Description:

Sidney Edward Dickinson (American, 1890-1980) , "The Silk Drape", 1925, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower left, "The Charleston Renaissance Gallery" label with artist, title and date attached to backing board, 62 in. x 46 1/4 in., framed.

  • Notes: Sidney Dickinson was born in Connecticut in 1890. His father was a minister, and the family moved frequently in his childhood, spending time in New York, North Dakota and Alabama. Sketching and drawing from a young age, Dickinson began his formal studies at the Art Students League of New York in 1910 under William Merritt Chase and George Bridgman, and his artistic prowess continued to flourish as he attended classes at the National Academy for Design with Douglas Volk. For fifty years, Dickinson exhibited his work nationally, winning numerous prizes. He developed a skill for portraiture which would continue throughout his career and is displayed in the work offered here. As is typical for the artist, the background is a vast and inky space with a stark contrast between light and dark that directs the viewer’s gaze to the glowing skin tone of the figure. Rather than a specific portrait, one is given the sense that the artist is treating his model as an additional element of a still life, with each component serving as an exemplar of his talent in capturing realistic texture and color. Dickinson’s reputation for portraiture led to commissions of several notable figures in art and government, including his cousin and fellow painter Edwin Dickinson, Raphael Soyer, sculptor Robert Aitken, and Thomas E. Kilby, governor of Alabama from 1919 to 1923. While expertly rendered, the stately portraits of gentleman are visually less compelling than the lovely female form depicted on the monumental canvas here – clearly an opportunity for the artist’s mastery to shine. Ref.: “Sidney E. Dickinson (1890-1980).” The Charleston Renaissance Gallery. www.fineartsouth.com. Accessed Oct. 25, 2022.
  • Condition: If 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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November 19, 2022 11:00 AM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

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