Betty Parsons (American, 1900–1982)

LOT ID: 76934

The Quest, ie. circa 1978

Wood, with polychrome

28 х 38.5 х 2.75 in. (71.12 x 97.79 x 6.98 cm.)

Signed, and titled on verso.

Lot description

This late vibrant sculpture by Betty Parsons titled ‘The Quest’ exemplifies her iconic use of found driftwood which the artist transform into a powerful work of abstraction. Painting bright bands of color across varying segments of carefully arranged wood, Parsons adds a totemic quality to her sculpture. Seizing the viewer’s attention with its dramatic use of form and color, this work by Parsons is a fantastic example of the artist’s oeuvre which speaks to her deep seeded appreciation for abstraction.

Contemporary American artist, dealer, and gallerist Betty Parsons (1900-1982) was known for her pivotal role in promoting the avant-garde movement in New York. Parsons championed some of the most notable abstract artists of the 20th Century including Jackson Pollack, Adolph Gottlieb, Jaspar Johns, Agnes Martin, and Leon Polk among numerous others. An artist in her own right, she got her start with small landscapes and portraits. However, Parsons was known for her works of abstraction, appropriated from found pieces of driftwood outside her Long Island studio and painted in an array of colors and geometric forms. She maintained Betty Parsons Gallery in Manhattan from 1946 until her death in 1982, where she dedicated herself to promoting obscure or underappreciated artists to solidify their importance in the American art movement.

Select Public Collections:
Smithsonian Museum of American Art (Washington, DC)
National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington, DC)
Indianapolis Museum of Art (Indianapolis, IN)

Literature and Catalogue Raisonné
Literature and Catalogue Raisonné
Condition Report
Condition Report
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History and Provenance
History and Provenance
Provenance:
Robert Kidd Gallery, Michigan;
Private Collection, USA
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Shipping Information
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Shipping Weight: 25 lbs

Framing: No

Item Location: Arizona, USA

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