Description:

Virginia Barnes
American/Alabama, 1895-1984
"Elderberry in Bud"
woodblock aquagraph
1982, pencil-signed, titled, dated, numbered "16/25" and inscribed lower margin, unframed; TOGETHER WITH "Untitled: Floral Study", watercolor, pastel and graphite on paper, unsigned, Strathmore blind stamp upper right corner, unframed. (2 pcs.)

Note: Virginia Barnes was born in Livingston, Alabama and spent most of her life in the state. She earned an undergraduate degree from Alabama College in 1939 and additionally attended Agnes Scott College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia University. In 1939, Barnes began her teaching career at Montevallo High School. Barnes returned to Alabama College (later renamed the University of Montevallo in 1969), to teach in the art department from 1942 to 1965. During her years of teaching, Barnes continued to further her own studies, including at the famed Provincetown school of artist Hans Hofmann. Hofmann's abstract style and expressionistic use of color influenced hundreds of art students over the years, including Barnes, who spent the summers of 1950 and 1951 at his school.

While Barnes' training connected her to the New York art world, she was also deeply engaged with state and regional arts groups. Barnes was an active member of the Alabama Art League, an organization of artists from around the state who worked to establish the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in 1930. Barnes exhibited in the first show that the League hosted, and she continued to participate in it for the duration of her career. During her lifetime and posthumously her works were exhibited and collected by museums around the nation and abroad. Early in her career, Barnes was known as a portraitist, but she is most celebrated today for her work with screen printing, woodcut and watercolor.

  • Dimensions: "Elderberry in Bud": 19 1/2 x 26 1/2 in. (49.5 x 67.3 cm.), "Untitled: Floral Study": 22 x 15 in. (55.9 x 38.1 cm.)
  • Medium: woodblock aquagraph
  • Condition: No signs of past restoration, scattered creases, marks and accretions throughout; foxing on "Untitled: Floral Study".

Shipping Options

Invaluable Shipping

  • Expert Care packing and Shipping
  • Shipment Protection
  • Real-time tracking

Arrange your own

  • You will coordinate with us to arrange your own shipping

Local pickup

  • You will coordinate with us and arrange pick up time after payment.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

July 3, 2025 1:00 PM CDT
New Orleans, LA, US

Neal Auction Company

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 $49,999 $5,000
$50,000 $99,999 $10,000
$100,000 + $20,000