Sotheby's Sells Three Beauford Delaney Works

Beauford traveled to San Telmo in Mallorca, Spain with Charley and Gita Boggs and Joe and Bernice O'Reilly after his suicide attempt during the summer of 1961.

Biographer David A. Leeming wrote that:

"In San Telmo he did eat well and rest, and, with the help of soothing talks with Bernice and Gita especially, managed a surface calm and even began to do some watercolors."

On Wednesday, June 28, during its Modern and Contemporary Day Auction, Sotheby's London offered three gouaches on paper by Beauford for sale.  The inscriptions of two them mention Mallorca and San Telmo.

Composite image of three Beauford Delaney works auctioned by Sotheby's London
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Sotheby's

 

Untitled
66 by 50.2 cm. 26 by 19¾ in.
Signed and dated 61 San Telmo Mallorca
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Untitled
65.8 by 50.2 cm. 25⅞ by 19¾ in.
Signed and dated 61 Mallorca San Telmo
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Sotheby's

The third work (the one that appears at the left of the composite image) is dated 1963 and only bears the initials "B.D" as a signature.

Untitled
64.7 by 50 cm. 25½ by 19¾ in.
Signed with the artist's initials and dated 63
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Untitled - signature detail
64.7 by 50 cm. 25½ by 19¾ in.
Signed with the artist's initials and dated 63
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator

Leeming devotes two pages to Beauford's activities and state of mind during 1963. While he does not refer to abstract watercolors in these pages, he indicates that the spring "brought a new burst of painting" and mentions Beauford's musing about Kandinsky's working with "mood values" of color.

Perhaps the monochrome green gouache is a reflection of this musing.

Sotheby's auctioned these three works in a single lot (Lot 240) and estimated the sale price at 50,000 - 70,000 GBP. 

The works sold for 63,500 GBP, including 26% buyers premium and additional fees.