Description:

Theora Hamblett
American/Mississippi, 1895-1977
Buzzard's Home
oil on masonite
1955, signed and dated lower right, inscribed with artist, title and "The Parsons Gallery / deliver to 1083 5th Ave. / Nat. Academy of Design / open til 7 pm" en verso, 24 in. x 18 in., framed, overall 28 in. x 22 in. x 1 1/2 in.

  • Provenance: Exh.: "Paintings by Theora Hamblett", The Department of Art of the University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, Nov. 20, 1955, catalogue no. 18; "Annual Exhibition", National Academy of Design, New York, NY, Feb. 23 - Mar. 16, 1956; "Theora Hamblett Paintings", Betty Parsons Gallery, New York, NY, May 12 - 31, 1955, catalogue no. 5.

    Note: Renowned for her self-taught painting style, Theora Hamblett became one of Mississippi's most celebrated and distinguished artists. Hamblett began her professional career later in life at the age of fifty-five, eschewing the abstract style popular at the time in favor of subjects more personal. Over the ensuing twenty-two years, she developed an extraordinary oeuvre that is as unique as it is powerful. After an accident which broke her hip and required surgery in 1954, Hamblett began to paint her dreams and visions, many with religious themes and elements. The same year, New York gallery owner and famous collector, Betty Parsons, discovered one of Hamblett's paintings in the collection of Andy Warhol and subsequently visited her home in Oxford to view her other work. Parsons purchased "The Golden Gate (renamed The Vision)," which was then included in a 1955 show of new acquisitions at the Museum of Modern Art. Parsons continued to represent, promote and sell Hamblett's paintings in New York resulting in her work becoming known nationally and garnering important collectors.

    In a handwritten letter dating January 31, 1956, from Hamblett to Parsons, Hamblett discusses both of the rare night scenes offered in this sale:

    "Somehow I feel that "Buzzard's Home" is best to enter that exhibition [National Acadamy of Design] because it is more original and from pure memory. When a small child I watched from my playground, the buzzards come and go to roost on a dead tree daily. Later when I grew larger and could go near enough to their home, their large wings amazed me. The tree in the picture is supposed to be in a swampy place, frost on the grass that protrudes above the mud and water…I sketch every dead tree that I have an opportunity. When I painted "Buzzard Home" I had to make up a tree to take care of a buzzard in each familiar buzzard position. I have just finished another night scene with three dead trees, an old stump, rocks, setting moon and birds asleep, which I call, "Sweet Relaxation." I hope to enter it either at New Orleans or Memphis. I am now anxious to win some prizes or sell some pictures."

    This letter, along with several others in the chain of correspondence, indicates a friendly yet business-like relationship between Hamblett and the renowned New York gallery owner who provided advice, rejected certain paintings and complimented others with her keen eye. On February 9, 1956, Parsons confirmed in a typed letter to Hamblett that "Buzzard's Home" was picked up for the Annual Exhibition of the National Academy of Design and stated: "I liked your last dark pictures very much. Very mysterious in atmosphere."

    Hamblett's paintings are known for her distinctive brushwork, particularly in her depictions of trees, and her strong use of vibrant color. In these notable early works, that brushwork can be seen in the repetitive, rhythmic lines of frost on the ground and in the bark of the tree trunks, giving life to the barren scene. The ghostly blues and grays provide an eye-catching contrast with the yellow and orange moons, and these darker works provide a stunning counterbalance to their later, more well-known technicolor brethren. In these uncommon and profoundly mystical canvases, Hamblett wonderfully showcases the full spectrum of her artistic vision. It is no wonder that Parsons admired these deeply introspective works, which captured the complexity and range of Hamblett's unique imagination.
  • Dimensions: 24 in. x 18 in
  • Medium: oil on masonite
  • Condition: Overall good condition; no signs of past restoration; light surface dust; 3-inch vertical dark mark upper left corner; small losses and abrasions along edges from contact with frame; few pinpoint accretions lower left corner and scattered throughout; light craquelure visible in areas on tree trunks; frame has separations at corners, marks, and abrasions; slight gap between painting and frame upper edge.

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November 22, 2024 11:00 AM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

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