Revere Auctions
Live Auction

January Day 2: Postwar & Contemporary Art

Wed, Jan 25, 2023 11:00AM EST
Lot 606

Wadsworth Jarrell "Nightclub Painting" Painting

Estimate: $6,000 - $12,000

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
Wadsworth Jarrell (American, b. 1929). "Untitled (Nightclub Painting)" depicting a white couple flirting in a smoky bar, 1960. Signed and dated along the lower right.

Provenance: Kavi Gupta, Chicago; Private Collection, Tennessee.

Wadsworth Jarrell was one of the original five founders of the Black arts collective AfriCobra (The African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists), which formed in the South Side of Chicago in 1967. He founded it along with fellow artists Jeff Donaldson, Gerald Williams, Barbara Jones-Hogu, and Jae Jarrell - Wadsworth's wife. They brought about change with the use of Black identity, style, attitude, and worldviews that fostered solidarity and self-confidence throughout the African diaspora.

Growing up in Albany, Georgia in 1929, he was the youngest of six children. After serving in the U.S. Army he moved to Chicago in the 1940s. He worked at the International Paint factory and took night classes at the School of Art Institute of Chicago. His early works were often gritty, expressionist rendering of life in Chicago. The present work is an excellent example of these paintings, with the dark and smoky bar showing a common nightlife scene in the city.

In the 1960s he began moving away from his gritty artworks towards a rainbow palette. These works would go on to be some of his most iconic works. Both he and Jae were among the 14 Black artists - most of whom were affiliated with the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC) - who painted a landmark 60-foot-wide mural on the corner of 43rd Street and Langley Avenue called the "Wall of Respect." This wall would go on to inspire hundreds of Black Power murals all across the United States. By the 1970s, his paintings had evolved to kaleidoscopic paintings depicting portraits. His works since then have incorporated many of his styles and elements. His works have expanded from works on canvas to sculptures and installations.

Sight; height: 38 in x width: 28 in. Framed; height: 38 1/2 in x width: 28 3/4 in.

Condition

The painting is in good condition in general with no visible tears, creases, or restoration under UV light. There are multiple losses along the margin against the frame, which do not affect the overall painting. To the lower right quadrant, there is an area of surface instability. From the verso, the canvas is toned; there is no visible sign of restoration. Wear to the frame. Please contact us for a detailed condition report. Please note that the lack of a condition statement does not imply perfect condition. Email condition@revereauctions.com with any condition questions.

Available payment options

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Amex
  • Diners
  • Discover
  • JCB
  • Union Pay
PayPal
Payment & Shipping PAYMENT Revere Auctions accepts wire transfers, checks (personal or business check in US dollars certified by a US bank, a cashier’s/banker’s check drawn on a US bank or US money order), cash (US currency not to exceed $10,000 in a single or multiple related payments). Visa, Discover, American Express or MasterCard may be used and are subject to a 3.0% convenience fee and are limited to purchases of $5,000.00 (total). Credit Card payments for jewelry and gold are NOT accepted. The purchaser’s obligation to pay immediately the full purchase price is absolute and unconditional and is not subject to any defenses, setoffs or counterclaims of any kind whatsoever. Revere Auctions is not obligated to release a lot to the purchaser until title to the lot has passed. The purchaser agrees to pay Revere Auctions handling charge of $30 for any check dishonored by the drawee. SHIPPING Revere Auctions does NOT offer in-house shipping. As a convenience to the Buyer, Revere Auctions will make a referral for packing and shipping. This is at the request, expense, and risk of the Buyer, and Revere Auctions assumes no responsibility for the items or the timing of delivery. Insurance for in transit items is the responsibility of the buyer. The buyer must reach out to a shipping company to arrange shipping. The buyer must fill out and return the Shipping Release Form to info@revereauctions.com in order for their items to be released. This is to ensure that the won item(s) are given to the proper shipping company and reach their final destination safely. This form can be found here: https://www.revereauctions.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ShippingRelease_Fillable2022.pdf Here is a list of our preferred shippers: UPS Store #2105 Contact: Ryan Wilson Email: store2105@theupsstore.com Phone: 651-642-5972 UPS Store #2158 Contact: Randy Email: store2158@theupsstore.com phone: 651-635-0636 UPS Store #5396 Contact: Ivory Email: store5396@theupsstore.com Phone: 612-332-4117 Museum Services Inc For shipping estimate please complete the following link: http://museumservices.org/revere For our full list of shipping referrals and information please see our shipping information page with more details: https://www.revereauctions.com/shipping-information/