With its energetic brushwork and brilliant blue and mauve paint against toasty shades of thick mud, this striking portrait is an exceptional piece of work from self-taught Alabama artist Jimmy Lee Sudduth (1910-2007).
I’ve including a number of close-ups that capture in detail the artist’s robust rendering of his subject. The intricately layered textures and tones in the face alone qualify this as a signature work.
Painted on plywood, the finished image sits in a wood shadow box frame that’s 26-3/4” square. The painting itself is 24” x 24-1/2” and, as the photos show, is framed with a border of mud and paint.
The piece has neither a title nor date but is bolding signed and, given the prominence of the signature, I have to think that the artist was pleased with his efforts. And rightly so.
SOLD
Note from Jean: If someone out there who was close to the artist can provide the name of his subject, please let me know.