Following Love...

In October 1954, Beauford wrote:

"The privilege and right of choice and following love in all its difficult and painful rhythm, knowing the satisfaction that comes from the power of feeling and stimulation that comes from those we love; it's the essence of our work."

Today, I am presenting images of several of Beauford's abstracts, currently held by the Knoxville Museum of Art, that evoke this sentiment for me.

Untitled (Clamart)
(1959) Watercolor and gouache on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled
(1960) Watercolor on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled (Abstract Circles)
(1956) Pastel on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Black-Red-Gold Abstraction
(1963) Oil on canvas
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Untitled
(c. 1962-1963) Watercolor on paper
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

Two Jazz Abstracts

A couple of days ago, I attended the vernissage (opening) for a retrospective show of work by sculptor Melvin Edwards at the Palais de Tokyo Contemporary Art Center in Paris' 16th arrondissement.

The space used to be occupied by the Musée National d'Art Moderne, which may be where Beauford attended a 1967 course in modern art featuring Braque, Picasso, and Vlaminck.

(The other possibility is that Beauford took the course at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, which is located in the Palais de Tokyo's east wing.)

Across the street from the Palais de Tokyo is the Musée Galliera. I have written about this museum before in the context of Beauford's painting entitled Portrait of Marian Anderson, Jazz.

As I once again contemplated Beauford's naming of this completely abstract work after Anderson, I suddenly remembered that he did the same thing with Charlie Parker.

Portrait of Marian Anderson
Jazz, 1966
FNAC 29060
Centre national des arts plastiques
© droits réservés / Cnap /
Crédit photo : Yves Chenot
© Estate of Beauford Delaney,
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, N. Y.

I always presumed that Charlie Parker Yardbird was a portrayal of Parker's music.

Charlie Parker Yardbird
(1958) Oil on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Gift of the James F. Dicke Family
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY

I now wonder if Beauford intended it to be a portrait of Parker.

Beauford painted figurative portraits of Anderson and Parker, making the evaluation of the abstracts bearing their names even more intriguing.

Beauford created his "musical portrait" of Parker in 1958, whereas he created Portrait of Marian Anderson, Jazz in 1966.

He painted his figurative portraits of Parker and Anderson in 1968 and 1965, respectively.

Charlie Parker
(1968) Oil on canvas
Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Photograph by Joshua Nefsky
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY

Portrait of Marian Anderson
(1965) Oil on canvas
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
J. Harwood and Louise B. Cochrane Fund for American Art
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York, NY

Piasa Sells Beauford Delaney Abstract

On October 16, 2025, Piasa auctioned a single yellow abstract painting during its Modern and Contemporary Art sale.

Untitled, Paris
(1967) Oil on panel
Signed lower left
Counter-signed, dated and located on the reverse
94.5×70.5cm / 37.2x27.7in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, N. Y.

The estimated sale price for the work was 100,000€ to 150,000€.

It sold for 124,630€—including a 24% buyer's premium.

In Amazing Grace, biographer David Leeming states that the Musée Galliera showed several of Beauford's works in their exhibition called L'Age du Jazz in May 1967.

He says that among these works were "abstractions that were attempts to convey in light and color the dynamics of jazz."

Perhaps Untitled, Paris was one of them.

For more information about the Piasa Modern and Contemporary Art auction, click HERE.

Piasa Offers a Beauford Delaney Abstract for Sale

Piasa is no stranger to Beauford's work, having sold six of his paintings and works on paper during its June 2023 Modern and Contemporary Art sale.

On October 16, 2025, the auction house will offer a single yellow abstract painting during its upcoming Modern and Contemporary Art sale.

Untitled, Paris
(1967) Oil on panel
Signed lower left
Counter-signed, dated and located on the reverse
94.5×70.5cm / 37.2x27.7in
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, N. Y.

The Web page showcasing this piece describes Beauford's impasto as appearing "to dance like tiny sparks on the canvas."

It offers a lyrical portrayal of Beauford’s abstracts as “luminous” and interprets his artistic spirit as follows:

"Beauford Delaney in Paris is the story of light transformed into colour and colour transcended by light. His painting rises to the level of meditation, exploring the spaces between figuration and abstraction, between personal and universal experience. Through this prism, he defines a visual language in which every nuance, every sparkle speaks of hope and resilience, reinvention and liberation."

The estimated sale price for Untitled, Paris is 100,000€ to 150,000€.

For information about the sale, click HERE.