Cecil de Blaquière Howard
Guitarist1915–1917

On view:

Broad Contemporary Art Museum, floor 3

Artist or Maker: Cecil de Blaquière Howard
American, 1888–1956, active France
Title: Guitarist
Date Made: 1915–1917
Medium: Polychromed wood
Dimensions: 10 × 9 5/8 × 5 3/4 in. (25.4 × 24.45 × 14.61 cm)
Credit Line: Purchased with funds provided by the American Art Acquisition Fund and the Modern Art Acquisition Fund.
Accession Number: M.2019.25
Classification: Sculpture
Collecting Area: American Art
Curatorial Notes: Best known for his classical nudes, from 1915 to 1917 sculptor Cecil de Blanquière Howard created six small, Cubist-inspired polychrome works that reflect his interest in music. With its bright colors and faceted form, Guitarist suggests the lively atmosphere of the Parisian dance halls that Howard frequented. Howard was a skilled dancer himself (specializing in the tango), and in 1917 he performed in Les Mamelles de Tirésias (The Breasts of Tiresias), written by art critic, poet, and playwright Guillaume Apollinaire.

Wall label, 2021.
Provenance: The artist (1888-1956). Private collection. [Possibly sold in 2017 to Conner-Rosenkranz, New York City]; sold in 2019 to LACMA.