3453 - TOM WESSELMANN

TOM WESSELMANN (Cincinnati 1931–2004 New York City) Study for Big Bouquet. 1997. Liquitex and pencil on Bristol board. Signed and dated lower center: Wesselmann 97. Inscribed on the reverse with the work number: D972. 54 × 64.5 cm. Provenance: - Galerie Thomas, Munich (label on the reverse). - Private collection, Switzerland, acquired from the above gallery at Art Basel in 2006. We thank the Estate of Tom Wesselmann for its assistance in cataloging this work. “Tom simply couldn’t resist these flowers.” This is how Claire Wesselmann recalls the beginnings of a fascination that would leave a lasting mark on Tom Wesselmann’s art. Starting in 1970, Tom and Claire spent their summers at their new country house in the Catskill Mountains. Claire began growing flowers native to the area and arranging them in bouquets. It all started with a simple bunch of flowers on the dining table. Tom began to draw it. The flowers Claire planted in the garden and arranged in vases around the house soon found their way into Wesselmann’s still lifes. The bouquet was a traditional subject, but one he developed in his own way. This immediate connection with nature became an important source of inspiration. This is also evident in “Study for Big Bouquet.” Flowers spread out above a deep-blue vase, their simplified shapes defined by bold outlines. Vivid reds, oranges, blues, and violets meet rich greens. Closely grouped, the flowers form a lively arrangement, their colors standing out against the pale background. Such studies played a central role in Wesselmann’s creative process. He often began by capturing new ideas in small sketches, then developed these into drawings in their own right. These, in turn, provided the basis for further works, including his “Steel Drawings,” in which drawn lines were translated into cut metal. What began as a small bouquet on the dining table became a subject Wesselmann returned to time and again. The flowers remain familiar and everyday, yet he transforms them into a celebration of color and form—bold, luminous, and full of life.