WHITELEY, BRETT (1939-1992)

*PRICE ON APPLICATION*
 
"Study For Bird's Nest” (Baudelaire's Bird) (1973)
mixed media on paper
71 x 52cm
studio stamp & inscription lower right
*dedicated to notorious businessman, David Litvinoff
*”Brett Whiteley Drawings 1960-1973”, Bonython Gallery, Paddington, Jan 1974
*Lasseter’s Gallery, Canberra, 1989
*private collection, Canberra
 
Whiteley AO is Australia's most famous and internationally renowned artist. He was a painter, printmaker & mixed media artist. He is represented in the collections of all the large Australian galleries, and was twice winner of the Archibald, Wynne & Sulman Prizes. He held many exhibitions, and lived and painted in Australia as well as Italy, England, Fiji and the United States. He tragically died prematurely of a drug overdose at the height of his popularity. His final studio in Surry Hills was converted into a gallery by the Art Gallery Of NSW and the Brett Whiteley Travelling Scholarship named in his honour. He is the highest valued and sought after Australian artist, and currently holds the record for the second, third and forth most expensive Australian paintings ever sold!! 
 
This impressive, original mixed media study is extremely RARE!! It was part of a series of Bird studies based on the work of French poet, Charles Baudelaire, including "Baudelaire's Bird" (1973) & Butcher Bird With Baudelaire's Eyes" (1972). They were completed around the time he constructed his epic, self-portrait "Alchemy" (1972-73).
 
"David, Genius, is really knowing which remark it is that convince another person that one is in possession of genius. That's all, in other words genius is the most sensitive of human discovered inventions"
 
The inscription is directed at his infamous friend and philosophical sparring partner, David Litvinoff. This work has been in a private collection for 30 years.