Frederick Douglass painted in broad brushstrokes shoulders up

Elizabeth Peyton

Frederick Douglass, 1850

€1,000

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With an edition of silkscreen prints, Elizabeth Peyton makes an emotive tribute to a seminal figure in the history of America.

In Frederick Douglass, 1850 (2020), Peyton renders the titular American abolitionist, orator and writer from the neck up. The intimate and closely-cropped scale emphasises the minimalism and physicality of her brushwork, and heightens the emotional intensity of her subject's expression. She builds up the contours of Douglass’s face from short, watery dabs of oil paint – lending the composition a sense of spirited lightness.

Peyton’s artwork has been meticulously translated into a 32-layer, limited edition silkscreen in close collaboration artisan printmakers at Make-Ready in London – one of a pair of editions launched in support of the National Portrait Gallery in London. Re-opening in June 2023, the Gallery's diversified collection focuses on presenting an inclusive and dynamic picture of the people who have contributed to the rich history of the United Kingdom.

Frederick Douglass, 1850, 2023, silkscreen print © Elizabeth Peyton

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Behind the scenes

Elizabeth Peyton

3 collaborations

Elizabeth Peyton creates gestural, atmospheric paintings and works on paper that attest to the psychical and emotional depths of the people she paints. Her artworks map out delicate negotiations between beauty, desire, and the pictorial image. Peyton finds feeling in all that she depicts. Whether it's people from her own milieu or figures from history, literature, music or film, she always renders each scene with the intensity of her own particular humanism – a close and loving look at humanity. In each figure's uniqueness, she reveals the universal emotions that connect us to each other and to art, and which stretch from our present moment back through time.

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Reviews from Avant collectors

Beautifully printed piece. Nice touch on the bag and gloves. Thank you for your efficiency and timely updates.
Review of Actual Size
💯💯💯 👌🏻
Review of Untitled
I loved the purchasing experience, and the artwork I ended up with. I would definitely come back for future art purchases :)
Review of Actual Size
This piece is lovely and out for framing. I actually want to buy another.
Review of Inner Love
Super stoked... exceeded expectations. Great framing and packaging and love the extra details in the authenticity card, bag, stickers.
Review of Untitled (Hand-finished)
Every detail about this work is brilliant, especially the work itself. Thank you for bringing an incredible talent pool of artists to the public.
Review of Scaffold
Amazing platform and communication! Amazing art and print quality! Great service and support! Thanks!
Review of Guardian
packaging was best I’ve ever had when ordering a print. love the gloves!!
Review of Interior: Red Couch and Landscape

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