Louise Nevelson

Art for a Nuclear Weapons Freeze, Exhibition and Silent Auction, 23 December 1983, Lot 17 (courtesy the artist)

Private Collection

Collection of Miles and Shirley Fiterman

Phillips New York, 15 May 2019, lot 129

Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

"(Nevelson) is responsible for the renaissance of sculpture in American art; it is Nevelson who most destroys the boundaries between painting and sculpture."

– Arnold B. Glimcher, Louise Nevelson, New York, 1972, PG. 172

Creating works at once visually and experientially arresting, Louise Nevelson’s sculptural oeuvre explored the vast possibilities of texture and dimension throughout the 20th century. Executed in 1983, Column IV is one such composition, seamlessly integrating Nevelson’s signature materials and style into a striking column format. With sharp corners and sleek lines balanced by the soft black of the paint and graceful curves of the central pillar, Column IV articulates the complexity of Nevelson’s stylistic trademark. 

Robert Rosenblum said of Nevelson, “like the churning labyrinths of Pollock, her shadowy facades are inexhaustibly complex, affording endless explorations to the eye. Looked at in detail, each visual focus is caught in a separate adventure that involves a unique configuration of regular shapes and unfathomable depths” (Robert Rosenblum, Arts Yearbook III, 1959). Column IV represents the apex of this synthesis between painting and sculpture, allowing the viewer to experience the illusory qualities of both while maintaining the integrity of each form. Nevelson’s genius is perhaps best expressed in her ability to invite both simplicity and intricacy, creating a captivating result which has won praise from viewers and critics alike for decades.