Description:

Louis Ribak
New Mexico, New York / Lithuania, (1902 - 1979)
female nude figure study, 1927
graphite on paper
Signed and dated middle right. Damage to upper right corner.

Biography from David Cook Galleries: Louis Ribak emigrated with his family from Russian Poland to New York City in 1912. He studied at the Art Students League during the early 1920's under John Sloan. Sloan was an editor for the radical periodical, New Masses, and prompted the young artist to illustrate for the publication.

In 1929, Ribak's involvement with New Masses led him to become a founding member of a closely associated group, the John Reed Club. Over the next few years he exhibited with the club and, in 1933, he received attention from critics including the New York Sun for his painting, "Striking Farmers." Ribak joined the Silk Screen Group in the late 1930's as he believed, along with a group of liberal artists, that the print medium was the "people's art of the twentieth century." Also during the 1930's, Ribak worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as a muralist.

In 1942, he married fellow artist Beatrice Mandelman. In the mid 1940's, the couple followed the advice of John Sloan and moved to New Mexico. The move was prompted in part by the desire for a healthier climate for Ribak but also because they felt a need to leave New York as they had become disillusioned by "dissention between Social Realists and Abstract Expressionists."

In 1947, the Ribaks' opened and instructed at the Taos Valley Art School. The school closed in 1953 when the couple returned to New York City. However, the move back to New York was short-lived and they settled permanently in Taos in 1956.

In 1959, the couple opened the Gallery Ribak in their home. The gallery showed their own work as well as that of other Taos artists. In addition to the gallery, Ribak regularly exhibited in other locations throughout the region. In New Mexico, Ribak shifted his to focus entirely to full abstraction saying that as an artist he was "not truly anything. I am against everything. Damned abstract[ionists], realists, illustrators…"

Exhibited: Society of Independent Artists, 1925; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Annual, 1933, 1946, 1950, 1953; World's Fair, New York, 1939; Golden Gate Exposition, San Francisco, 1939; Corcoran Gallery biennial, 1947; Art Institute of Chicago; Brooklyn Museum; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Newark Museum; Springfield Museum of Fine Art; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; Walker Art Center; Whitney Museum of American Art; Worcester Museum of Art.

Works Held: Brooklyn Museum; Newark Museum; United States Post Office, Albemarle, North Carolina (WPA mural); University of Arizona; Whitney Museum of American Art.

Further Reading:Taos Artists and Their Patrons, 1898-1950, Dean A. Porter, Tessa Hayes Ebie and Suzan Campbell, Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, 1999.

Who Was Who in American Art 1564-1975: 400 Years of Artists in America, Vol. 3. Peter Hastings Falk, Georgia Kuchen and Veronica Roessler, eds., Sound View Press, Madison, Connecticut, 1999. 3 Vols.

  • Dimensions: 17 7/8"H x 12 3/8"W
  • Medium: graphite on paper

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Professional in house shipping services are available for items. Shipping costs will include packaging, handling, and insurance. Shipping costs are in addition to the auction purchase amount and a separate shipping invoice will be sent to you after payment of your initial invoice. A low bid purchase price does not mean shipping costs will be any less. Some items may require a third-party shipper. Please let the office know if you would like to pick up your winning bid or arrange your own shipping.

Successful bidders will receive a final invoice within 3-5 business days after the auction giving you payment and shipping details, if applicable, pertaining to the item(s) you have purchased. After payment is made your order will go to shipping. You will be sent an additional invoice that is for shipping. It will ask you to verify your address before paying by credit card. Tracking information will be sent to your email. Large items will require a third party shipper. We will work to find the best shipping solution that's right for you!

October 7, 2023 11:00 AM EDT
Indianapolis, IN, US

Ripley Auctions

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $199 $20
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $200
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 + $2,500