Color pastels on green wove paper, 1932. 584x419 mm; 23x16 1/2 inches. Signed and dated in pastel, lower right.
Provenance: acquired from the artist's brother, Joseph Delaney; private collection.
This extremely scarce still life is one of the earliest artworks by Beauford Delaney to come to auction. Delaney drew many portraits in color pastel during his New York period. His still lifes are considerably scarcer, and most known works date from the 1940s.
In 1932, Delaney had enough success that he gave up his job at the Whitney Studio Galleries and moved into an apartment on 22 Downing Street in the Village. He had a second solo exhibition in May in the New York Public Library at the branch on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Leeming pp. 37-43.
