The Fine Art & Collectibles Sale
Lot 61:
Description
Signed (verso)
Image Dimensions: 37 3/8 x 35 3/8 in (95 x 90 cm)
This lot is accompanied by a consignor-provided COA or related documentation, offered as received.
Alma Woodsey Thomas holds a distinctive position in twentieth century American art, recognized for her radiant abstract compositions that translate the rhythms of nature into vibrant color structures. Emerging from the Washington Color School milieu yet maintaining a uniquely personal visual language, Thomas developed a style defined by repeated mosaic-like brushstrokes arranged into luminous fields of color. Her work celebrates light, movement, and the transformative power of perception.
Sun Dancing in Light exemplifies the artist’s mature visual vocabulary. The composition is organized around a brilliant circular center, from which concentric bands of color radiate outward. These rings are constructed through short, rhythmic brushstrokes that resemble fragments of colored tiles, creating a mosaic-like surface that vibrates with energy. The structure evokes both celestial imagery and the optical sensation of sunlight spreading through space.
Color plays a central role in the painting’s visual impact. Brilliant blues, oranges, greens, and reds move outward from the intense yellow core, forming an expanding chromatic spectrum. Rather than blending smoothly, the colors remain distinct within each brushstroke, producing a shimmering optical effect. This technique generates a dynamic interaction between the viewer’s eye and the painted surface, allowing the painting to appear constantly in motion.
The circular structure reinforces the sensation of radiating energy. Each band of color curves gently around the central disc, suggesting the orbiting movement of light or the rhythmic pulse of solar energy. At the same time, the irregularity of the individual brushstrokes introduces a subtle human touch, balancing geometric order with painterly spontaneity.
Thomas’s paintings from this period are widely recognized as among the most important contributions to American postwar abstraction. Major institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum preserve significant examples of her work. Collectors value these paintings for their luminous color, optimistic spirit, and historical significance within the broader development of abstract painting in the United States.
In a spatial context, a composition such as Sun Dancing in Light possesses remarkable visual presence. The radiant center draws the viewer inward while the expanding color rings animate the surrounding space. The painting functions both as a contemplative field of color and as a powerful decorative focal point, making it equally compelling within contemporary architectural interiors or refined gallery environments.
Condition: ALL PROPERTY IS SOLD AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH NO RETURNS OR CANCELLATIONS.
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