William Tolliver (American, 1951-2000). "Sheba" acrylic on print on Arches paper, 1997. Signed at lower left. "P/P" (printers proof) at lower right. A striking abstract figural composition by self-taught African-American artist William Tolliver presenting a bust-length view of Sheba, the queen of Egypt and Ethiopia, facing the viewer. Tolliver's modernist approach features bold forms and contrasting color fields of red, yellow, blue, violet, black, beige, and gold further embellished with loose brushwork and wonderful impastoed passages. Tolliver considered himself to be a serious Modernist in the tradition of Cezanne and Picasso. In his words, "Nothing in my paintings are for decoration. Everything serves a purpose in creating the mood or atmosphere of a painting." In addition, Tolliver's pride as a black man extended to his art. In his words, "My goal is to bring to the forefront the seriousness of art as a person's heritage. I want my art to serve as a history lesson." Size: 26" L x 18.625" W (66 cm x 47.3 cm) Size (mat): 31.125" L x 23.5" W (79.1 cm x 59.7 cm)

About the artist: William Tolliver was an exceptional African-American artist of the 20th century. Tolliver was one of fourteen children born into a Vicksburg, Mississippi sharecropping family. Drawn to visual art at a young age, Tolliver taught himself to paint and draw, because there was no art class in his local school. By age eight, William was mowing lawns to earn money for art supplies. In addition, his mother, Ella Mae Tolliver, worked full time in the cotton fields to support her children, but still managed to foster their interest in art. She borrowed art books on European masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rubens, and Rembrandt from the local library and even organized drawing contests between William and his siblings. Furthermore, according to an interview with Galerie Royale in New Orleans, William learned to make academically correct paintings by completing paint-by-number kits at a very young age. "There is no better teacher," he declared. "Everything is diagrammed, every little spot, every color. Once I did one or two of those, I understood the principles." Perhaps these lessons derived from paint-by-numbers in conjunction with William's study of modern artists fueled his later Cubist-style works. At age 14, William dropped out of school to work with Job Corps in Los Angeles where he learned skills from a carpenter teacher, and by the 1980s, he was living in Lafayette, Louisiana with his wife Debrah who took it upon herself to show his paintings to Bob Crutchfield, owner of Live Oak Gallery. These were received very well, and all nine paintings sold in ten days, igniting his career as an artist!

William Tolliver's art has been exhibited at the Smithsonian, the Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the rotunda of the US Senate Building in Washington, DC. In addition, he was commissioned to create a poster for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Tolliver's art is held in the permanent collections of elite museums such as the Corcoran Museum, the Hampton University Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art, McKissick Museum, and the Zigler Museum. In addition, his works have been featured in important publications including the International Review of African American Art and The Art Gallery International. (Sources: Zigler Art Museum and The International Review of African American Art)

Please Note: William Tolliver's "Sheba" is currently listed by Heritages Fine Art for $12,000 USD and by Grandpa's Art for $9,875. Both are from the same limited edition of 99.

Provenance: private Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA collection

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#184832

Signed at lower left. "P/P" (printers proof) at lower right. Artwork is mounted in a black mat. Minor wear to mat that does not impact the artwork. Artwork is strong and hand painted throughout.