Richard Anuszkiewicz, Old Door, 1953

This unique and extremely rare early watercolor painting by Richard Anuszkiewicz demonstrates a different, more representational facet to his Op Art artworks. This work is hand signed and dated 1953 - a historic year in Anuszkiewicz' career, as it was the same year that the artist first exhibited at the Cleveland Institute of Art, as well as the Butler Art Institute in Youngstown Ohio. This work is significant as it shows the influence of Anuszkiewicz' first art teacher, Joseph Plavcan at Eerie Technical College in Pennsylvania, as well as the technical draughtsmanship he learned at the Cleveland Institute. Most notably, it was created before Anuszkiewicz studied under Josef Albers at Yale - after which his style radically changed from the darker hued realistic palettes seen here, to brightly colored Op Art abstractions. The commitment to form and line, however, is unmistakable. Early Anuszkiewicz works like this one rarely come to market, yet they are absolutely essential for serious collectors and dealers who wish to understand his artistic development and transformation. To be an expert in an artist's career, one must understand all of the artist's phases, not just the most popular or famous periods. (to paraphrase the words of John T. Spike, author of "Young Michelango", a world authority on every aspect of Michelangelo's career -- who also happens to be the father of Nicholas Spike, author of the catalogue raisonne of Richard Anuszkiewicz' paintings.)
The authenticity of this recently discovered, rare early masterpiece has been confirmed by the artist's son Adam Anuszkiewicz, as well as Nicholas Spike, author of the catalogue raisonne of Anuszkiewicz works.

This work measures 20" vertical by 14" horizontal. It is unframed and in excellent condition.

Signature: Signed and dated lower right recto. Unframed.

Provenance: The authenticity of this recently discovered, rare early masterpiece has been confirmed by the artist's son Adam Anuszkiewicz, as well as Nicholas Spike, author of the catalogue raisonne of Anuszkiewicz works.