interpret the avant-garde ideas developing in Europe and translate them for the English-speaking audience. He was able to communicate personally with many noted artists in Europe and Mexico and mediate between gallery dealers and museum curators on their behalf. His correspondence with major figures in 20th-century art are an important source of information, not only about the artists but about the art world during the first half of the 20th century.

Born a year after Baylinson, he was a friend and close contemporary, they studied at the New York School of Art together and were members of the Society of Independent Artists over the same period. Indeed, with Duchamp and the Arensbergs, Pach was a major force in the creation of Society in 1916, Baylinson joined the following year and became secretary the year after.

After the death of his first wife (the German artist Magdalena Frohberg, 1884–1950), Pach married Nikifora Loutsi (later Mrs Nikifora N. Iliopoulos). During their marriage Patch gifted art works from his collection to his wife and on his death she inherited more. Her collection was significant, covering the best modern artists of the first half of the 20^th century, from both Europe and the Americas and she is quoted that she “could make a museum” with the works in her possession. The remarkable resurfacing of Walter Pach’s extensive art collection, hundreds of long hidden works of art by Pach himself, and numerous archival materials are reshaping and expanding existing narratives related to his engagements with the triangulated modernisms of New York, Paris, and Mexico City.