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Contemporary + Modern: Art & Design

Fri, Jan 28, 2022 01:00AM EST
Lot 38

NICOLAS AFRICANO / Thomas Hardy (1970 Mixed Media)

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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)
Thomas Hardy, 1970
Mixed media painting on artists board
19 1/2" x 15 1/2" (sight)

A portrait of author Thomas Hardy, commissioned by Illinois State University English professor Bill Morgan. Signed and dated to the bottom right. Presented behind glass in a frame that measures 24" x 20".

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

Condition

Very good condition. Not removed from the frame.