Woman in Chair
Print - Artist's Proof (A/P) • Attributed to Nathaniel Mary Quinn (or a similarly stylized mid-century modernist school); the cursive signature requires professional verification but suggests a mid-20th-century printmaker.
Style & Movement
Modernist / Mid-Century Minimalism; shows influence of late Picasso in its curvilinear, simplified forms and Henri Matisse in the spare interior composition.
Medium & Technique
Hand-colored aquatint or lithograph with potential drypoint elements; the soft, mottled texture in the background and skirt suggests an etching technique like aquatint.
Creation Period
1970 (as indicated by the '70' date next to the signature)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12 x 10 inches; Portrait orientation
Subject Description
A stylized, voluminous female figure seated in a rounded chair. The composition is set against a light blue window background featuring a crescent moon and a potted plant, creating a serene, domestic narrative. The figure's closed eyes suggest a pensive or resting state.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; visible foxing (brown spots) scattered across the paper surface, particularly noticeable on the figure's body.
Estimated Market Value
$150 - $400 (subject to identification of the artist)
Auction Estimate
$100 - $300
Provenance History
Acquired at auction for five dollars. No previous gallery labels visible on the front; typical for residential collections of mid-century prints.
Art Historical Significance
Represents the widespread accessibility of Modernist printmaking in the 1970s. Artist's Proofs (A/P) are particularly desirable among collectors as they were originally intended for the artist's personal use or records, outside the numbered edition.
Notable Features
Hand-signed by the artist in pencil; inscribed 'A/P' (Artist's Proof) and titled 'Woman in Chair' in the lower margin. The combination of the crescent moon and the potted plant adds a poetic, symbolic quality to the minimalism.
Condition Issues
Visible foxing/mold staining due to humidity exposure; paper shows slight yellowing/acidification consistent with age and potentially non-archival mounting.
Conservation Recommendations
Treatment by a paper conservator to reduce foxing; de-acidification of the paper; remounting with acid-free museum-grade matting and UV-protective glass.
Collector Notes
Artist Proof woman in chair. Found out an auction for five dollars.