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R.B. Kitaj Art

Born Ronald Brooks Kitaj in Cleveland, Ohio, to an American family with Viennese and Russian-Jewish heritage, R.B. Kitaj (1932-2007) is widely regarded as one of the most erudite and iconographically complex artists of the last half-century; he is subsequently considered to be a key figure in the canon of European and American art. His expressive, figurative works combine aspects of contemporary life with art historical and socio-political references, sexuality,self-analysis and Judeo-Christian mysticism embedded in the early 20th-century literature of Franz Kafka and Walter Benjamin. While his work has occasionally been considered controversial, he is undeniably viewed as a master draughtsman with a commitment to figurative art. His highly personal paintings, prints and drawings reflect his deep interest in history; cultural, social and political ideologies; and issues of identity. As a child, attended art classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Following his studies at Cooper Union in New York and the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, he spent two years in Europe serving for the United States Army. He then continued his studies at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford University, and at the Royal College of Art in London. He enrolled at the latter in 1959, where he became a close friend of David Hockney, Patrick Caulfield and Allen Jones, he was inititally identified as a pioneer of Pop Art, before recontextualising himself as a School of London painter alongside admired contemporaries that included Auerbach, Bacon, Freud and Kossoff. Kitaj remained in in London for 40 years, until 1997 when he moved to Los Angeles. He died at his home there in 2007, one week before his 75th birthday. Despite his early association with Pop Art, Kitaj had limited interest in the culture of mass media and instead works from pictorial and literary sources. Renowned for his use of intellectually stimulating historical references, Kitaj's work was often inspired by late 19th-century French art and by his Jewish identity. His paintings and prints add up to an extraordinary body of work; the latter function as an illustrated journal of an artist's life, characterized by a quest for new subject matter and innovative ways to depict it. R.B. Kitaj remains one of the most influential artists since the late 1950's and continues to link personal history with contemporary art through his unique vision.
(Biography provided by Marlborough New York)
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Artist: R.B. Kitaj
O'Neill accuses Faulkner of lack of loyalty and support (Nancy & Jim Dine)
By R.B. Kitaj
Located in New York, NY
Ronald B. (R.B.) Kitaj Nancy and Jim Dine, or O'Neill accuses Faulkner of lack of loyalty and support (Kinsman 40), 1970 16 Color Silkscreen with collage and coating on different wove papers Hand signed and numbered in pencil 29/70 on the front. The back (which is framed) bears the Kelpra Studio blindstamp Frame included: held in the original vintage metal frame Accompanied by gallery issued Certificate of Guarantee Very rare stateside. Other editions of this work are in the permanent collections of major institutions like the British museum, which has the following explanation: "The artist Jim Dine and his wife Nancy were close to Kitaj and his family, especially after the death of Elsi, Kitaj's first wife in 1969. They sometimes stayed with the Dines at their farm in Vermont during Kitaj's second teaching sojourn in the United States. Dine and Kitaj held a joint show at the Cincinnati Museum of Art in 1973. In the catalogue both artists contributed an insightful 'essay' on each other with Dine stressing Kitaj's obsession with all things American and baseball-related...' The alternate title, "O'Neill accuses Faulkner of lack of loyalty and support" can be seen on the artwork itself, and clearly is some kind of inside joke among friends. By the way -- do you see the way the colored dots are placed over the figures? Kitaj was doing this well before Baldessari who made it famous; that's how pioneering he was at the time. Referenced in the catalogue raisonne of Kitaj's prints, Kinsman, 40 Published and printed by Chris Prater of Kelpra Studio, Kentish Town, United Kingdom Ronald Brooks (RB) Kitaj Biography R.B. (Ronald Brooks) Kitaj was born in 1932 in Cleveland Ohio. One of the most prominent painters of his time, particularly in England where he spent some four decades spanning the late 1950s through the late 1990s, Kitaj is considered a key figure in European and American contemporary painting. While his work has been considered controversial, he is regarded as a master draughtsman with a commitment to figurative art. His highly personal paintings and drawings reflect his deep interest in history; cultural, social and political ideologies; and issues of identity. Part of an extraordinary cohort who emerged from the Royal College of Art circa 1960, which included Peter Blake, Patrick Caulfield, and David Hockney, Kitaj was immediately pegged as one of its leading figures. The London Times greeted his first solo show in 1963 as a long-awaited and galvanizing event: “Mr. R.B. Kitaj’s first exhibition, now that it has at last taken place, puts the whole ‘new wave’ of figurative painting in this country during the last two or three years into perspective.” In 1976, KItaj curated the exhibition The Human Clay, and in the essay he wrote for it he proposed the existence of a “School of London”—a label which stuck to a group of painters that includes Francis Bacon, Frank Auerbach, Lucian Freud, Leon Kossoff, Michael Andrews...
Category

1970s Pop Art R.B. Kitaj Art

Materials

Mixed Media, Screen, Pencil

Hail Thee Who Play (Michael McClure)
By R.B. Kitaj
Located in New York, NY
R.B. Kitaj Hail thee who play (Michael McClure), 1969 Silkscreen, photo-silkscreen and collage on black textured paper 33 × 13 9/10 inches Edition 35/70 Pencil signed and numbered on...
Category

1960s Pop Art R.B. Kitaj Art

Materials

Mixed Media, Screen

Cap'n A.B. Dick (B) Pale pink and raspberry sailor's portrait drawing R.B. Kitaj
By R.B. Kitaj
Located in New York, NY
Kitaj’s drawing on pink paper is of a man in profile, wearing a sou’wester: a fisherman’s collapsible rain hat. The image is a wry portrait, ostensibly of Albert Blake...
Category

1970s Realist R.B. Kitaj Art

Materials

Lithograph

1972 'Baghdad' Hand Signed
By R.B. Kitaj
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Six color screen-print and photo-screenprint. Signed and numbered AP in pencil by Kitaj in the top right corner. Printed at Kelpra Studio, London and published by Marlborough Graphi...
Category

1970s Contemporary R.B. Kitaj Art

Materials

Screen

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Original Keith Haring Album Cover Art (vintage Keith Haring)
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Original 1980s Keith Haring Pop Shop bag (Keith Haring pop shop New York)
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Keith Haring Pop Shop, 1986: Vintage original 1980s Keith Haring Pop Shop bag designed & illustrated by the artist. Features a bold Keith Haring printed signature and standout original Haring Pop shop logos, plus bright, lush colors which make for a unique framepiece. Medium: silkscreened vinyl shopping bag. 19 x 16.75 inches inches. Minor wear commensurate with age & medium; in otherwise good vintage condition. A very cool vintage original Keith Haring frame piece within reach. Keith Haring Pop Shop: In 1986, New York artist Keith Haring opened the Pop Shop in downtown Manhattan. Haring saw the Pop Shop as an extension of his work, a fun boutique where his art could be accessible to everyone. For nearly twenty years, the shop continued to be a downtown attraction with floor-to-ceiling murals...
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FOUR SEASONS OF HOPE PORTFOLIO (GOLD)
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PLATE
By Roy Lichtenstein
Located in Aventura, FL
Screen print on waxed paper plate. Unsigned from an unknown edition. Published by Bert Stern, New York. Plate size 10 x 10 inches. Frame size approx 17 x 17 inches. Stamped "Roy Lichtenstein On First Inc, 1969" on plate verso. Excellent condition. All reasonable offers will be considered. Lichtenstein made the paper plate for the well-known fashion and advertising photographer Bert Stern, who had set up an uber-chic New York boutique called “On First Store”. Located in Manhattan, Stern’s idea was to commission stylish yet affordable objects for the home and wardrobe from notable fashion designers and artists. Unfortunately, the shop did not last long and most of the plates were left undistributed. About the Artist: Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923–1997) was an artist known for his paintings and prints which referenced commercial art and popular culture icons like Mickey Mouse. Composed using Ben...
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PLATE
PLATE
H 17 in W 17 in D 2 in
What Matters in Life, Print By British Artists The Connor Brothers
By The Connor Brothers
Located in Battle, East Sussex
Pigment Print with Silkscreen Varnish 120 x 75 cm (47 x 29 1/2 inches) Print area Edition of 150 This Print is Offered Framed in a Simple Oak Frame Entire Paper size - 130 x 90cm ...
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Phil, Limited Edition Pop print: Portrait of Philip Glass, pencil no. 243/1000
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Chuck Close Phil, 1976 Limited Edition rubber stamp print on Strathmore 3-Ply Paper. Pencil numbered 243/1000 on the verso. Artist's printed copyright name verso. Accompanied by orig...
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I Can Resist Everything, Print By The Connor Brothers
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Vice Versa, Original Print Signed By The Connor Brothers
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IN ORDER TO KNOW VIRTUE, By London Artists The Connor Brothers
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Hand Embellished Pigment Print with Silkscreen Varnish Edition of 20 Print size 100 x 69 cm (39 x 27 Inches) Framed Size 109 x 79cm (43 x 31 Inches) This Print is Offered Framed in a Simple Walnut Frame Strange Tracey source all works directly from the Publisher Provided with a certificate of authenticity from the Publisher The Connor Brothers art work explores the boundary between truth and fiction, and raises questions about how we construct meaning from experience. the artist punch a hole in our every day construction of reality, allowing us to catch a glimpse of an altogether larger world with infinitely more possibilities. The Connor Brothers first entered the art scene as American twins. Twins Franklyn and Brendan Connor were brought up within a secretive and highly controversial cult known as ‘The Family’. Born out of the hippy movement in 1968 and founded by David Berg ‘The Family’ was an extreme Christian cult whose members believed in something called ‘The System’. Other children brought up within the cult include the actors River and Joaquin Phoenix...
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IF IT'S NOT WEIRD - By London Artists The Connor Brothers
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Previously Available Items
Femme de Peuple II (hand signed and inscribed to poet Robert Duncan)
By R.B. Kitaj
Located in New York, NY
R. B. Kitaj Femme de Peuple II (hand signed and inscribed to poet Robert Duncan), 1978 Offset Lithograph (hand signed and inscribed to poet Robert Duncan) Hand signed and inscribed o...
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R.b. Kitaj art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic R.B. Kitaj art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of pink, purple and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by R.B. Kitaj in screen print, mixed media, lithograph and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Pop Art style. Not every interior allows for large R.B. Kitaj art, so small editions measuring 14 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Peter Phillips, Patrick Nagel, and Clemens Briels. R.B. Kitaj art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $800 and tops out at $4,000, while the average work can sell for $1,450.

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