Description:

Dick Wray (American/Texas, 1933-2011) , "Bird", 1975, oil on canvas, pencil-signed and titled en verso, 86 1/4 in. x 68 1/4 in., unframed Condition: Scattered accretions, scratches and abrasions; craquelure visible at center (bird); active flaking mid-left; tear approximately 5 in. in length lower right at stretcher. Note: Dick Wray, the “Old Master of Texas Art” according to the Houston Chronicle, was one of Houston’s most innovative artists and an important player in the city’s mid-twentieth century contemporary art scene. Born in 1933, Wray, who originally trained as an architect, later studied art in Dusseldorf, Germany in the late 1950s. During his time in Europe, he developed an appreciation for artists such as Pierre Alechinsky and Karel Appel and was so moved by the prevalent abstract expressionist movement that upon returning to Houston, he decided to become an artist. Wray was instrumental in developing Houston’s budding contemporary art scene, along with his peers Jim Love, James Boynton, and Harvey Bott, among others. Always experimenting with new media and techniques, Wray continued to evolve as an artist throughout his long and robust career. His works are conserved in many public collections including the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. In the monumental piece on offer here, entitled “Bird” and dated 1975, Wray reduces the animal to its most basic form. In a cozy palette of warm reds, peaches and pinks, the bird is prominently displayed in the foreground with bricked rooflines and distant buildings delineating the background. The immense presence of the bird – the bird as subject – is reminiscent of Richard Bach’s 1970 spiritual literary masterpiece, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, which was made into a movie two years prior to the creation of this canvas. Ref.: Britt, Douglas. “Wray, 77, Leader in Houston Art Scene.” Chron. Jan. 11, 2011. www.chron.com. Accessed Nov. 8, 2021. “Biography.” Estate of Dick Wray. www.dickwrayartist.net. Accessed Nov. 9, 2021

  • Condition: Condition is NOT stated in the description of the lot. The absence of a condition report does not indicate the lot is free of damage or condition issues. Available Condition Reports will appear as an additional image. Condition Reports and photographs may be requested on items until the Wednesday prior to the auction. Bid accordingly. All sales are final, no returns are accepted on the basis of condition.

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December 9, 2021 1:00 PM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

Neal Auction Company

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Bid Increments
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$0 $49 $5
$50 $99 $10
$100 $999 $25
$1,000 $4,999 $50
$5,000 $9,999 $100
$10,000 $49,999 $500
$50,000 $99,999 $1,000
$100,000 + $2,000