Creating Connections: Self-Taught Artists in the Rosenthal Collection Audio Exhibition

Click the Play button to hear audio. Click the thumbnail image for more content, including recordings of verbal descriptions, label text, and transcripts.

Introduction Transcript

What is This Art?

Artworks

Mary K. Borkowski (American, 1916–2008), Toil, Strength, and Devotion, 1973, hand stitching with silk thread on velvet, 20 1/8 x 29 1/4 in. (51.1 x 74.3 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal

Toil, Strength, and Devotion

Nek Chand (Indian, 1924–2015), Standing Man, circa 1951–80, painted fired clay, broken china, rocks, and concrete, 34 1/2 x 12 x 12 in. (87.6 x 30.5 x 30.5 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal © The Nek Chand Foundation

Standing Man

Henry Darger (American, 1892–1973), Blengin, circa 1920–30, watercolor, graphite pencil, blue carbon paper transfer on paper, 23 1/2 x 34 15/16 in. (59.7 x 88.7 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © Estate of Henry Darger, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Ralph Fasanella (American, 1914–1997), Meeting at the Commons—Lawrence 1912, 1977, oil on canvas, 50 x 120 in. (127 x 304.8 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © Estate of Ralph Fasanella

Meeting at the Commons—Lawrence 1912

William Hawkins, (American, 1895–1990), Did Comets Kill the Dinosaurs? #1, circa 1986, enamel house paint, cornmeal and collage on Masonite, 48 x 56 1/2 (121.9 x 143.5 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © William Hawkins, Courtesy Ricco/Maresca Gallery

Did Comets Kill the Dinosaurs? #1

Martín Ramírez (American, born in Mexico, 1895–1963), Untitled, Super Chief, 1954, graphite pencil and pastel (est.) on paper, 55 9/16 x 51 1/2 in. (141.2 x 130.8 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © Estate of Martín Ramírez courtesy of the Ricco/Maresca Gallery

Untitled, Super Chief

Nellie Mae Rowe (American, 1900–1982), Pink Pig, mid-20th century, crayon on paper, 16 1/16 x 20 1/16 in. (40.8 x 50.9 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © Nellie Mae Rowe, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Bill Traylor (American, circa 1853–1949), Exciting Event in Blue: Four Wild Men, Barking Dog, Perched Bird, and Construction, circa 1939–42, tempera, graphite pencil, and ink (or watercolor) on thin cardboard, 14 7/8 x 13 7/8 in. (37.8 x 35.2 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © Bill Traylor Family Trust

Exciting Event in Blue: Four Wild Men, Barking Dog, Perched Bird, and Construction

Unidentified American Artist, All We Ask Is a Fair Trial, late 19th–early 20th century, oil on canvas mounted on wood panel, 36 x 46 in. (91.4 x 116.8 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal

All We Ask Is a Fair Trial

Adolf Wölfli (Swiss, 1864–1930), Elisabeth Bieri, 1907, graphite pencil and crayon on paper, 35 1/2 x 47 1/4 in. (90.1 x 120 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal

Elisabeth Bieri

Clarence Woolsey (American, 1909–1987) and Grace Woolsey (American, 1921–1992), Caparena Figure, 1961–71, bottle caps, wire, wood, and nails, 40 x 18 1/2 x 13 in. (101.6 x 47 x 33 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal

Caparena Figure

Bessie Harvey (American, 1929–1994), Peace, 1987, found wood, beads, feathers, and paint, 41 x 32 x 30 in. (104.1 x 83.3 x 76.2 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal

Ronald Lockett (American, 1965–1998), Traps, circa 1989, wire, painted wood, chain-link fencing, found sticks, cut sheet metal, and nails, 49 x 54 x 4 in. (124.5 x 137.2 x 10.2 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © 2022 Estate of Ronald Lockett / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Ned Cartledge (American, 1916–2001), Hell Ain’t Half Full, 1986, carved and painted wood, 17 ¼ x 33 ½ in. (43.8 x 85.1 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal

Hell Ain’t Half Full

Nick Blinko (British, born 1961), Untitled, 1985, pen and black ink on paper, 16 9/16 x 16 9/16 in. (42.1 x 42.1 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, image courtesy of the Henry Boxer Gallery

Jean Dubuffet (French, 1901–1985), Annal XII (Annale XII), 1978, pen and black ink with collage, 13 13/16 x 20 3/16 in. (35.1 x 51.3 cm), Collection of Richard Rosenthal, © 2002 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

Annal XII (Annale XII)

Back to Creating Connections