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.
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.
(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.
(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
(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
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