Leon Kelly Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Leon Kelly Art Value Price Guide

Nov. 14, 2024
Leon Kelly, Birds of the United States
Est: $1,500 - $2,000
Leon Kelly Birds of the United States 1945 graphite on paper sight: 25 h x 18.375 w in (63 x 47 cm) Signed and dated to lower right 'Leon Kelly 1945'. Provenance: Gary Snyder Fine Art, New York | Private Collection This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Nov. 14, 2024
Leon Kelly, The Messenger or Man with Kites
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
Leon Kelly The Messenger or Man with Kites 1943 oil on canvas 40 h x 30.125 w in (102 x 77 cm) Signed to lower right 'Leon Kelly'. Signed, titled and dated to verso 'Leon Kelly 1943 The Messenger or Man with Kites'. Provenance: The Artist | Estate of the artist | Private Collection | Sotheby's, New York, American Art, 19 November 2019, Lot 32 | Private Collection This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Oct. 31, 2024
Leon Kelly ink on paper
Est: $200 - $400
Leon Kelly (French/American 1901-1981) ink on paper, Surrealist Portrait, signed lower right, 12" x 9", frame - 22" x 17 3/4". Competitive in-house shipping is available for this lot.
Pook & Pook Inc.
Oct. 26, 2024
Leon Kelly Surrealist Drawing
Est: $200 - $400
Artist/Designer; Manufacturer: Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982) Marking(s); notes: signed verso, per label Materials: mixed media on paper Dimensions (H, W, D): 11.5"h, 9"w; 19"h, 16.25" frame Additional Information: Work is titled "Fantasy." Provenance: Collection of Jules & Connie Kay, Palm Beach, Florida.
Palm Beach Modern Auctions
Sep. 19, 2024
LEON KELLY (1901-1982) The Fantasy of Raphael's Model.
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
LEON KELLY (1901-1982) The Fantasy of Raphael's Model. Pencil on cream wove paper, 1945. 355x252 mm; 14x10 inches. Signed lower right, and signed, titled and dated in ink, verso. Provenance: Private collection, Pennsylvania.
Swann Auction Galleries
May. 02, 2024
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) The Three Pears.
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) The Three Pears. Pastel on card, 1923. Signed, Leon Kelly, and dated, 1923, lower right. 10x8 inches. Provenance: The artist, thence by descent to the current owner. Exhibited: Zabriskie Gallery, NY, February 1963.
Swann Auction Galleries
Mar. 11, 2024
LEON KELLY (Pennsylvania/New Jersey/France, 1901-1982) pen and India ink wash, "Men Listening to Orators."
Est: -
LEON KELLY (Pennsylvania/New Jersey/France, 1901-1982) pen and India ink wash, "Men Listening to Orators."
O'Gallerie
Feb. 08, 2024
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982), Untitled
Est: $2,500 - $4,000
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982), Untitled Signed and indistinctly inscribed bottom right, oil on canvas. 16 x 16 in. (40.6 x 40.6cm) Provenance Private Collection, New Jersey.
Freeman's | Hindman
Jan. 27, 2024
Leon Kelly. "Roof Tops," colored pencil
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
(French/American, 1901-1982). Colored pencil on paper, 1960, signed ur, sheet size: 7 1/2 x 10 1/8 in., framed size: 14 1/8 x 16 3/4 inches.
Alex Cooper
Jan. 17, 2024
Leon Kelly, French / American (1901 - 1982)
Est: $400 - $600
Leon Kelly, French / American (1901 - 1982) "Dancer" Pencil Drawing on Paper, Signed Lower Right. Measures 18" x 12". Frame measures 25" x 18-7/8". Condition: Good condition. Estimate: $400.00 - $800.00 Domestic Shipping: $125.00
Kodner Galleries
Dec. 14, 2023
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982) Bird of Wisdom, 1945
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982) Bird of Wisdom, 1945 india ink and pen on paper signed Leon Kelly and dated (lower left) 12 x 8 1/4 inches. Provenance: Sold: Sotheby's, May 15, 1991, Lot 228
Hindman
Dec. 14, 2023
Leon Kelly, Cubist Drawing
Est: $2,500 - $3,500
Leon Kelly Cubist Drawing c. 1922 ink on paper sight: 16.75 h x 8 w in (43 x 20 cm) Signed to lower left 'Leon Kelly'. Provenance: Graham Gallery, New York | Private Collection Exhibited: Modernism, 29 April - 12 June 1987, Graham Gallery, New York Literature: Modernism, Graham Gallery exhibition catalog, No. 17 This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Nov. 30, 2023
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) Rape of the Sun Virgin.
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) Rape of the Sun Virgin. Pencil on paper, 1949. Signed, Leon Kelly, lower right. Signed, Leon Kelly, dated, Mar. 1949, inscribed, inv. no 167, and as titled on verso. 494x571 mm; 15 1/2x22 1/2 inches. Provenance: The artist, thence by descent to the current owner.
Swann Auction Galleries
Nov. 30, 2023
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) Moorish Woman, Tetuan.
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) Moorish Woman, Tetuan. Pencil and colored pencil on paper, 1953. Signed, Leon Kelly, and dated, 1953, lower right. Signed, Leon Kelly, dated, 1953, inscribed, Inv. No. 414, and as titled on verso. 750x572 mm; 29 1/2x22 1/2 inches.
Swann Auction Galleries
Nov. 10, 2023
Leon Kelly, Untitled (Seated Female Nude)
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
Leon Kelly Untitled (Seated Female Nude) c. 1935 watercolor and charcoal on paper 21.875 h x 16.875 w in (56 x 43 cm) Signed to upper right 'Leon Kelly'. Exhibited: Leon Kelly: Draftsman Extraordinaire, 4 April - 23 May 2014, Francis M. Naumann, New York Literature: Leon Kelly: Draftsman Extraordinaire, Francis M. Naumann exhibition catalog, unpaginated This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Nov. 10, 2023
Leon Kelly, Mallorcan Bread and Snail
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Leon Kelly Mallorcan Bread and Snail 1967 oil on canvas 15.125 h x 24.25 w in (38 x 62 cm) Signed and dated to lower right 'Leon Kelly 1967'. Signed, titled and dated to verso 'Leon Kelly 1967 Mallorcan Bread and Snail'. Exhibited: Leon Kelly: An American Surrealist, 16 April - 5 June 2008, Francis M. Naumann Fine Art, New York Literature: Leon Kelly: An American Surrealist, Francis M. Naumann Fine Art exhibition catalog, pg. 56 This work will ship from Lambertville, New Jersey.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Nov. 01, 2023
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982) Moon behind the Italian House sight size 9 x 6 1/2 in. (22.9 x 16.5 cm) framed 18 3/4 x 16 1/2 x 1 1/2 in.
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982) Moon behind the Italian House signed 'Leon Kelly' (lower right) gouache on paper sight size 9 x 6 1/2 in. (22.9 x 16.5 cm) framed 18 3/4 x 16 1/2 x 1 1/2 in.
Bonhams
Oct. 31, 2023
KELLY, LEON. 1901-1982. Two notebooks on camouflage.
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
KELLY, LEON. 1901-1982. Two notebooks on camouflage. Both marbled paper over boards, one with cloth spine (8 x 6 1/2 in.) and one with 1/2 leather (12 x 7 1/2 in.), both with extensive writings and illustrations pertaining to the theory and practice of camouflage and dating from the period 1941-1943 during which the artist worked on camouflage for the U.S. war effort. The larger of the two contains elaborate diagrams and watercolor drawings illustrating the theory of optics and the process of vision, and also has a five-page typescript bibliography on camouflage taped to the ffep. Both books have weak spines, and the larger has masking-tape reinforcement. Kelly was a versatile Philadelphia-based artist who worked primarily in Surrealism and abstraction.
Bonhams
Oct. 23, 2023
LEON KELLY PEN AND INDIA INK WASH
Est: $250 - $350
LEON KELLY (Pennsylvania/New Jersey/France, 1901-1982) pen and India ink wash, "Men Listening to Orators." Signed lower right and dated 1969, titled verso. Label attached verso from the Richard Feigen Gallery, Chicago. Image measures 10.5" x 13.75". In a gilt wood frame; 18.5" x 21.5" overall.
O'Gallerie
Oct. 23, 2023
Garçon offrant un oursin
Est: €5,000 - €7,000
Property from a Private French Collection Léon Kelly 1901 - 1982 Garçon offrant un oursin oil on canvasboard signed Léon Kelly and dedicated Hamenaje a John el Nissa Zeid (upper left) 30,6 x 22,9 cm; 12 x 9 in. Painted in 1953. __________________________________________________________________________ Provenant d'une Collection Particulière Française Léon Kelly 1901 - 1982 Garçon offrant un oursin huile sur carton entoilé signé Léon Kelly et dédicacé Hamenaje a John el Nissa Zeid (en haut à gauche) 30,6 x 22,9 cm; 12 x 9 in. Peint en 1953.
Sotheby's
Oct. 08, 2023
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,French,1901-1982) oil painting antique
Est: $950 - $1,250
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, France, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Abstract Figure YEAR: 1927 MEDIUM: oil on paper CONDITION: Very good. Framed under glass. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 20 x 12 inches / 50 x 30 cm FRAME SIZE: 27 x 20 inches / 68 x 50 cm SIGNATURE: lower middle CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121502 US Shipping $75 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly was born in Perpignan in the French Pyrenees. He studied at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (now the University of the Arts) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where his most influential instructors were Earl Horter (1881-1940) and Arthur B. Carles (1882-1952). Their familiarity with the French Fauve and Cubist painters as well as Horter's own collection of avant garde European art had considerable impact on Kelly's work. By 1926, when Yellow Flowers was painted, Kelly's early interest in Cubism had subsided. In 1925 his first solo exhibition was held at the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, followed by an exhibition at the Galerie du Printemps in Paris in 1926. Kelly was included in the Century of Progress exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933 as well as in the annuals of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Academy during the 1930s and 1940s.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Sep. 21, 2023
LEON KELLY Damas en Budoar.
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
LEON KELLY Damas en Budoar. Conté crayon on heavy wove paper, 1958. 1580x2035 mm; 62x80 inches. Signed and dated in crayon, lower right recto, and titled in crayon, left edge recto; and counter signed, titled and dated in ink, verso. Provenance: Julien Levy, New York and New Haven; Jean Farley Levy, Julien Levy's widow, Connecticut; The Jean and Julien Levy Foundation for the Arts, Newtown, Connecticut; private collection, Chicago. Kelly (1901-1982) was born in Philadelphia and studied at the School of Industrial Art (now the University of the Arts), Philadelphia, and with Arthur Beecher Carles (1882-1952) at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. He was an avid student and also sought out instruction outside of formal art school. He was granted permission to study anatomy at the Philadelphia School of Osteopathy where he dissected a cadaver and perfected his knowledge of the human figure. He also met and studied etching with the Philadelphia printmaker Earl Horter (1881-1940). During the mid-1920s, Kelly traveled to Paris and became acquaintances with Henry Miller, James Joyce and the critic Félix Fénéon as well as copying frequently at the Louvre. He is most well-known for his contributions to American Surrealism, but his work also encompassed styles such as Cubism, Social Realism and Abstraction. Reclusive by nature, a character trait that became more exaggerated in the 1940s and later, Kelly's work reflects his determination not to be limited by the trends of his time. Kelly married Helen Horter, the ex-wife of his mentor Earl Horter, in 1941, his second marriage after a brief marriage with a French woman, Henriette D'Erfurth, during the 1930s had dissolved. In 1940, Helen Horter had contacted Julien Levy, a Harvard classmate of her brother-in-law Paul Vanderbilt, to propose an exhibition of drawings by Kelly. Levy's gallery, The Julien Levy Gallery on 57th Street in New York was at the forefront of innovation and Surrealism. His stable included Salvador Dalí, Arshile Gorky, Yves Tanguy, Roberto Matta, Max Ernst, Joseph Cornell and Marcel Duchamp. Levy was impressed by Kelly's work and began representing him. His first show was an exhibition that traveled to the Art Alliance in Philadelphia in 1941. A one-man show followed in March 1942 in New York. In 1943, the magazine View printed nudes by Kelly and Pablo Picasso that resulted in the banning the issue in the United States. In 1944, Kelly had a second one-man show at the Julien Levy Gallery.
Swann Auction Galleries
Jul. 02, 2023
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,French,1901-1982) oil painting antique
Est: $1,000 - $1,300
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, France, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Abstract Figure YEAR: 1927 MEDIUM: oil on paper CONDITION: Very good. Framed under glass. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 20 x 12 inches / 50 x 30 cm FRAME SIZE: 27 x 20 inches / 68 x 50 cm SIGNATURE: lower middle CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121502 US Shipping $75 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly was born in Perpignan in the French Pyrenees. He studied at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (now the University of the Arts) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where his most influential instructors were Earl Horter (1881-1940) and Arthur B. Carles (1882-1952). Their familiarity with the French Fauve and Cubist painters as well as Horter's own collection of avant garde European art had considerable impact on Kelly's work. By 1926, when Yellow Flowers was painted, Kelly's early interest in Cubism had subsided. In 1925 his first solo exhibition was held at the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, followed by an exhibition at the Galerie du Printemps in Paris in 1926. Kelly was included in the Century of Progress exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933 as well as in the annuals of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Academy during the 1930s and 1940s.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Apr. 26, 2023
Leon Kelly, French / American (1901 - 1982)
Est: $800 - $1,200
Leon Kelly, French / American (1901 - 1982) "Dancer" Pencil Drawing on Paper, Signed Lower Right. Measures 18" x 12". Frame measures 25" x 18-7/8". Estimate: $800.00 - $1200.00 Domestic Shipping: $125.00 Condition: Good condition.
Kodner Galleries
Apr. 09, 2023
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,French,1901-1982) oil painting antique
Est: $1,050 - $1,350
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, France, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Abstract Figure YEAR: 1927 MEDIUM: oil on paper CONDITION: Very good. Framed under glass. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 20 x 12 inches / 50 x 30 cm FRAME SIZE: 27 x 20 inches / 68 x 50 cm SIGNATURE: lower middle CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121502 US Shipping $75 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly was born in Perpignan in the French Pyrenees. He studied at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (now the University of the Arts) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where his most influential instructors were Earl Horter (1881-1940) and Arthur B. Carles (1882-1952). Their familiarity with the French Fauve and Cubist painters as well as Horter's own collection of avant garde European art had considerable impact on Kelly's work. By 1926, when Yellow Flowers was painted, Kelly's early interest in Cubism had subsided. In 1925 his first solo exhibition was held at the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, followed by an exhibition at the Galerie du Printemps in Paris in 1926. Kelly was included in the Century of Progress exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933 as well as in the annuals of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Academy during the 1930s and 1940s.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Mar. 04, 2023
Leon Kelly Figure Drawing, Ballet Dancer
Est: $1,200 - $1,800
Work is titled "Surrealistic Dancer." Provenance: The Tomoko Supak Collection, South Florida.
Palm Beach Modern Auctions
Jan. 12, 2023
Leon Kelly (1901 - 1982) American
Est: $800 - $1,200
Leon Kelly (1901 - 1982) "SPRING LANDSCAPE" , Watercolor on paper , Signed 10" x 14" , w/frame 16" x 20"
Cutler Bay Auctions
Jan. 11, 2023
Leon Kelly (American/Pennsylvania, 1901-1982)
Est: $300 - $500
Leon Kelly (American/Pennsylvania, 1901-1982), "Torso of a Beggar", pen and ink on paper, initialed lower left, signed, titled and inscribed en verso, 10 1/2 in. x 7 1/4 in., unframed. Condition: Overall fair condition.
Neal Auction Company
Jan. 11, 2023
Leon Kelly (American/Pennsylvania, 1901-1982)
Est: $200 - $300
Leon Kelly (American/Pennsylvania, 1901-1982), "Sun and Sea", pen and ink on paper, initialed lower right, signed and titled en verso, 5 1/4 in. x 8 7/8 in., unframed. Condition: Overall fair condition.
Neal Auction Company
Jan. 02, 2023
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,French,1901-1982) oil painting antique
Est: $1,050 - $1,350
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, France, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Abstract Figure YEAR: 1927 MEDIUM: oil on paper CONDITION: Very good. Framed under glass. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 20 x 12 inches / 50 x 30 cm FRAME SIZE: 27 x 20 inches / 68 x 50 cm SIGNATURE: lower middle CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121502 US Shipping $75 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly was born in Perpignan in the French Pyrenees. He studied at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (now the University of the Arts) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where his most influential instructors were Earl Horter (1881-1940) and Arthur B. Carles (1882-1952). Their familiarity with the French Fauve and Cubist painters as well as Horter's own collection of avant garde European art had considerable impact on Kelly's work. By 1926, when Yellow Flowers was painted, Kelly's early interest in Cubism had subsided. In 1925 his first solo exhibition was held at the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, followed by an exhibition at the Galerie du Printemps in Paris in 1926. Kelly was included in the Century of Progress exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933 as well as in the annuals of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Academy during the 1930s and 1940s.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Dec. 03, 2022
Leon Kelly Figure Drawing, Ballet Dancer
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
Work is titled "Surrealistic Dancer." Provenance: The Tomoko Supak Collection, South Florida.
Palm Beach Modern Auctions
Dec. 01, 2022
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) Portrait of a Moon Girl.
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
LEON KELLY (1901 - 1982, AMERICAN) Portrait of a Moon Girl. Pencil and crayon on paper, 1957. Signed, Leon Kelly, and dated, 1957, lower right. Signed, Leon Kelly, dated, 1957, and inscribed as titled on verso. 305x228 mm; 12x9 inches. The artist; Paula M.L. Kelly; Washburn Gallery, NY.
Swann Auction Galleries
Nov. 13, 2022
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,1901-1982) watercolor painting
Est: $750 - $950
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Ballet Dancers MEDIUM: watercolor on paper CONDITION: Minor age toning. Framed under glass. Wear to frame. SIGHT SIZE: 12 x 9 inches / 30 x 22 cm FRAME SIZE: 24 x 21 inches / 60 x 53 cm SIGNATURE: lower right CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121387 US Shipping $60 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly is a major American Surrealist painter, who, due to an innately reclusive disposition, died in comparative obscurity. In the 1940s, however, he was known and recognized for a style of painting that virtually defined Surrealism. His visual flights of fancy'birds, insects and extraterrestrial beings'were rendered in a style so elaborate and precise that viewers could easily believe these magical creatures actually existed. He was born and raised in Philadelphia. An innate talent for drawing earned him a scholarship at the Pennsylvania Academy and a traveling fellowship for study in Europe, where he copied old-master paintings in the Louvre and developed the academic techniques he would carry over to his more experimental, modernist work. During the 1930s, he exhibited frequently in Philadelphia and was regarded as part of the avant-garde group that formed around the painter Arthur B. Carles.A crucial event for Kelly was his discovery by Julian Levy, a prominent art dealer in New York who became a strong supporter, showing his work in his gallery and providing a monthly stipend in exchange for work. Kelly's closest aesthetic affiliation lies with the European Surrealists he encountered at the Julien Levy Gallery: Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, Andre Masson, Pavel Tchelitchew and Eugene Berman. It was also through the gallery that Kelly met a number of American artists who would become notable in years to come, Joseph Cornell and Arshile Gorky among them. To varying degrees, all of these artists influenced the style of Kelly's work, although its subject matter was drawn from sources that he encountered independently, whether it be the birds and insects in his island environment, Peruvian textiles he had seen on display at the Brooklyn Museum, Native American pottery he discovered when visiting reservations in Wyoming and New Mexico, or scenes inspired by several sojourns of residence in Europe. All of these sources found their way into his paintings and drawings of the 1950s and 1960s, many of which were executed on a grand scale'some canvases measuring as much as 6 x 8 feet'as if to rival the accomplishments of contemporary abstract painters. No matter what their size and subject, Kelly's later paintings continued to be characterized by an innate talent for rendering, while they remained indebted to the liberating impact of Surrealism, which had opened the way for the development of his unique style.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Nov. 04, 2022
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982) Setting the Table Oil on canvas 42 x 60 inches
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982) Setting the Table Oil on canvas 42 x 60 inches (106.7 x 152.4 cm) Signed upper right: Leon Kelly Signed and inscribed on the stretcher: Still life with Figure Leon Kelly Property from the Collection of Kirkland Fine Arts Center, Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois EXHIBITED: Museum of Modern Art, New York, on loan, n.d. HID01801242017
Heritage Auctions
Nov. 04, 2022
KELLY, LEON, Zugeschrieben - Attributed: Ohne Titel.
Est: CHF1,600 - CHF3,200
KELLY, LEON (Philadelphia/Pennsylvania 1901 - 1982 Loveladies/New Jersey); Zugeschrieben - Attributed : Ohne Titel; Acryl auf Lwd.; 61x86 cm; verso bez. "Kelly" u. dat. (19)53
Dobiaschofsky Auktionen AG
Oct. 12, 2022
Leon Kelly American, 1901-1982 The White Pigeon (La Paloma Blanca), 1962
Est: $20,000 - $40,000
Leon Kelly American, 1901-1982 The White Pigeon (La Paloma Blanca), 1962 Signed and dated Leon Kelly 1962 (lr), signed Leon Kelly on the stretcher, signed and dated Leon Kelly 1962 and inscribed as titled on the reverse Oil on canvas 40 1/4 x 54 1/4 inches (102 x 138 cm) Provenance: Paula Kelly, daughter of the artist Berry-Hill Galleries, Inc., New York C
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Oct. 09, 2022
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,French,1901-1982) oil painting antique
Est: $1,050 - $1,350
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, France, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Abstract Figure YEAR: 1927 MEDIUM: oil on paper CONDITION: Very good. Framed under glass. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 20 x 12 inches / 50 x 30 cm FRAME SIZE: 27 x 20 inches / 68 x 50 cm SIGNATURE: lower middle CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121502 US Shipping $75 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly was born in Perpignan in the French Pyrenees. He studied at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art (now the University of the Arts) and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where his most influential instructors were Earl Horter (1881-1940) and Arthur B. Carles (1882-1952). Their familiarity with the French Fauve and Cubist painters as well as Horter's own collection of avant garde European art had considerable impact on Kelly's work. By 1926, when Yellow Flowers was painted, Kelly's early interest in Cubism had subsided. In 1925 his first solo exhibition was held at the Gallery of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, followed by an exhibition at the Galerie du Printemps in Paris in 1926. Kelly was included in the Century of Progress exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1933 as well as in the annuals of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania Academy during the 1930s and 1940s.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Sep. 22, 2022
LEON KELLY Damas en Budoar.
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
LEON KELLY Damas en Budoar. Conté crayon on heavy wove paper, 1958. 1580x2035 mm; 62x80 inches. Signed and dated in crayon, lower right recto, and titled in crayon, left edge recto; and counter signed, titled and dated in ink, verso. Provenance: Julien Levy, New York and New Haven; Jean Farley Levy, Julien Levy's widow, Connecticut; The Jean and Julien Levy Foundation for the Arts, Newtown, Connecticut; private collection, Chicago. Kelly (1901-1982) was born in Philadelphia and studied at the School of Industrial Art (now the University of the Arts), Philadelphia, and with Arthur Beecher Carles (1882-1952) at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. He was an avid student and also sought out instruction outside of formal art school. He was granted permission to study anatomy at the Philadelphia School of Osteopathy where he dissected a cadaver and perfected his knowledge of the human figure. He also met and studied etching with the Philadelphia printmaker Earl Horter (1881-1940). During the mid-1920s, Kelly traveled to Paris and became acquaintances with Henry Miller, James Joyce and the critic Félix Fénéon as well as copying frequently at the Louvre. He is most well-known for his contributions to American Surrealism, but his work also encompassed styles such as Cubism, Social Realism and Abstraction. Reclusive by nature, a character trait that became more exaggerated in the 1940s and later, Kelly's work reflects his determination not to be limited by the trends of his time. Kelly married Helen Horter, the ex-wife of his mentor Earl Horter, in 1941, his second marriage after a brief marriage with a French woman, Henriette D'Erfurth, during the 1930s had dissolved. In 1940, Helen Horter had contacted Julien Levy, a Harvard classmate of her brother-in-law Paul Vanderbilt, to propose an exhibition of drawings by Kelly. Levy's gallery, The Julien Levy Gallery on 57th Street in New York was at the forefront of innovation and Surrealism. His stable included Salvador Dalí, Arshile Gorky, Yves Tanguy, Roberto Matta, Max Ernst, Joseph Cornell and Marcel Duchamp. Levy was impressed by Kelly's work and began representing him. His first show was an exhibition that traveled to the Art Alliance in Philadelphia in 1941. A one-man show followed in March 1942 in New York. In 1943, the magazine View printed nudes by Kelly and Pablo Picasso that resulted in the banning the issue in the United States. In 1944, Kelly had a second one-man show at the Julien Levy Gallery.
Swann Auction Galleries
Aug. 21, 2022
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,1901-1982) watercolor painting
Est: $750 - $950
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Ballet Dancers MEDIUM: watercolor on paper CONDITION: Minor age toning. Framed under glass. Wear to frame. SIGHT SIZE: 12 x 9 inches / 30 x 22 cm FRAME SIZE: 24 x 21 inches / 60 x 53 cm SIGNATURE: lower right CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121387 US Shipping $60 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly is a major American Surrealist painter, who, due to an innately reclusive disposition, died in comparative obscurity. In the 1940s, however, he was known and recognized for a style of painting that virtually defined Surrealism. His visual flights of fancy'birds, insects and extraterrestrial beings'were rendered in a style so elaborate and precise that viewers could easily believe these magical creatures actually existed. He was born and raised in Philadelphia. An innate talent for drawing earned him a scholarship at the Pennsylvania Academy and a traveling fellowship for study in Europe, where he copied old-master paintings in the Louvre and developed the academic techniques he would carry over to his more experimental, modernist work. During the 1930s, he exhibited frequently in Philadelphia and was regarded as part of the avant-garde group that formed around the painter Arthur B. Carles.A crucial event for Kelly was his discovery by Julian Levy, a prominent art dealer in New York who became a strong supporter, showing his work in his gallery and providing a monthly stipend in exchange for work. Kelly's closest aesthetic affiliation lies with the European Surrealists he encountered at the Julien Levy Gallery: Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, Andre Masson, Pavel Tchelitchew and Eugene Berman. It was also through the gallery that Kelly met a number of American artists who would become notable in years to come, Joseph Cornell and Arshile Gorky among them. To varying degrees, all of these artists influenced the style of Kelly's work, although its subject matter was drawn from sources that he encountered independently, whether it be the birds and insects in his island environment, Peruvian textiles he had seen on display at the Brooklyn Museum, Native American pottery he discovered when visiting reservations in Wyoming and New Mexico, or scenes inspired by several sojourns of residence in Europe. All of these sources found their way into his paintings and drawings of the 1950s and 1960s, many of which were executed on a grand scale'some canvases measuring as much as 6 x 8 feet'as if to rival the accomplishments of contemporary abstract painters. No matter what their size and subject, Kelly's later paintings continued to be characterized by an innate talent for rendering, while they remained indebted to the liberating impact of Surrealism, which had opened the way for the development of his unique style.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
Aug. 21, 2022
Leon Kelly (PA,NJ,1901-1982) watercolor painting
Est: $750 - $950
ARTIST: Leon Kelly (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 1901 - 1982) NAME: Ballet Dancers MEDIUM: watercolor on paper CONDITION: Minor age toning. Framed under glass. SIGHT SIZE: 15 x 12 1/2 inches / 38 x 33 cm FRAME SIZE: 24 x 21 inches / 60 x 53 cm SIGNATURE: upper left CATEGORY: antique vintage painting AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 121386 US Shipping $60 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: Leon Kelly is a major American Surrealist painter, who, due to an innately reclusive disposition, died in comparative obscurity. In the 1940s, however, he was known and recognized for a style of painting that virtually defined Surrealism. His visual flights of fancy'birds, insects and extraterrestrial beings'were rendered in a style so elaborate and precise that viewers could easily believe these magical creatures actually existed. He was born and raised in Philadelphia. An innate talent for drawing earned him a scholarship at the Pennsylvania Academy and a traveling fellowship for study in Europe, where he copied old-master paintings in the Louvre and developed the academic techniques he would carry over to his more experimental, modernist work. During the 1930s, he exhibited frequently in Philadelphia and was regarded as part of the avant-garde group that formed around the painter Arthur B. Carles.A crucial event for Kelly was his discovery by Julian Levy, a prominent art dealer in New York who became a strong supporter, showing his work in his gallery and providing a monthly stipend in exchange for work. Kelly's closest aesthetic affiliation lies with the European Surrealists he encountered at the Julien Levy Gallery: Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, Andre Masson, Pavel Tchelitchew and Eugene Berman. It was also through the gallery that Kelly met a number of American artists who would become notable in years to come, Joseph Cornell and Arshile Gorky among them. To varying degrees, all of these artists influenced the style of Kelly's work, although its subject matter was drawn from sources that he encountered independently, whether it be the birds and insects in his island environment, Peruvian textiles he had seen on display at the Brooklyn Museum, Native American pottery he discovered when visiting reservations in Wyoming and New Mexico, or scenes inspired by several sojourns of residence in Europe. All of these sources found their way into his paintings and drawings of the 1950s and 1960s, many of which were executed on a grand scale'some canvases measuring as much as 6 x 8 feet'as if to rival the accomplishments of contemporary abstract painters. No matter what their size and subject, Kelly's later paintings continued to be characterized by an innate talent for rendering, while they remained indebted to the liberating impact of Surrealism, which had opened the way for the development of his unique style.
Broward Auction Gallery LLC
May. 26, 2022
LEON KELLY (1901 1982, AMERICAN) Little Girl with a Hunting Dog.
Est: $800 - $1,200
LEON KELLY (1901 1982, AMERICAN) Little Girl with a Hunting Dog. Pencil on Arches paper, 1954. 775x578 mm; 30 1/2x22 3/4 inches. Signed, Leon Kelly, dated, 1954, and inscribed Una Muchachuela y Uno Perro Decaza, lower right. Signed, Leon Kelly, dated, 1954, and inscribed Little Girl with a Dog / No 464, on verso. Provenance: The artist; Alexandre Iolas Gallery, NY; Newt Stiteler, Surf City, NJ; Gary Snyder Fine Art, NY. Exhibited: Whitney Museum of American Art, NY, Annual Exhibition: Paintings, Sculpture, Watercolors & Drawings, January 12 - February 20, 1955. Julien Levy opened his New York gallery with an exhibition of photographs with little enthusiasm from his audience. Though his passion for photography never diminished, he realized his strength lay in his connection to European Surrealist artists. Showing the works of Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Man Ray, and Rene Magritte he soon found his niche. Surrealism's impact on young artists in America through Julien Levy's gallery is immeasurable. Artists such as Leon Kelly and Phillip Perkins show direct influence, while Abstract Expressionists like Conrad Marca-Relli, Herman Cherry, and Harold Shapinsky owe much to the development of their expressive style to automatic painting concepts of the Surrealist pioneers.
Swann Auction Galleries
Mar. 30, 2022
Leon Kelly (1901-1982) Dancer Gouache Painting LOT
Est: $100 - $1,000
Leon Kelly (American, 1901-1982). Two gouache watercolor paintings on paper. Depicting colorful scenes of a male and female ballerina. Includes (1) 12" x 9", with artist signature lower right, and (1) 15" x 12.5" with artist signature top right. Both presented in ornate gilt brushed frames. Work Size: 15 x 21.5 in. SHIPPING HILL AUCTION GALLERY WILL NOT SHIP. We will refer third party shippers for local and international buyers. Purchaser pick up available upon request. Got something to sell? Contact us at HillAuctionGallery.com.
Hill Auction Gallery
Mar. 26, 2022
Leon Kelly (FRANCE 1901-1982) Ballet Oil/Canvas
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Leon Kelly (FRENCH / UNITED STATES / PENNSYLVANIA / NEW JERSERY, 1901 - 1982) oil painting canvas depicting nude male and female dancers titled "Lucy and Walter in Ballet". Signed, dated 1950 and titled to verso of canvas. Mounted in a gray painted wooden frame. Canvas on stretcher measures approx. 30" height x 36" width. Measures approx. 37 1/2" height x 43" width overall including frame. Shows some cracqueleture. Some paint loss and nicking on frame.
Joshua Kodner
Mar. 26, 2022
Leon Kelly (FRANCE 1901-1982) Study Of Nude Oil
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
Leon Kelly (FRENCH / UNITED STATES / PENNSYLVANIA / NEW JERSERY, 1901 - 1982) oil painting on artist composite board depicting the study of a reclining nude female with black stockings. Signed to lower left. Mounted in a gold and gray painted frame. Board measures approx. 17 3/4" height x 24" width. Measures approx. 23" height x 29 1/2" width overall including frame. Some paint loss and nicking to frame. Show cracqueleture throughout.
Joshua Kodner
Feb. 25, 2022
Leon Kelly (1901-1982) Watercolor & Ink on Paper
Est: $200 - $300
Framed and signed LR, this Leon Kelly (B. 1901- D. 1982) watercolor and ink on paper features boating scene in bright colors, image size approx 5.5" x 3.75", 10" x 12" OD, with original label from Leon Kelly, from the Estate of Hope Broker.
Keystone Auctions LLC
Dec. 08, 2021
Leon Kelly, Untitled
Est: $800 - $1,200
Leon Kelly Untitled 1922 watercolor and graphite on paper sight: 9 h × 10.75 w in (23 × 27 cm) Signed and dated to lower right 'Leon Kelly 22'. condition: Dimensions provided are of sight and work has not been examined outside of frame. Work is in good overall condition with one minor pinpoint of accretion to right edge. Work presents well. Framed behind acrylic measuring 16 x 18 inches.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Dec. 08, 2021
Leon Kelly, Fairmount Park
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
Leon Kelly Fairmount Park 1931 oil on board 10 h × 13.5 w in (25 × 34 cm) Signed to lower right 'Leon Kelly'. Signed and titled to verso 'Leon Kelly Fairmount Park'. condition: Work is in good overall condition. Very minor area of paper remnants adhered to highest points of impasto within lower right quadrant. Work presents well. Unframed.
Rago Arts and Auction Center
Nov. 18, 2021
Leon Kelly (1901-1982) Still Life with Pears signed 'Leon Kelly' (lower rig
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Leon Kelly (1901-1982) Still Life with Pears signed 'Leon Kelly' (lower right)—signed again and dated 'Leon Kelly/1922·' (on the reverse) oil on canvas 30 x 25 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm.) Painted in 1922.
Christie's