Lot 23

Sam Gilliam, "To Braque with Ovals," 1982, A/C.

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Sam Gilliam, "To Braque with Ovals," 1982, A/C.

Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000

Current Bid: $20,000

(1 Bid)

by Quinn's Auction Galleries
June 18, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
360 South Washington St
Falls Church, VA, US 22046

Gilliam, Sam (Washington, D.C., 1933-2022). "To Braque with Ovals." Acrylic on canvas with enameled aluminum element, 1982. Signed, dated, and titled on the verso, “To Braque with Ovals,” 1982. The vertically oriented mixed-mediacomposition incorporates Gilliam’s characteristic richly textured surfaces and vibrant color fields, combining marbled and impasto passages with geometric forms and an attached enameled aluminum element projecting from the lower edge. Animportant work from the artist’s mature period, reflecting his exploration of abstraction, materiality, and homage to earlier modernist traditions. 72 3/4" x 29 1/2". Provenance: "This painting belongs to the "D paintings" seriescharacterized by narrow, vertical strips of canvas, beveled edges, and a metal element in the form of the letter D. Inspired by a commission for the Davis Square subway station near Boston, they are hybrids of painting and decorative object. ."Exerpt from description of a Similar painting at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

  • Medium: Acrylic on canvas
  • Circa: 1982
  • Condition: Overall very good condition. The work is composed of multiple canvas elements joined together on the reverse and reinforced with fabric tape, an original aspect of the artist's fabrication process. The reverse inscription and construction methods are consistent with Sam Gilliam's shaped and assembled canvases of the early 1980s. The projecting enameled aluminum element at the lower edge appears original. No evidence of later repairs, relining, patching, or restoration observed. Minor handling wear and scattered edge abrasions consistent with age.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 + $1,000