Nancy Grossman Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Nancy Grossman Art Value Price Guide

Dec. 14, 2024
Nancy Grossman, New York (b. 1940), Untitled, 1965, ink on paper, 16 1/4"H x 13 1/4"W(sight), 20 1/2"H x 17 1/2"W(frame)
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Nancy Grossman New York, (b. 1940) Untitled, 1965 ink on paper Signed and dated lower right. Biography from Michael Rosenfeld Gallery: Born in New York City to parents who worked in the garment industry, Nancy Grossman grew up on a working farm in Oneonta, New York. These early experiences shaped her artistic vision and influenced her choice of materials, which frequently include fabric and leather. After high school, Grossman matriculated at the Pratt Institute, where she studied with Richard Linder, and in 1962, she received her BFA and an Ida C. Haskell Award for Foreign Travel. This grant was just the first of numerous such honors; in 1965, just three years after finishing college, Grossman received a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Grossman became famous in the 1960s for her sculptures of heads that she carefully carved from the hard wood of discarded telephone poles, overlaid with leather, and then adorned with zippers, glass eyes, enamel noses, spikes, and straps. While their size, shape, and facial features suggest masculinity, Grossman refers to them as self-portraits, implying the instability of gender identity and, just as importantly, demonstrating how all artwork offers something of the artist. The heads threaten to overshadow the rest of Grossman's art, largely due to sensationalistic interpretations that tend to see the sculptures exclusively in a sadomasochistic frame. However, these works exquisitely contain central aspects of Grossman's art: an embrace of gender ambiguity, an interest in formal contradiction and conflict, an audacious use of leather, and a rich sensuality. Grossman's sculptures appeal as much to the olfactory and tactile senses as to the visual; they taunt the viewer with their invitation to touch. Despite Grossman's notoriety and visibility in the 1960s—she had had five solo exhibitions by age thirty in 1970—most audiences failed to grasp the scope of her work until a retrospective organized by the Hillwood Art Museum revealed her mastery of diverse media and genres. Since she began making art in the 1950s, Grossman has steadily explored collage, sculpture, and assemblage. Much of her work concerns the physicality of the body, but works on paper like Tough Life Diary (1973) consist of collaged words and fragments, scraps taken from her journals and placed into compositions that blend the chaotic elements of chance with the labor-intensive, organizing hand of the artist. In 1999, Grossman was forced to leave her studio on Chinatown's Eldridge Street that she had occupied for thirty-five years, and she relocated to her current home of Brooklyn. Her work also struck out in new directions with a group of sculptural assemblages that seem to echo the archaeology and violence involved in the upheaval of her move. Throughout her impressive career, Grossman has received a steady flow of accolades, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (1984), a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (1991), a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant (1996-97), and a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (2001). She is represented in numerous museum collections including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Ripley Auctions
Dec. 05, 2024
NANCY GROSSMAN (N. 1940) Sans titre 1969-1970
Est: €60,000 - €80,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (N. 1940) Sans titre 1969-1970 signé et daté 69-70 avec des clous au-dessous émail, cuir, métal et bois signed and dated 69-70 with nail heads underside of the head enamel, leather, metal and wood 43 x 21 x 23 cm. 16 15/16 x 8 1/4 x 9 1/16 in.
Bonhams
Jul. 17, 2024
NANCY GROSSMAN (b. 1940). Two Seated Figures. pastel on paper 25 x 19 in. (
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (b. 1940). Two Seated Figures. pastel on paper 25 x 19 in. (63.5 x 48.3 cm.).
Christie's
Jun. 01, 2024
Nancy Grossman, New York (b. 1940), Untitled, 1965, ink on paper, 16 1/4"H x 13 1/4"W(sight), 20 1/2"H x 17 1/2"W(frame)
Est: $4,000 - $5,000
Nancy Grossman New York, (b. 1940) Untitled, 1965 ink on paper Signed and dated lower right. Biography from Michael Rosenfeld Gallery: Born in New York City to parents who worked in the garment industry, Nancy Grossman grew up on a working farm in Oneonta, New York. These early experiences shaped her artistic vision and influenced her choice of materials, which frequently include fabric and leather. After high school, Grossman matriculated at the Pratt Institute, where she studied with Richard Linder, and in 1962, she received her BFA and an Ida C. Haskell Award for Foreign Travel. This grant was just the first of numerous such honors; in 1965, just three years after finishing college, Grossman received a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Grossman became famous in the 1960s for her sculptures of heads that she carefully carved from the hard wood of discarded telephone poles, overlaid with leather, and then adorned with zippers, glass eyes, enamel noses, spikes, and straps. While their size, shape, and facial features suggest masculinity, Grossman refers to them as self-portraits, implying the instability of gender identity and, just as importantly, demonstrating how all artwork offers something of the artist. The heads threaten to overshadow the rest of Grossman's art, largely due to sensationalistic interpretations that tend to see the sculptures exclusively in a sadomasochistic frame. However, these works exquisitely contain central aspects of Grossman's art: an embrace of gender ambiguity, an interest in formal contradiction and conflict, an audacious use of leather, and a rich sensuality. Grossman's sculptures appeal as much to the olfactory and tactile senses as to the visual; they taunt the viewer with their invitation to touch. Despite Grossman's notoriety and visibility in the 1960s—she had had five solo exhibitions by age thirty in 1970—most audiences failed to grasp the scope of her work until a retrospective organized by the Hillwood Art Museum revealed her mastery of diverse media and genres. Since she began making art in the 1950s, Grossman has steadily explored collage, sculpture, and assemblage. Much of her work concerns the physicality of the body, but works on paper like Tough Life Diary (1973) consist of collaged words and fragments, scraps taken from her journals and placed into compositions that blend the chaotic elements of chance with the labor-intensive, organizing hand of the artist. In 1999, Grossman was forced to leave her studio on Chinatown's Eldridge Street that she had occupied for thirty-five years, and she relocated to her current home of Brooklyn. Her work also struck out in new directions with a group of sculptural assemblages that seem to echo the archaeology and violence involved in the upheaval of her move. Throughout her impressive career, Grossman has received a steady flow of accolades, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (1984), a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (1991), a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant (1996-97), and a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (2001). She is represented in numerous museum collections including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Ripley Auctions
Apr. 02, 2024
Nancy Grossman (American b 1940), The Road to Life, Lithograph on Wove Paper, Signed and numbered 3/175 along lower margin, Unframed Sheet Size: 19 3/4 x 26 in. (50.2 x 66 cm.)
Est: $100 - $200
Nancy Grossman (American b 1940), The Road to Life, Lithograph on Wove Paper, Signed and numbered 3/175 along lower margin,
Weschler's
Mar. 30, 2024
Nancy Grossman, New York (b. 1940), Untitled, 1965, ink on paper, 16 1/4"H x 13 1/4"W(sight), 20 1/2"H x 17 1/2"W(frame)
Est: $5,000 - $6,000
Nancy Grossman New York, (b. 1940) Untitled, 1965 ink on paper Signed and dated lower right. Biography from Michael Rosenfeld Gallery: Born in New York City to parents who worked in the garment industry, Nancy Grossman grew up on a working farm in Oneonta, New York. These early experiences shaped her artistic vision and influenced her choice of materials, which frequently include fabric and leather. After high school, Grossman matriculated at the Pratt Institute, where she studied with Richard Linder, and in 1962, she received her BFA and an Ida C. Haskell Award for Foreign Travel. This grant was just the first of numerous such honors; in 1965, just three years after finishing college, Grossman received a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Grossman became famous in the 1960s for her sculptures of heads that she carefully carved from the hard wood of discarded telephone poles, overlaid with leather, and then adorned with zippers, glass eyes, enamel noses, spikes, and straps. While their size, shape, and facial features suggest masculinity, Grossman refers to them as self-portraits, implying the instability of gender identity and, just as importantly, demonstrating how all artwork offers something of the artist. The heads threaten to overshadow the rest of Grossman's art, largely due to sensationalistic interpretations that tend to see the sculptures exclusively in a sadomasochistic frame. However, these works exquisitely contain central aspects of Grossman's art: an embrace of gender ambiguity, an interest in formal contradiction and conflict, an audacious use of leather, and a rich sensuality. Grossman's sculptures appeal as much to the olfactory and tactile senses as to the visual; they taunt the viewer with their invitation to touch. Despite Grossman's notoriety and visibility in the 1960s—she had had five solo exhibitions by age thirty in 1970—most audiences failed to grasp the scope of her work until a retrospective organized by the Hillwood Art Museum revealed her mastery of diverse media and genres. Since she began making art in the 1950s, Grossman has steadily explored collage, sculpture, and assemblage. Much of her work concerns the physicality of the body, but works on paper like Tough Life Diary (1973) consist of collaged words and fragments, scraps taken from her journals and placed into compositions that blend the chaotic elements of chance with the labor-intensive, organizing hand of the artist. In 1999, Grossman was forced to leave her studio on Chinatown's Eldridge Street that she had occupied for thirty-five years, and she relocated to her current home of Brooklyn. Her work also struck out in new directions with a group of sculptural assemblages that seem to echo the archaeology and violence involved in the upheaval of her move. Throughout her impressive career, Grossman has received a steady flow of accolades, including a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (1984), a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (1991), a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant (1996-97), and a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (2001). She is represented in numerous museum collections including the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Ripley Auctions
Mar. 19, 2024
Nancy Grossman (American b 1940), The Road to Life, Lithograph on Wove Paper, Signed and numbered 3/175 along lower margin, Unframed Sheet Size: 19 3/4 x 26 in. (50.2 x 66 cm.)
Est: $400 - $600
Nancy Grossman (American b 1940), The Road to Life, Lithograph on Wove Paper, Signed and numbered 3/175 along lower margin,
Weschler's
Feb. 28, 2024
Nancy Grossman (American, B. 1940) - Fist Study
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
Nancy Grossman (American, B. 1940) - Fist Study Signed and dated ‘N. Grossman 73’ bottom right, lithographic crayon and graphite on coated paper Sheet size: 20 x 26 in. (50.8 x 66cm) Provenance The Artist. A gift from the above. The Sculpture Center. The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Freeman's | Hindman
Feb. 27, 2024
Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) - Head of a Man
Est: $25,000 - $40,000
Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) - Head of a Man Signed and dated ‘N Grossman ‘76’ bottom right, pastel and mixed media collage on paper Sheet size: 26 x 20 in. (66 x 50.8cm) Provenance Christie's East, New York, sale of December 16, 1987, lot 190. Acquired directly from the above sale. The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lot Essay The human head, frequently masked, is a motif that has become synonymous with New York-based artist Nancy Grossman. Her treatment of the subject has been variously described as an expression of authority, the human condition, repression, self-imposed/societally-imposed restriction, oppression, and as self-portrait. The artist’s best known body of work–sculpted heads made of carved wood covered in sewn black leather masks with zippers, buckles, and bolts–has been widely exhibited and has helped vault her to stardom. An important part of her œuvre also includes two-dimensional works of human heads, including drawings, collage paintings, and watercolors, such as Head of a Man: a faceless, silent, static head here presented as a head and shoulders portrait covered in a mask selectively covered by an irregular nework of tape lines that resemble sutures or veins. Similar mixed media works with collage on paper depicting faceless heads dotted by a network of thin, applied tape strips were also produced by the artist in 1976. Heads were a significant and persistent theme throughout Grossman’s career; for her, after all, “your head...is...your most powerful organ.” While both males and females are subjects of Grossman’s work, males appear with greater frequency (particularly in her sculptural work), though are more often generically identified in the titles of her work as Figure or Head (or Heads in the case of multiple figures). While Grossman’s pioneering art has long been associated with Feminism, a work such as the present Head of a Man also speaks to broader themes concerning the human condition, as well as to personal experiences the artist endured as a child. While much has also been written regarding the suggestive sadomasochistic tendencies that appear inherent in many of Grossman’s masked heads, more broadly they reference a sort of blind, mute subservience as a response to societal turmoil and upheaval. It is also noteworthy that as a student at Pratt Institute in New York City, Grossman studied under Richard Lindner, and he would go on to serve as a mentor to Grossman. Elements of Lindner’s pictorial language may be seen in the present work.
Freeman's | Hindman
Sep. 29, 2023
NANCY GROSSMAN (B. 1940) Collage Pastel #6 pastel, tape and paper collage,
Est: $30,000 - $50,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (B. 1940) Collage Pastel #6 pastel, tape and paper collage, graphite and watercolor on paper 26 x 19 7/8 in. (66 x 50.5 cm.)
Christie's
Feb. 25, 2023
Nancy Grossman, American (b.1940), untitled, 1979-81, collage on paper, 15"H x 21 1/2"W (sight), 23"H x 30"W (frame)
Est: $1,500 - $2,000
Nancy Grossman American, (b.1940) untitled, 1979-81 collage on paper signed lower right. Biography from The Columbus Museum of Art, Georgia Born in New York City in 1940, Nancy Grossman spent her earliest years in an upstate New York farmhouse in Oneonta, surrounded by an extended family of eight adults and sixteen children. (1) Her parents had roots in the garment business; at the age of sixteen, Grossman worked as a "dart and gusset girl" in their dress factory. Soon after, she escaped the farm and returned to New York to study art. Her acquired skills in patterning, sewing, and piecing became the medium for her message. Consequently, from the start, she was exposed to many complex human interactions. As the artist has discussed many times elsewhere, many of these interactions were hurtful. She was chastised often for her nonconformity. At eighteen, Grossman decided to become an artist and entered Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. A scholarship enabled her to remain there, and later she received a grant to study in Europe. While in Venice, she chanced upon a museum that boasted a collection of Samurai armor. The imaginative body coverings on exhibit intrigued Grossman. From these, perhaps, came the inspiration for her leather-covered head series of sculptures begun in the late sixties in the Viet Nam era. These heads were first images drawn on paper. She was appalled at the images that were beginning to emerge and hid them for over a year. One might say that integrity has been the cornerstone in Grossman's career, as she has moved from painting to collage, between assemblage and relief sculpture, and finally, by 1968, to the heads. (2) Her first important exhibition was at the Cordier & Ekstrom Gallery in 1969, and consisted mainly of the rancorous-looking carved heads wrapped in black leather. They are fully carved to exacting detail and then meticulously covered in the stitched and metal-studded leather covering. They are frequently adorned with horns, chains, zippers, spikes or other objects that have loaded psychological and sexual meanings in our society. To see one of her life-size heads, bound in black leather, zippered-up, with protruding features and gnarled teeth, all exquisitely carved and crafted…is to feel an inner sense of being that goes far beyond the mundane world of external events. Grossman is engaged in the pursuit of her own inner-directed motif, her own concept of the human condition that pulls us back to the sobriety of another emotional reality. (3) Grossman taught sculpture at the Boston Fine Arts School in 1985, and drawing at Cooper Union, New York City in 1989. She has received many honors including the Guggenheim Foundations fellowship (1965) and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters award (1985), and a National Endowment for the Arts sculpture award (1991). A serious metacarpal impairment was diagnosed in 1995 that caused a crippling effect and prevented her from working for almost a year. A car accident in 1998 caused even further setbacks in her ability to work. These physical limitations have made it nearly impossible for her to carve the wooden forms that form the basis for the heads, and have caused her to work more with collage and assemblage. This recent direction is more in a Neo-Dada spirit and is where she began her career in the early 1960s. (4)
Ripley Auctions
Sep. 24, 2022
Nancy Grossman, American (b.1940), untitled, 1979-81, collage on paper, 15"H x 21 1/2"W (sight), 23"H x 30"W (frame)
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Nancy Grossman American, (b.1940) untitled, 1979-81 collage on paper signed lower right. Biography from The Columbus Museum of Art, Georgia Born in New York City in 1940, Nancy Grossman spent her earliest years in an upstate New York farmhouse in Oneonta, surrounded by an extended family of eight adults and sixteen children. (1) Her parents had roots in the garment business; at the age of sixteen, Grossman worked as a "dart and gusset girl" in their dress factory. Soon after, she escaped the farm and returned to New York to study art. Her acquired skills in patterning, sewing, and piecing became the medium for her message. Consequently, from the start, she was exposed to many complex human interactions. As the artist has discussed many times elsewhere, many of these interactions were hurtful. She was chastised often for her nonconformity. At eighteen, Grossman decided to become an artist and entered Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. A scholarship enabled her to remain there, and later she received a grant to study in Europe. While in Venice, she chanced upon a museum that boasted a collection of Samurai armor. The imaginative body coverings on exhibit intrigued Grossman. From these, perhaps, came the inspiration for her leather-covered head series of sculptures begun in the late sixties in the Viet Nam era. These heads were first images drawn on paper. She was appalled at the images that were beginning to emerge and hid them for over a year. One might say that integrity has been the cornerstone in Grossman's career, as she has moved from painting to collage, between assemblage and relief sculpture, and finally, by 1968, to the heads. (2) Her first important exhibition was at the Cordier & Ekstrom Gallery in 1969, and consisted mainly of the rancorous-looking carved heads wrapped in black leather. They are fully carved to exacting detail and then meticulously covered in the stitched and metal-studded leather covering. They are frequently adorned with horns, chains, zippers, spikes or other objects that have loaded psychological and sexual meanings in our society. To see one of her life-size heads, bound in black leather, zippered-up, with protruding features and gnarled teeth, all exquisitely carved and crafted…is to feel an inner sense of being that goes far beyond the mundane world of external events. Grossman is engaged in the pursuit of her own inner-directed motif, her own concept of the human condition that pulls us back to the sobriety of another emotional reality. (3) Grossman taught sculpture at the Boston Fine Arts School in 1985, and drawing at Cooper Union, New York City in 1989. She has received many honors including the Guggenheim Foundations fellowship (1965) and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters award (1985), and a National Endowment for the Arts sculpture award (1991). A serious metacarpal impairment was diagnosed in 1995 that caused a crippling effect and prevented her from working for almost a year. A car accident in 1998 caused even further setbacks in her ability to work. These physical limitations have made it nearly impossible for her to carve the wooden forms that form the basis for the heads, and have caused her to work more with collage and assemblage. This recent direction is more in a Neo-Dada spirit and is where she began her career in the early 1960s. (4)
Ripley Auctions
Mar. 25, 2022
NANCY GROSSMAN (AMERICAN B. 1940) LITHOGRAPH ON WOVE PAPER, H 17.75", W 24.75" "ROAD TO LIFE"
Est: $600 - $1,000
Man with a revolver for a face. Pencil signed and numbered '11/175' lower left. Floated in frame under glass.
DuMouchelles
Feb. 12, 2022
NANCY GROSSMAN (American b. 1940) A COLLAGE, "Hearts," 1995,
Est: $500 - $800
NANCY GROSSMAN (American b. 1940) A COLLAGE, "Hearts," 1995, stamps, paper, pencil and watercolor, signed and dated L/R, "Nancy Grossman 1995," with a special dedication in pencil, "1930-1995 - In Loving Memory of Charles Hooks," 13 1/2" x 18 3/4", framed, 21" x 26 1/2". Provenance: Art collection of the late Charles and Geri L. Hooks, owners of Houston’s oldest and most prestigious art gallery, Hooks-Epstein Galleries.
Simpson Galleries, LLC
Feb. 12, 2022
NANCY GROSSMAN (American b. 1940) A DRAWING, "Terrier Reclining," JANUARY 19, 1993,
Est: $800 - $1,200
NANCY GROSSMAN (American b. 1940) A DRAWING, "Terrier Reclining," JANUARY 19, 1993, pencil and ink on paper, dedicated, signed and dated L/R, "To: Shannon From: Nancy Grossman 1/19/93," 8" x 10 3/4", framed, 15" x 18". Provenance: Art collection of the late Charles and Geri L. Hooks, owners of Houston’s oldest and most prestigious art gallery, Hooks-Epstein Galleries.
Simpson Galleries, LLC
Feb. 12, 2022
NANCY GROSSMAN (American b. 1940) A PRINT, "Head Study," ARTIST PROOF, 1995,
Est: $400 - $600
NANCY GROSSMAN (American b. 1940) A PRINT, "Head Study," ARTIST PROOF, 1995, ink engraving on paper, signed in pencil and dated L/R, "N. Grossman '95," proof marked and with special edition number 13/30 in pencil L/L, 5 7/8" x 6", framed, 16 1/2" x 15 1/4". Provenance: Art collection of the late Charles and Geri L. Hooks, owners of Houston’s oldest and most prestigious art gallery, Hooks-Epstein Galleries.
Simpson Galleries, LLC
Oct. 17, 2021
Nancy Grossman (American, b.1940) 'Female Figure' and Art Poster Assortment
Est: $200 - $300
Nancy Grossman (American, b.1940) 'Female Figure' and Art Poster Assortment (5) items including 1972, Nancy Grossman (American, b.1940) 'Recent Figure Sculpture, Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University' depicting 'Female Figure'; and (4) posters including Ed Paschke (American, 1939-2004) 2000, 'Dawn of a New Age' depicting 1998 painting 'El Tropica'; 1988, William T. Wiley (American, 1937-2021) 'Chicago International Art Exhibition' depicting the artist wearing a dunce cap and holding a painter palette; 1968, Gyorgy Kepes (Hungarian, 1906-2001) 'Gyorgy Kepes, Saidenberg Gallery, New York'; and c.1938 chromolithograph attributed to A. Thirumal Rao 'Viswauvirat Swarupam' depicting a Hindu god Category: Decorative Arts > Posters Estimated Sale Time: 10:34 am CST Shipping Status: Leonard Auction, Inc. will provide direct shipping for this lot. Please visit our website for a shipping estimate. Sales Tax: Kansas (6.5%), New Jersey (6.625%), Pennsylvania (6%), Washington (10.5%) Download High Resolution Photographs: Photograph #1 Photograph #2 Photograph #3 Photograph #4 Photograph #5 Photograph #6
Leonard Auction
Oct. 09, 2021
Nancy Grossman, American (b.1940), Untitled, 1994, pen and ink on notebook paper, 4" H x 6" W (image) 8 1/4" H x 10 1/4" W (frame)
Est: $400 - $600
Nancy Grossman American, (b.1940) Untitled, 1994 pen and ink on notebook paper signed. Provenance: From a private collector, Indianapolis. Biography from The Columbus Museum of Art, Georgia: Born in New York City in 1940, Nancy Grossman spent her earliest years in an upstate New York farmhouse in Oneonta, surrounded by an extended family of eight adults and sixteen children. (1) Her parents had roots in the garment business; at the age of sixteen, Grossman worked as a "dart and gusset girl" in their dress factory. Soon after, she escaped the farm and returned to New York to study art. Her acquired skills in patterning, sewing, and piecing became the medium for her message. Consequently, from the start, she was exposed to many complex human interactions. As the artist has discussed many times elsewhere, many of these interactions were hurtful. She was chastised often for her nonconformity. At eighteen, Grossman decided to become an artist and entered Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. A scholarship enabled her to remain there, and later she received a grant to study in Europe. While in Venice, she chanced upon a museum that boasted a collection of Samurai armor. The imaginative body coverings on exhibit intrigued Grossman. From these, perhaps, came the inspiration for her leather-covered head series of sculptures begun in the late sixties in the Viet Nam era. These heads were first images drawn on paper. She was appalled at the images that were beginning to emerge and hid them for over a year. One might say that integrity has been the cornerstone in Grossman's career, as she has moved from painting to collage, between assemblage and relief sculpture, and finally, by 1968, to the heads. (2) Her first important exhibition was at the Cordier & Ekstrom Gallery in 1969, and consisted mainly of the rancorous-looking carved heads wrapped in black leather. They are fully carved to exacting detail and then meticulously covered in the stitched and metal-studded leather covering. They are frequently adorned with horns, chains, zippers, spikes or other objects that have loaded psychological and sexual meanings in our society. To see one of her life-size heads, bound in black leather, zippered-up, with protruding features and gnarled teeth, all exquisitely carved and crafted…is to feel an inner sense of being that goes far beyond the mundane world of external events. Grossman is engaged in the pursuit of her own inner-directed motif, her own concept of the human condition that pulls us back to the sobriety of another emotional reality. (3) Grossman taught sculpture at the Boston Fine Arts School in 1985, and drawing at Cooper Union, New York City in 1989. She has received many honors including the Guggenheim Foundations fellowship (1965) and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters award (1985), and a National Endowment for the Arts sculpture award (1991). A serious metacarpal impairment was diagnosed in 1995 that caused a crippling effect and prevented her from working for almost a year. A car accident in 1998 caused even further setbacks in her ability to work. These physical limitations have made it nearly impossible for her to carve the wooden forms that form the basis for the heads, and have caused her to work more with collage and assemblage. This recent direction is more in a Neo-Dada spirit and is where she began her career in the early 1960s. (4)
Ripley Auctions
Oct. 01, 2021
NANCY GROSSMAN (B. 1940) J wood, leather, metal and enamel, in two parts
Est: $70,000 - $100,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (B. 1940) J wood, leather, metal and enamel, in two parts
Christie's
Sep. 25, 2021
NANCY GROSSMAN 'COMMUNION' LITHOGRAPH
Est: $300 - $400
Nancy Grossman (Born 1940) abstract nude lithograph. Pencil signed and dated April 1962 lower right. Titled Communion and numbered 8/2 lower left. Measures 15 1/4" x 10 3/4" + 3" mat.
Antiques & Modern Auction Gallery
Sep. 25, 2021
NANCY GROSSMAN 'SPLIT' LITHOGRAPH
Est: $300 - $400
Nancy Grossman (Born 1940) abstract nude lithograph. Pencil signed and dated December 1961 lower right. Titled Split and numbered IX-6 lower left. Measures 15 1/4" x 10 3/8" + 3 1/2" mat.
Antiques & Modern Auction Gallery
Mar. 11, 2021
Nancy Grossman, Untitled
Est: $7,000 - $9,000
Nancy Grossman Untitled 1966 ink on paper 13.875 h × 16.875 w in (35 × 43 cm) Signed and dated to lower right 'N Grossman 66'. Provenance: Private Collection, New York This work will ship from Rago in Lambertville, New Jersey. Condition of the item is not included in this description. Condition reports are available from Rago upon request. Rago strongly recommends that you review a condition report for each item on which you plan to bid. Email condition@ragoarts.com to request a condition report.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Sep. 26, 2020
Nancy Grossman, (American, b.1940), "The Road to Life", lithograph, 17 1/2"H x 25"W (print), 19 1/2"H x 26"W (paper).
Est: $300 - $500
Nancy Grossman (American, b.1940) "The Road to Life" lithograph Pencil signed and numbered 172/175. published by Transworld Art, with their blindstamp upper right corner, printed by Styria, with their blindstamp up Nancy Grossman, (American, b.1940), ""The Road to Life"", lithograph, pencil signed and numbered 172/175. published by Transworld Art, with their blindstamp upper right corner, printed by Styria, with their blindstamp upper right. In presentation cover. 17 1/2"H x 25"W (print), 19 1/2"H x 26"W (paper).
Ripley Auctions
Jun. 14, 2020
Nancy Grossman, (American, b.1940), ""The Road to Life"", lithograph, pencil signed and numbered 172/175. published by Transworld Art, with their blindstamp upper right corner, printed by Styria, with their blindstamp up
Est: $400 - $600
Nancy Grossman, (American, b.1940), ""The Road to Life"", lithograph, pencil signed and numbered 172/175. published by Transworld Art, with their blindstamp upper right corner, printed by Styria, with their blindstamp upper right. In presentation cover. 17 1/2""H x 25""W (print), 19 1/2""H x 26""W (paper)
Ripley Auctions
Feb. 26, 2020
Nancy Grossman, Road to Life
Est: $500 - $700
Nancy Grossman Road to Life 1975 lithograph 18.25 h × 25.5 w in (46 × 65 cm) Signed and numbered to lower left 'AP 8/25 Nancy Grossman'. This work is number 8 of 25 artist's proofs apart from the numbered edition of 175 published by Transworld Art, New York. condition: Sheet is lightly toned but otherwise in good condition. Work has not been examined out of frame. Framed behind acrylic measuring 26 x 32 inches.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Dec. 11, 2019
Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) Tonku, 1980
Est: $50,000 - $70,000
Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) Tonku, 1980 wood, leather, metal and enamel initialled NG and dated Height: 17 inches. Property from the Estate of David C. Heath, Atlanta, Georgia
Hindman
Dec. 01, 2019
Nancy Grossman Ink Drawing on Paper
Est: -
Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) ink drawing on paper, depicting irregular form with straps, laces, and buckles, signed and dated in pencil "Grossman '66." Image: 15" H x 13.5" W; frame: 23" H x 20" W x 1" D.
Auctions at Showplace
Feb. 28, 2019
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) - Untitled
Est: $50,000 - $70,000
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) Untitled wood, leather, metal and enamel, in two parts overall: 17 x 6 x 9 in. (43.2 x 15.2 x 22.9 cm.)
Christie's
Aug. 22, 2018
NANCY GROSSMAN (AMERICAN, B. 1940) Horizontal Swimming Figure signed and dated 'N Gro
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (AMERICAN, B. 1940) Horizontal Swimming Figure signed and dated 'N Grossman '75' (lower right) black crayon and wash on paper 19 3/8 x 26 in. (49.2 x 66 cm.)
Christie's
Jun. 02, 2018
NANCY GROSSMAN (b.1940): UNTITLED
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (b.1940): UNTITLED Lithographic crayon on coated paper, 1970, signed 'N. Grossman' and dated lower right. 40 x 26 in. (sheet), 47 x 32 in. (frame).
STAIR
Jun. 02, 2018
NANCY GROSSMAN (b. 1940): SKETCH #1 FOR BOUND
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (b. 1940): SKETCH #1 FOR BOUND Lithographic crayon and wash on coated paper, 1975, signed 'N. Grossman' and dated lower right, with label from Forum Gallery, NY; Terry Dintenfass, Inc., NY; Barbara Gladstone Gallery, NY; and Dennis Florio, NY. 26 x 19 1/2 in. (sheet), 33 x 26 1/2 in. (frame). Property from the Estate of William Kelly Simpson
STAIR
Mar. 01, 2018
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) - Vang
Est: $12,000 - $18,000
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) Vang lithographic crayon on two joined sheets of paper 47 5/8 x 26 in. (121 x 66 cm.)
Christie's
Mar. 01, 2018
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) - Arbus
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) Arbus wood, leather, metal and enamel, in two parts overall: 15 x 8 x 10 in. (38.1 x 20.3 x 25.4 cm.)
Christie's
Feb. 28, 2018
NANCY GROSSMAN - Untitled
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
NANCY GROSSMAN - Untitled
Phillips
Dec. 14, 2017
NANCY GROSSMAN (NEE EN 1940) SANS TITRE, 1987 Encre et lavis d'encre sur
Est: €4,000 - €6,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (NEE EN 1940) SANS TITRE, 1987 Encre et lavis d'encre sur papier Signé et daté en bas à gauche 34 x 27 cm 13.38 x 10.62 in. Ink and wash on paper, Signed and dated lower left
Cornette de Saint-Cyr
Oct. 25, 2017
NANCY GROSSMAN (NEE EN 1940) - SANS TITRE, 1987
Est: €7,000 - €8,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (NEE EN 1940) SANS TITRE, 1987 Encre et lavis d'encre sur papier Signé et daté en bas à gauche 34 x 27 cm - 13.38 x 10.62 in. Ink and wash on paper, Signed and dated lower left
Cornette de Saint-Cyr
Jun. 12, 2017
NANCY GROSSMAN (NEE EN 1940) AUTOPORTRAIT A LA LANIERE DE CUIR
Est: €5,000 - €7,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (NEE EN 1940) AUTOPORTRAIT A LA LANIERE DE CUIR Pastel sur papier Signé en bas à droite Dédicacé et contresigné sur prénom de l'artiste en bas à gauche 65 x 50 cm - 25.59 x 19.68 in. OIlstick on paper, signed lower right Dedicated and countersigned (artist's first name) lower left Provenance : - Collection particulière, New York - Collection particulière, France
Cornette de Saint-Cyr
May. 06, 2017
Nancy Grossman. "The Road to Life," lithograph
Est: $300 - $400
(American, b. 1940). Ed. 129/175, signed "Nancy Grossman" ll, 17 1/2 x 25 in., unframed
Alex Cooper
Feb. 12, 2017
NANCY GROSSMAN. (American, b. 1940). THE ROAD TO LIFE, signed and numbered 129/175 in pencil lower margin. Lithograph.
Est: $600 - $800
NANCY GROSSMAN. (American, b. 1940). THE ROAD TO LIFE, signed and numbered 129/175 in pencil lower margin. Lithograph - Unframed, sheet: 19 1/2 in. x 26 in.
Sloans & Kenyon
Nov. 16, 2016
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) Gunhead
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) Gunhead pastel and crayon on paper 20 ¼ x 26 ½ in. (51.4 x 67.3 cm.)
Christie's
Nov. 16, 2016
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) Leather Head
Est: $50,000 - $70,000
Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) Leather Head wood, leather, metal and enamel, in two parts overall: 17 x 8 x 8 ½ in. (43.2 x 20.3 x 21.6 cm.)
Christie's
Sep. 20, 2016
Nancy Grossman (American, b 1940) ink on paper, Two Heads, signed and dated '68 lower left, 12-1/4" x 14-1/2" overall, Cordier & Eks..
Est: $300 - $500
Nancy Grossman (American, b 1940) ink on paper, Two Heads, signed and dated '68 lower left, 12-1/4" x 14-1/2" overall, Cordier & Ekstorm (New York) gallery label on verso , Property from the Estate of Daniel Dietrich, II
William Bunch Auctions & Appraisals
Aug. 15, 2016
Nancy Grossman, Heath Gallery Exhibition Poster, Signed, 1981
Est: $400 - $520
Poster on foam core USA, 1981/1999 Nancy Grossman (b. 1940) – American feminist artist For the exhibition “Nancy Grossman/Recent Sculpture”, April, 1981 Inscribed “Sept. 10, 1999 To Jonathan Moses with Best Wishes and Many Thanks, Nancy Grossman” Sheet dimensions: 27 x 16 in. (68.6 x 40.6 cm) Good condition Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) Born and raised in New York, Grossman started with drawings and collages, and later gravitated towards sculpture. She is particularly well known for her busts made from soft wood covered in leather. Though Abstract Expressionism was in its height during her early career, Grossman preferred to focus on materials reminiscent of her childhood as the daughter of a farmer and garment industry worker. Highly celebrated as a feminist artist, Grossman refers to her works as self-portraits, even the male figures. Her work has travelled to museum collections worldwide including her recent solo exhibition at MoMA PS1. Furthermore, she has earned a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (1984), a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant (1996-97) and many other prestigious awards. Condition Minor soiling and dings to the poster edges. In overall good condition. Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.
Auctionata US
May. 04, 2016
NANCY GROSSMAN (BORN 1940) Pacifica, 1981-82
Est: $7,000 - $9,000
NANCY GROSSMAN (BORN 1940) Pacifica, 1981-82 signed and dated ‘N. Grossman 81-82’ (lower right) watercolor, ink and paper collage on masonite 36 1/8 x 48 1/8 in. (91.8 x 122.2 cm) Provenance Terry Dintenfass Inc., New York. Baker Gallery, La Jolla.
Bonhams
Dec. 15, 2015
Nancy Grossman, (American, b. 1940), The Road to Life
Est: $800 - $1,200
Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) The Road to Life lithograph edition 129/175, signed Nancy Grossman (lower left) 17 3/4 x 25 inches.
Hindman
Aug. 11, 2015
NANCY GROSSMAN (American. Born 1940)
Est: $300 - $400
"Bound Figure". Signed "N. Grossman" and dated '74 l/r. Pastel on Paper. Measuring 15" by 12 1/4".
Auction Gallery of the Palm Beaches
Nov. 16, 2014
NANCY GROSSMAN (American, 1940-)
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
?Two Heads (outline)?, 1969, pen and ink on paper, 13 7/8 x 16 7/8 in. (sheet), signed and dated lower right, with gallery label on verso: Cordier & Ekstrom, New York; the paper laying in the frame with ripples and waves
Butterscotch Auction Gallery LLC
May. 15, 2014
Nancy Grossman, (American, b. 1940), Head Study, 1995
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
Nancy Grossman (American, b. 1940) Head Study, 1995 pen and ink signed Nancy Grossman and dated (verso) 6 1/8 x 6 1/8 inches.
Hindman