Contemporary + Modern: Art & Design
Fri, Jan 28, 2022 01:00AM EST
Lot 43
NICOLAS AFRICANO / Artificer (1971)
Sold for
$200
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $5,000 | $250 |
| $10,000 | $500 |
| $20,000 | $1,000 |
| $50,000 | $2,500 |
| $75,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
Nicolas Africano
(Illinois, b. 1948)
Artificer, 1971
Color etching on paper
5 3/4" x 3 3/4" (plate size)
Pencil-signed and numbered (#1/1) to the bottom margin. Presented behind glass in a wooden frame that measures 13 3/4" x 8 3/4".
The title is likely adapted from James Joyce's memorable closing to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: “Old father, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead.” The passage in the image reads: "Artificer. Look at what you do. It is maladjustment. Maker of ether who sucked of ether, rendering passionate mistakes. The rendering the misgiving: self-effacing; the discharge in desperation, of poison fumes."
Provenance: From the Bill & Ellen Morgan collection. Bill Morgan is a professor emeritus of English at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. It was there that he befriended Nicolas Africano, and he quickly became a patron and collector of the Africano's work as well; for a time Morgan rented Africano a room, occasionally accepting artwork in lieu of payment. This far-reaching collection from an early adopter gives a unique opportunity to access rare early works and get an expansive view of the artist during several pivotal moments in his journey.
Alternate spelling: Nicholas Africano
Good condition. There is a little bit of rubbing to the green running vertically along the left side of the image from contact with the glass, a bit of outgassing to the inside of the glass, and very mild smudging in the bottom margin. Not removed from the frame.
(Illinois, b. 1948)
Artificer, 1971
Color etching on paper
5 3/4" x 3 3/4" (plate size)
Pencil-signed and numbered (#1/1) to the bottom margin. Presented behind glass in a wooden frame that measures 13 3/4" x 8 3/4".
The title is likely adapted from James Joyce's memorable closing to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: “Old father, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead.” The passage in the image reads: "Artificer. Look at what you do. It is maladjustment. Maker of ether who sucked of ether, rendering passionate mistakes. The rendering the misgiving: self-effacing; the discharge in desperation, of poison fumes."
Provenance: From the Bill & Ellen Morgan collection. Bill Morgan is a professor emeritus of English at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. It was there that he befriended Nicolas Africano, and he quickly became a patron and collector of the Africano's work as well; for a time Morgan rented Africano a room, occasionally accepting artwork in lieu of payment. This far-reaching collection from an early adopter gives a unique opportunity to access rare early works and get an expansive view of the artist during several pivotal moments in his journey.
Alternate spelling: Nicholas Africano