Revere Auctions
Live Auction

2nd Annual Minnesota Art and History

Wed, May 17, 2023 11:00AM EDT
Lot 512

Charles Biederman Pen and Ink Drawing 1935

Estimate: $1,500 - $2,500

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $25
$300 $50
$1,000 $100
$3,000 $200
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
$500,000 $25,000
$1,000,000 $50,000
$10,000,000 $100,000
Charles Biederman, born Karel Joseph Biederman (American, 1906-2004). Pen and ink on paper abstract drawing, 1935. Pencil signed and dated 7/35 along the lower right.

Lot Essay:
Born to Czech parents in Cleveland in 1906, Biederman was involved in the American art scene for his entire life. He briefly studied at the Cleveland Art Institute and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) before dropping out and moving to New York. It was there that he met and was included in shows with other influential artists of the time including Alexander Calder, John Ferren, George L.K. Morris, and Charles Green Shaw.

For nine months from 1936-37 Biederman studied in Paris. It was here that he met and was influenced by leading artists including Picasso, Mondrian, and Miro. He was initially influenced by the works of Fernand Leger before moving away from his style and towards totally abstract, geometric compositions. The movements of Cezanne, Post-Impressionism, and Cubism informed the evolution of his style. And while he started out painting, he abandoned two-dimensional for more sculptural works by 1937.

In 1941 he married Mary Moore Biederman and in the following year he moved to Red Wing, Minnesota, where he would spend the rest of his life. In the 1950s, he created the term "Structurism" to help define his works from Constructivism and De Stijl. Many prominent collections around the world contain Structurist Reliefs including The Whitney Art Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Tate, London.

In 2004, Beiderman died at the age of 98 and his estate was subsequently given to the Weisman Art Museum on the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus. They have organized traveling exhibitions of his works.

Sight; height: 17 in x width: 13 3/4 in. Framed; height: 21 in x width: 17 in.

Condition

No visible tears, creases, or losses. No visible sign of restoration under UV light. It is difficult to discern whether the paper is toned due to the original color of the sheet. Along the four margins, there is light acidic burn, most likely from the previous mat; all four margins are visible; please see the listing image. Throughout the sheet, there are two minute light brown spots to the center and to the center of the left margin. The verso could not be inspected. Very light wear to the frame.

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