120 - LAWRENCE LEBDUSKA (AMERICAN 1894-1966)

LAWRENCE LEBDUSKA (AMERICAN 1894-1966) Still Life with Roses and Fruit, 1957 60.1 x 40.6 cm (24 x 16 in.) framed dimensions: 70.5 x 50.5 cm (27 3/4 x 19 7/8 in.) signed and dated lower left PROVENANCE Private Collector, Washington, DC LOT NOTES Born in Baltimore and raised in Leipzig, Lebduska came to New York in 1912, where he painted decorative murals for Elsie de Wolfe before turning to easel painting. His 1936 solo exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Gallery is said to have inspired Abby Aldrich Rockefeller to begin her renowned folk art collection, and he went on to work for the WPA Federal Art Project and to exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. Painted in the late 1950s, this work belongs to the period shortly before his rediscovery in the 1960s, when the Long Island dealer Eva Lee, captivated by one of his brilliantly colored flower still lifes, sought him out and helped revive his career. His works are held in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Keywords: American Folk Art, Self-Taught Artist, Naive Painting, Modern Primitive, Still Life, Floral, WPA Federal Art Project N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals LLC and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions & Appraisals, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.