TOM WESSELMANN Smoker (Maquette), 1981

Tom Wesselmann was an American artist who worked with assemblage, collage, painting and sculpture. He is considered by many to be one of the prominent leaders of Pop Art in the 1960s. Tom Wesselmann worked with still life, landscapes and nudes, seeking to use objects from daily life and images and themes from advertising. He is most known for his “Great American Nude” which was created in 1960 and features of series of figures painted in the patriotic American colors of red, white and blue. His artwork is large and graphic, with bold flat strokes of color indicating shapes and forms. The unique essence of each of his subjects is captured within a few simple, yet immaculately placed painted gestures. Areas of color fill the spaces that give visual reference to the viewer, making an immediate connection between what is there, and what is not, to show a scene in a particular moment in time. Tom Wesselmann is often spoken of in company with Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, for their shared town of New York City and its central location for many working in the Pop Art movement. His work often gives artistic nods to artists he favored, as he included scenery, décor and bits of design in their styles. Some often named in his titles for his works include Mondrian, Picasso and Matisse. Tom Wesselmann’s work is displayed in exhibits and galleries around the world. Highly collected, some of his pieces are currently being auctioned or sold at major venues and galleries worldwide. Less

Tom Wesselmann was an American artist who worked with assemblage, collage, painting and sculpture. He is considered by many to be one of the prominent leaders of Pop Art in the 1960s. Tom Wesselmann worked with still life, landscapes and nudes, seeki More