RARE ARMANDO L. BALBONI (ITALY/UNITED STATES, 1937-1993) MID-20TH CENTURY, POST-WWII, VINTAGE NEO-HUMANIST, FIGURATIVE EXPRESSIONIST, PENCIL SIGNED & DATED 1973, LARGE 40" in HEIGHT by 27 1/2" in WIDTH, UNFRAMED CHARCOAL DRAWING on HEAVY VELLUM BOARD, featuring PORTRAIT of FEMALE FIGURE with SILK HEAD WRAP & GATHERED
NECK SCARF
[Estate fresh & new to the marketplace, this original, authentic, signed Armando Balboni large-format, charcoal drawing was found out of frame and is being offered as such]
(Dated 1973)
Mid-20th century, post-WWII American vintage Neo-Humanist and figurative expressionist fine art paintings and drawings
DIMENSIONS:
40" Height x 27 ½" Width
Weight: 3 lbs.
DESCRIPTION:
Absolutely outstanding. This original, authentic work by the Italian born and later Italian-American painter Armando Balboni (1937-1993) is a very clean, undamaged, monumental, extra large charcoal, hand rendered drawing on heavy vellum bristle board, featuring a cryptic, enigmatic image of a figure, presumably a woman, sheathed and partially cloaked, in what appears to be semi-transparent, charcoal black silk fabric, wrapped around her head and neck, as if the sitter were attending a wake or funeral procession. The figure appears to be in a pensive, resting position, likely sitting with her arms on her stomach with the fingers of both hands, interlocked and relaxed. Her gaze is steered away from the viewer and is directed to the upper right, focused on something out of view. Armando Balboni was once enamored with and transfixed by the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's Neo-Humanism and figurative expressionism of the well-known American painter and printmaker Leonard Baskin, who taught at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. At that time, Ne0-Humanism and figurative Expressionism philosophically ran counter to the prevailing dominant hierarchy, once held at that time by the New York School of non-referential, self-descriptive, Abstract Expressionism, of which clearly both Baskin and Balboni, were not subscribers of or practitioners. Their work was largely a deliberate, counter-culture response to the prevailing cultural paradigm and crown seized by the Abstract Expressionists, with their exponential market success and official critical exultations found in dailies of record, such as the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, as well as many of the leading art magazines and periodicals. Armando Balboni was previously a professor of art at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA, nearby to where Baskin taught and lived in Northampton, MA. With very sensitive, emotive linear plastic descriptive language and complex, hand rubbed, variegated mid-tones, the resulting work is a major achievement and a singular, one-of-a-kind, substantial work of figurative art realized on paper. It has no noticeable surface damage such as corner bruises, crimping, edge tears, folds, light or dark stains, smudges, scuffs or abrasions. The work is clearly signed in graphite by the artist 'Balboni' in a stylized, semi-cursive signature and dated (19) '73 on the lower right. Compelling. Transfixing. Confrontational. Mysterious and multi-layered with sublime meaning. Visual poetry. It only needs matting and a frame of your choice. Very fine.
CONDITION:
Very Good to Excellent overall vintage condition.