Beauford in Six Minutes or Less

Last week, I came across a well crafted, 4:19-minute video about Beauford in a recently launched series about art history. Catherine, the creator of the series, chose to feature Beauford in her first episode.

Artist Series Ep.1 - Beauford Delaney

Viewing this video inspired me to look for others that grasped the essence of Beauford's life and/or work in a relatively short period of time.

Below are links to videos that do so in six minutes or less.

Some talk about Beauford biographically and some feature specific works of art.

Beauford Delaney: The Artist's Artist

A Modern Icon: Beauford Delaney's Marian Anderson

Going My Way: Episode 19 Beauford Delaney

Beauford Delaney, Can Fire in the Park, 1946

Gathering Light

The video short called BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2026! Daily Drawing Day Eight Beauford Delaney depicts an artist sketching a portrait of an older Beauford, which I believe was inspired by Errol Sawyer's 1973 photo portrait.

Beauford Delaney
Rue Guilleminot
France 1973
© Errol Sawyer

Click HERE to view it.

Swann Auction Galleries Sells Four Beauford Delaney Works

Swann Auction Galleries sold all four of the Beauford Delaney works it offered during its April 2, 2026 African American Art auction.

Two were figurative portraits and two were abstracts. All were works on paper.

Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man in Suit and Tie) was valued at $7,000 - $10,000.

Lot 9
Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man in Suit and Tie)
(circa 1940) Color pastels on pale gray wove paper
23 1/2 x 18 1/2 in. (59.7 x 47 cm.)
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

It sold for $24,130.

Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man) was also valued at $7,000 - $10,000.

Lot 10
Untitled (Portrait of a Young Man)
(circa 1937-40) Color pastels on pale green wove paper
24 1/2 x 18.875 in. (62.5 x 48 cm.)
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

It sold for $35,560.

The estimated sale prices for the abstract works were 3-4 times more than those assigned to the portraits.

Ibiza sold for $69,850 (estimated sale price - $30,000 - $40,000).

Lot 55
Ibiza
(1956) Watercolor on heavy wove paper
Signed, titled and dated ‘56 in ball point pen and ink, lower right
18 x 11 3/4 in. (45.7 x 29.8 cm.)
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

The untitled abstract sold for $45,720 (estimated sale price - $20,000 - $30,000).

Lot 63
Untitled (Abstract Composition)
Watercolor on cream laid paper, 1963
Signed, dated and inscribed "Paris" in graphite, lower right
17 1/2 x 12 in. (44.5 x 30.5 cm.)
Image courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries
© Estate of Beauford Delaney
by permission of Derek L. Spratley, Esquire,
Court Appointed Administrator
Courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, LLC, New York, NY

All sale prices include a 27% buyer's premium.

For information about the results of this auction, click HERE.