Enamel and Enamelac on stretched cotton canvas. Signed and dated in red on the reverse of the folded canvas right of center, titled “General 52” x 52” in blue and inscribed ‘#157’ by hand left of center. 132.1 x 132.1 cm. From a series of 15 closely related works that were not intended to remain together permanently. The works vary in size by 0.5 inches each, from the smallest at 48 x 48 inches to the largest at 55 x 55 inches. Each work is titled “General,” followed by its dimensions.
• General 52“ x 52” summarizes the essence of Robert Ryman's life's work: white, serial, squared, analytical, and based on a calculated concept. • Sensual and intuitive in both execution and effect. • For the first time exhibited at Fischbach Gallery in 1971, where Alex Katz and Eva Hesse, among others, also had their first solo shows. • Two works from the 15-part “General” series are part of the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, while two others are in public collections in the United States and Paris. • A work from the “General” series was displayed in the 1972 documenta 5 in Kassel. • From the time of his international breakthrough: participation in Harald Szeemann's exhibition “When Attitudes Become Form” in 1969, solo exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, in 1972, retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in 1974, and participation in the Venice Biennale in 1978. Accompanied by the archive statement from the Robert Ryman Catalogue Raisonné, Ryman Archive No. 1970.2789, dated 26 January 2023 (copy). LITERATURE: Selection for the “General” series and “General 52” x 52": Carter Ratcliff, Robert Ryman's Double Positive, Art News, Vol. 70, No. 1, March 1971, pp. 54-56 and pp. 71f. Kenneth Baker, New York: Robert Ryman, Artforum, vol. 9, no. 8, April 1971, pp. 78f. Phyllis Tuchman, An Interview with Robert Ryman, Artforum, vol. 9, no. 9, May 1971, pp. 46-53. Naomi Spector, Robert Ryman, Amsterdam 1974, pp. 23f. Barbaralee Diamonstein, Inside New York's art world. Interview with Robert Ryman, New York 1979, pp. 330-340, here p. 335. Christel Sauer, Robert Ryman: Gemälde und Reliefs, Zurich 1980, p. 20. Rose-Maria Gropp, Ein Konzept namens Qualität, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, November 2, 1996, p. 37 (mentioned with an incorrent title). Robert Ryman, General 52" x 52", 1970 Robert Ryman briefly explored the possibilities of serial painting in the 1970s, creating several series of pictures of the same material using the same color on the same surface. However, the dimensions of the individual pictures could vary. The first was an extensive series of pictures in enamel paint on corrugated cardboard, several of which he combined into groups and titled in Roman numerals. In contrast, the pictures in the General and Surface Veil series are individual works only exhibited as a complete series on one occasion. Ryman had been working with enamel or lacquer paint since 1967, applying it with brushes of various sizes onto different painting grounds. He started by priming the fifteen paintings in the General series with the semi-gloss Enamelac so that the cotton fabric on which he was working would be completely sealed, remaining visible only on the sides of the stretcher bars. Once this was done, he then proceeded to apply a central square of lacquer paint to each of these grounds; this required five or six layers of paint, each of which was sanded down to create a uniform, reflective, bright white surface that contrasted as much as possible with the ground. The dimensions of the General paintings range from 48 x 48 to 55 x 55 inches, increasing by half an inch from painting to painting. They were not made in any particular order; when they were first exhibited at the Fischbach Gallery in New York in 1971, Ryman hung them in the random order in which the shipping company had delivered them. The importance he attached to the pictures' dimensions is evident in the fact that Ryman used them as part of the title. Around 1970, he began titling his paintings with brand names he found in the telephone directory. As he explained, the title General was taken from one of these brand names—“General something, General fabrication or something.” The title serves as an identifier for the picture, and, as Ryman said, he did not want to conflict with it. Ryman used a stretcher bar with a consistent width of three and a half inches for all of the paintings. He used this to determine the width of the Enamelac frame around the central enamel surface, which was also consistent in size. This means that the proportions of the frame and square, and thus the effect of the enamel surface, vary slightly from painting to painting. The works from the General series best convey Ryman's fascination with enamel paint because the surface of the paintings is very light-sensitive. As a result, they appear in ever-changing ways depending on the lighting. Ryman experimented with this effect as early as the first exhibition of the General pictures by illuminating only one side of the gallery walls, thereby changing the colors' appearance. These works perfectly represent Ryman's claim that the painting, in its conception and execution, focuses exclusively on the visible aspects of an image. Dieter Schwarz Freelance author and curator, former director of the Kunstmuseum Winterthur Robert Ryman, General 52" x 52", 1970 Robert Ryman briefly explored the possibilities of serial painting in the 1970s, creating several series of pictures of the same material using the same color on the same surface. However, the dimensions of the individual pictures could vary. The first was an extensive series of pictures in enamel paint on corrugated cardboard, several of which he combined into groups and titled in Roman numerals. In contrast, the pictures in the General and Surface Veil series are individual works only exhibited as a complete series on one occasion. Ryman had been working with enamel or lacquer paint since 1967, applying it with brushes of various sizes onto different painting grounds. He started by priming the fifteen paintings in the General series with the semi-gloss Enamelac so that the cotton fabric on which he was working would be completely sealed, remaining visible only on the sides of the stretcher bars. Once this was done, he then proceeded to apply a central square of lacquer paint to each of these grounds; this required five or six layers of paint, each of which was sanded down to create a uniform, reflective, bright white surface that contrasted as much as possible with the ground. The dimensions of the General paintings range from 48 x 48 to 55 x 55 inches, increasing by half an inch from painting to painting. They were not made in any particular order; when they were first exhibited at the Fischbach Gallery in New York in 1971, Ryman hung them in the random order in which the shipping company had delivered them. The importance he attached to the pictures' dimensions is evident in the fact that Ryman used them as part of the title. Around 1970, he began titling his paintings with brand names he found in the telephone directory. As he explained, the title General was taken from one of these brand names—“General something, General fabrication or something.” The title serves as an identifier for the picture, and, as Ryman said, he did not want to conflict with it. Ryman used a stretcher bar with a consistent width of three and a half inches for all of the paintings. He used this to determine the width of the Enamelac frame around the central enamel surface, which was also consistent in size. This means that the proportions of the frame and square, and thus the effect of the enamel surface, vary slightly from painting to painting. The works from the General series best convey Ryman's fascination with enamel paint because the surface of the paintings is very light-sensitive. As a result
Robert Ryman: Paintings, Fischbach Gallery, New York, January 30 - February 18, 1971. American Abstract Painting, 1960-80, Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, June 19 - August 24, 1985. Eduardo Chillida, Donald Judd, Catherine Lee, Sol LeWitt, Robert Mangold, Robert Ryman, Galerie Lelong, New York, February 12 - March 28, 1998
Fischbach Gallery, New York. Aladar Marberger, New York (1971). Marian Goodman Gallery, New York. Mayor Gallery, London and Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles (1985). 38 Walbrook Ltd., London. Anthony Meier Fine Art, San Francisco. Private collection, Nevada (1998). Anthony Meier Fine Art, San Francisco. Private collection, Athens (1999). Renos Xippas, Paris (2000). Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco. Private collection, Belgium (acquired from the above in 2000). Family-owned since
Robert Ryman - From museum watchman to a celebrated New York artist Upon completing his teacher training and following his stint as a reservist for the army during the Korean War, Robert Ryman came to New York in 1952. At the time, no one could have foreseen that he would become one of the most sought-after artists of his generation. Initially, he embarked on a career as a jazz musician, studied with the pianist Lenny Tristano, and made a living with odd jobs. In June 1953, he began working as a museum watchman at the Museum of Modern Art in New York to cover for someone on vacation, but he would remain there for the next seven years. As it turned out, this was a lucky coincidence, for it was during these years that he laid the foundation for his career as an artist. He created, among other things, his first paintings, which he presented to the museum's employees in 1958 for the first time. Above all, it was during these years that Robert Ryman established close contacts with artists who introduced him to the New York art scene. In the mid-1950s, he and a few other employees met Mark Rothko at the museum's cafeteria. At that time, Rothko had already shown works in group exhibitions at the museum. Ryman also became friends with Dan Flavin and Sol LeWitt, who also worked there briefly. In the museum's framing shop, he met Nicholas Krushenick, who, together with his brother, ran the Brata Gallery, where Ryman presumably had his first group exhibition as early as the late 1950s. Under all these influences, he made his first monochrome work, “Untitled (Orange Painting),” in 1955, which he retrospectively described as his first professional painting worthwhile exhibiting. A few years later, he finally switched from the Museum of Modern Art to the Art Department of the New York Public Library, a position that still gave him enough time to devote to his art. Here, he met the art critic Lucy Lippard, whom he married in 1961. He discovered the advantages of the square format as a neutral space, began working in series, and increasingly focused on the color white. Some ten years after his arrival in New York, Robert Ryman, a trained teacher and self-taught artist, had become established in the art metropolis. He had built a life in the Bowery, where many artists had studios at the time, and exhibited regularly in group exhibitions. However, the big breakthrough was still a long time coming. None of his works were sold at his first solo exhibition at the Bianchini Gallery in New York in 1967. It was only when the two German gallerists Konrad Fischer and Heiner Friedrich visited the artist in his studio and purchased his first works that the tide began to turn, as Ryman recalls:"That was the time I felt there was beginning to be some interest.. I had a show in both galleries in Germany, and shortly after there were shows in Italy and Paris.." (Robert Ryman, 1992, quoted from: Robert Storr, Robert Ryman, London 1993, p. 216). In the following years, he was represented in Harald Szeemann's 1969 exhibition “When Attitudes Become Form”, had a solo exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, in 1972, and took part in documenta 5 in Kassel. A retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam followed in 1974; in 1978, he participated in the Venice Biennale. The “General” series was also created with the first international milestone shows during this prosperous period.
Condition report on request katalogisierung@kettererkunst.de
Lot Details
Enamel and Enamelac on stretched cotton canvas. Signed and dated in red on the reverse of the folded canvas right of center, titled “General 52” x 52” in blue and inscribed ‘#157’ by hand left of center. 132.1 x 132.1 cm. From a series of 15 closely related works that were not intended to remain together permanently. The works vary in size by 0.5 inches each, from the smallest at 48 x 48 inches to the largest at 55 x 55 inches. Each work is titled “General,” followed by its dimensions.
• General 52“ x 52” summarizes the essence of Robert Ryman's life's work: white, serial, squared, analytical, and based on a calculated concept. • Sensual and intuitive in both execution and effect. • For the first time exhibited at Fischbach Gallery in 1971, where Alex Katz and Eva Hesse, among others, also had their first solo shows. • Two works from the 15-part “General” series are part of the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, while two others are in public collections in the United States and Paris. • A work from the “General” series was displayed in the 1972 documenta 5 in Kassel. • From the time of his international breakthrough: participation in Harald Szeemann's exhibition “When Attitudes Become Form” in 1969, solo exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, in 1972, retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in 1974, and participation in the Venice Biennale in 1978. Accompanied by the archive statement from the Robert Ryman Catalogue Raisonné, Ryman Archive No. 1970.2789, dated 26 January 2023 (copy). LITERATURE: Selection for the “General” series and “General 52” x 52": Carter Ratcliff, Robert Ryman's Double Positive, Art News, Vol. 70, No. 1, March 1971, pp. 54-56 and pp. 71f. Kenneth Baker, New York: Robert Ryman, Artforum, vol. 9, no. 8, April 1971, pp. 78f. Phyllis Tuchman, An Interview with Robert Ryman, Artforum, vol. 9, no. 9, May 1971, pp. 46-53. Naomi Spector, Robert Ryman, Amsterdam 1974, pp. 23f. Barbaralee Diamonstein, Inside New York's art world. Interview with Robert Ryman, New York 1979, pp. 330-340, here p. 335. Christel Sauer, Robert Ryman: Gemälde und Reliefs, Zurich 1980, p. 20. Rose-Maria Gropp, Ein Konzept namens Qualität, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, November 2, 1996, p. 37 (mentioned with an incorrent title). Robert Ryman, General 52" x 52", 1970 Robert Ryman briefly explored the possibilities of serial painting in the 1970s, creating several series of pictures of the same material using the same color on the same surface. However, the dimensions of the individual pictures could vary. The first was an extensive series of pictures in enamel paint on corrugated cardboard, several of which he combined into groups and titled in Roman numerals. In contrast, the pictures in the General and Surface Veil series are individual works only exhibited as a complete series on one occasion. Ryman had been working with enamel or lacquer paint since 1967, applying it with brushes of various sizes onto different painting grounds. He started by priming the fifteen paintings in the General series with the semi-gloss Enamelac so that the cotton fabric on which he was working would be completely sealed, remaining visible only on the sides of the stretcher bars. Once this was done, he then proceeded to apply a central square of lacquer paint to each of these grounds; this required five or six layers of paint, each of which was sanded down to create a uniform, reflective, bright white surface that contrasted as much as possible with the ground. The dimensions of the General paintings range from 48 x 48 to 55 x 55 inches, increasing by half an inch from painting to painting. They were not made in any particular order; when they were first exhibited at the Fischbach Gallery in New York in 1971, Ryman hung them in the random order in which the shipping company had delivered them. The importance he attached to the pictures' dimensions is evident in the fact that Ryman used them as part of the title. Around 1970, he began titling his paintings with brand names he found in the telephone directory. As he explained, the title General was taken from one of these brand names—“General something, General fabrication or something.” The title serves as an identifier for the picture, and, as Ryman said, he did not want to conflict with it. Ryman used a stretcher bar with a consistent width of three and a half inches for all of the paintings. He used this to determine the width of the Enamelac frame around the central enamel surface, which was also consistent in size. This means that the proportions of the frame and square, and thus the effect of the enamel surface, vary slightly from painting to painting. The works from the General series best convey Ryman's fascination with enamel paint because the surface of the paintings is very light-sensitive. As a result, they appear in ever-changing ways depending on the lighting. Ryman experimented with this effect as early as the first exhibition of the General pictures by illuminating only one side of the gallery walls, thereby changing the colors' appearance. These works perfectly represent Ryman's claim that the painting, in its conception and execution, focuses exclusively on the visible aspects of an image. Dieter Schwarz Freelance author and curator, former director of the Kunstmuseum Winterthur Robert Ryman, General 52" x 52", 1970 Robert Ryman briefly explored the possibilities of serial painting in the 1970s, creating several series of pictures of the same material using the same color on the same surface. However, the dimensions of the individual pictures could vary. The first was an extensive series of pictures in enamel paint on corrugated cardboard, several of which he combined into groups and titled in Roman numerals. In contrast, the pictures in the General and Surface Veil series are individual works only exhibited as a complete series on one occasion. Ryman had been working with enamel or lacquer paint since 1967, applying it with brushes of various sizes onto different painting grounds. He started by priming the fifteen paintings in the General series with the semi-gloss Enamelac so that the cotton fabric on which he was working would be completely sealed, remaining visible only on the sides of the stretcher bars. Once this was done, he then proceeded to apply a central square of lacquer paint to each of these grounds; this required five or six layers of paint, each of which was sanded down to create a uniform, reflective, bright white surface that contrasted as much as possible with the ground. The dimensions of the General paintings range from 48 x 48 to 55 x 55 inches, increasing by half an inch from painting to painting. They were not made in any particular order; when they were first exhibited at the Fischbach Gallery in New York in 1971, Ryman hung them in the random order in which the shipping company had delivered them. The importance he attached to the pictures' dimensions is evident in the fact that Ryman used them as part of the title. Around 1970, he began titling his paintings with brand names he found in the telephone directory. As he explained, the title General was taken from one of these brand names—“General something, General fabrication or something.” The title serves as an identifier for the picture, and, as Ryman said, he did not want to conflict with it. Ryman used a stretcher bar with a consistent width of three and a half inches for all of the paintings. He used this to determine the width of the Enamelac frame around the central enamel surface, which was also consistent in size. This means that the proportions of the frame and square, and thus the effect of the enamel surface, vary slightly from painting to painting. The works from the General series best convey Ryman's fascination with enamel paint because the surface of the paintings is very light-sensitive. As a result
Robert Ryman: Paintings, Fischbach Gallery, New York, January 30 - February 18, 1971. American Abstract Painting, 1960-80, Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles, June 19 - August 24, 1985. Eduardo Chillida, Donald Judd, Catherine Lee, Sol LeWitt, Robert Mangold, Robert Ryman, Galerie Lelong, New York, February 12 - March 28, 1998
Fischbach Gallery, New York. Aladar Marberger, New York (1971). Marian Goodman Gallery, New York. Mayor Gallery, London and Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles (1985). 38 Walbrook Ltd., London. Anthony Meier Fine Art, San Francisco. Private collection, Nevada (1998). Anthony Meier Fine Art, San Francisco. Private collection, Athens (1999). Renos Xippas, Paris (2000). Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco. Private collection, Belgium (acquired from the above in 2000). Family-owned since
Robert Ryman - From museum watchman to a celebrated New York artist Upon completing his teacher training and following his stint as a reservist for the army during the Korean War, Robert Ryman came to New York in 1952. At the time, no one could have foreseen that he would become one of the most sought-after artists of his generation. Initially, he embarked on a career as a jazz musician, studied with the pianist Lenny Tristano, and made a living with odd jobs. In June 1953, he began working as a museum watchman at the Museum of Modern Art in New York to cover for someone on vacation, but he would remain there for the next seven years. As it turned out, this was a lucky coincidence, for it was during these years that he laid the foundation for his career as an artist. He created, among other things, his first paintings, which he presented to the museum's employees in 1958 for the first time. Above all, it was during these years that Robert Ryman established close contacts with artists who introduced him to the New York art scene. In the mid-1950s, he and a few other employees met Mark Rothko at the museum's cafeteria. At that time, Rothko had already shown works in group exhibitions at the museum. Ryman also became friends with Dan Flavin and Sol LeWitt, who also worked there briefly. In the museum's framing shop, he met Nicholas Krushenick, who, together with his brother, ran the Brata Gallery, where Ryman presumably had his first group exhibition as early as the late 1950s. Under all these influences, he made his first monochrome work, “Untitled (Orange Painting),” in 1955, which he retrospectively described as his first professional painting worthwhile exhibiting. A few years later, he finally switched from the Museum of Modern Art to the Art Department of the New York Public Library, a position that still gave him enough time to devote to his art. Here, he met the art critic Lucy Lippard, whom he married in 1961. He discovered the advantages of the square format as a neutral space, began working in series, and increasingly focused on the color white. Some ten years after his arrival in New York, Robert Ryman, a trained teacher and self-taught artist, had become established in the art metropolis. He had built a life in the Bowery, where many artists had studios at the time, and exhibited regularly in group exhibitions. However, the big breakthrough was still a long time coming. None of his works were sold at his first solo exhibition at the Bianchini Gallery in New York in 1967. It was only when the two German gallerists Konrad Fischer and Heiner Friedrich visited the artist in his studio and purchased his first works that the tide began to turn, as Ryman recalls:"That was the time I felt there was beginning to be some interest.. I had a show in both galleries in Germany, and shortly after there were shows in Italy and Paris.." (Robert Ryman, 1992, quoted from: Robert Storr, Robert Ryman, London 1993, p. 216). In the following years, he was represented in Harald Szeemann's 1969 exhibition “When Attitudes Become Form”, had a solo exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, in 1972, and took part in documenta 5 in Kassel. A retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam followed in 1974; in 1978, he participated in the Venice Biennale. The “General” series was also created with the first international milestone shows during this prosperous period.
Condition report on request katalogisierung@kettererkunst.de
