ROBERT BRODERSON American, 1920 - 1992 Noh Figure with Hands, 1962-64 Oil on canvas. (for restoration). Signed and dated lower left. The painting centers on a figure donning a pale, mask-like face reminiscent of Japanese Noh theater, characterized by a somber expression and framed by long, ink-black hair. To the left, there is a series of hand studies Framed. artwork: 17 x 24 inches (excluding frame) $200-300
ARTIST PROFILE: Robert Broderson (1920–1992) was a prolific American figurative painter whose career spanned forty-five years, evolving from his service in the Air Force during WWII to a dedicated studio practice in Independence, Virginia. After utilizing the G.I. Bill to study at Duke University and earning an M.F.A. from the State University of Iowa, Broderson returned to Duke as an Associate Professor before fully committing to his art following a 1964 Guggenheim Fellowship. His distinguished career featured grants from the Ford Foundation, induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and exhibitions at prestigious institutions like the MoMA and the Whitney. Stylistically, Broderson was known for his masterful command of oils and acrylics, initially focusing on a stark palette of blacks, whites, and grays before transitioning to discordant oil pastels in his later years. His work frequently depicted a "menagerie" of invented creatures and human figures that explored the complexities of the human experience, a legacy preserved today in major permanent collections including the Smithsonian and the National Collection in Washington, D.C.
