Lot 388: Burton Callicott, Flight To Baltimore, 1971

Burton Callicott (American/Tennessee, 1907-2003), "Flight to Baltimore," oil on canvas painting depicting the hazy image–possibly a shadow or reflection–of an airplane in flight, within a solar corona, as viewed from below. Signed lower right and dated 1971. Additionally dated and titled with artist's name en verso, and inscribed "Memphis Academy of Arts / Memphis Tenn." Housed in a simple black and gold painted frame. Painting: 60" square. Frame: 61" square. Biography: Burton Callicott spent much of his childhood and his seventy-year career as an artist and educator in Memphis. He graduated in 1931 from the Cleveland School of Art, where he began an exploration of the use of light and dark that would follow him throughout his life. He was a founding faculty member at the Memphis Academy of Art (later the Memphis College of Art) in 1937. His introduction to the work of Hans Hoffman in the 1940s encouraged him to pursue the flattened perspective of Abstract Expressionism in his later career and he began to focus on images of sunlight and rainbows as a portrayal of the true spirit of light and color. His work has been exhibited in many regional museums, and the Tennessee Arts Commission chose to honor the work of Callicott in 2000 with a specialty license plate for which he designed a rainbow with the caption "Art is a Rainbow." (Adapted from Elizabeth H. Moore, Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University).

PROVENANCE: Deaccessioned from the Arkansas Museum of Art to benefit the acquisitions fund.

CONDITION: Several scattered areas of localized craquelure. Grime and some pale streak stains or concentrated discoloration to varnish; would benefit from cleaning. 1/4" puncture center right, on plane near nose. Several spots of wear and abrasions to frame.