Original Bad Boy Series - 18x22.5 in.
EZIO (AZIO) MARTINELLI
Original Bad Boy Series - 18x22.5 in.
Details
Main Attributes:
Artist:Ezio (Azio) Martinelli Title:Original Bad Boy Series - 18x22.5 in. Work:Drawing / Work on Paper Medium:Watercolor Substrate:Paper Date:1969 Signed: Lower Right Size:18.00" x 22.50" Pricing:Price Upon Request Details:This visionary work done by Ezio Martinelli - one of the early, original "Bad Boys" of modernism, prefigures the work of Eric Fischl and other modernist giants who are masters of the obstinate medium that watercolor is known to be - with each master defining the genre in very different terms.
Martinelli started exploring these figural abstractions in watercolor in the 50’s and early 1960’s – they evolved from figural studies relating to his sculpture and became an independent focus that he developed further, up until the time of his passing. The series culminated in an amazing group of anatomical “exploded views” of mostly female sexual body parts – in an almost Georgia O’Keeffe fashion, except Martinelli’s works are overtly sexual, whereas O’Keeffe’s works were more symbolic – but in a way, none-the-less provocative for their time.
Martinelli remained a leader at the forefront of American Modernism his entire life - long after the mid-century movement he dominated was considered "eclipsed" by the Contemporary Art Movements ascendancy over Abstraction and the American art scene from the mid-to-late 1950's on.
These and many early, explorative works by Martinelli display remarkable artistic foresight - considering the period in which they were executed.
Provenance:
The Artist
The artists estate.
Millins / Van de Bovenkamp Collection; acquired from above.
BENTON GALLERY, acquired from above.
We represent the Martinelli Estate works.