50 Years Ago - Beauford's Portraits

1970 was a difficult year for Beauford. 

Elsa Honig Fine of the University of Tennessee invited him and his brother Joseph to do a joint exhibition of works at the McClung Museum Gallery there, but the prospect was too much for his fragile physical and mental health. 

Though he agreed to participate in the show during his Christmas holiday visit to Knoxville in 1969, he avoided communicating about the event for months - ignoring requests for shipping and travel dates as well as information about the works he would display. 

It was only during the summer of 1970 that he finally admitted he would not contribute to the exhibition, which became a solo show for Joseph Delaney. 

And yet, Beauford produced numerous paintings and works on paper in 1970 - including a striking self-portrait. Here are images of several of them. 

 

Portrait of a Young Musician  (1970) Acrylic on canvas © Estate of Beauford Delaney by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator Studio Museum in Harlem; Gift of Ms. Ogust Delaney Stewart, Knoxville, TN 2004.2.27 Photo: Marc Bernier

Portrait of Vasilli Pikoula
(1970) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Portrait de la Voisine
(1970) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Self-portrait

(1970) Gouache on paper

Collection of David Leeming

© Estate of Beauford Delaney by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire, Court Appointed Administrator 

Next week: "50 Years Ago - Beauford's Abstracts"