Richard Anuszkiewicz

The Contemporaries, New York
Mrs. Helen W. Benjamin, New York (acquired from the above in 1964)
By descent to the present owner, daughter of the above

Austin, Texas, University Art Museum, The University of Texas, 1+1=3: An Exhibition of Retinal and Perceptual Art, April 11- May 9, 1965

Karl Lunde, Anuszkiewicz, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 1976, pp. 42-43, fig. 22 (incorrectly identified as Triangular Prism, 1962)

In very good condition. Under UV light: no evidence of inpainting.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Quickening Power is a major painting of a critical year, 1963, when Anuszkiewicz and New York painters as diverse as Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Indiana and Frank Stella, pushed the envelope on optical afterimages.  This work marks a key moment in Anuszkiewicz's development in which the meandering forms of the early sixties begin to organize themselves within a square format influenced by Josef Albers.   The contrast of alternating rows of blue and green circles on a red field produces a shimmering aura that opposes the geometrical perfection of the grid.   Quickening Power is included and illustrated in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné of Richard Anuszkiewicz paintings (1963.11) by David Madden, Nicholas Spike and John T. Spike in collaboration with the artist.