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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The packaging is always good but this was superb. And the piece exceeded all expectations.
Review of Ugly Bastard
I absolutely love the textured details. The picture literally pops off the canvas and the floating frame encompasses those details perfectly. Amazing job by Jake Fried and the Avant Arte team! I'm excited for my next purchase.
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strong work from all team members - i look forward to the next purchase!
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Top tier experience all around. The print quality is amazing, the packaging was superb, and the process was seamless. I am a huge fan of Avant Arte and I hope to continue collecting from you.
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First class service, from start to finsh. Thank you!
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Looks really great - high quality print arrived in perfect condition. Thank You!
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Review of Inner Love
love the packaging of the print. superb.
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