YVES TANGUY (1900–1955)

To Julien
Graphite and ink on paper
Jean Farley Levy Estate

After spending several years in the merchant marine as a young man, Yves Tanguy held his first solo show at 27 at the Galerie Surréaliste in Paris. He later exhibited in solo and group shows in New York City, Brussels, Paris, and London.

A Frenchman who came to the United States in 1938, Tanguy was among the first European artists to seek American refuge from the maelstrom in Europe. He married American painter Kay Sage and became an American citizen, settling in Woodbury, Connecticut, a popular haven for European refugee artists and writers.

Tanguy's most characteristic works are reminiscent of Salvador Dali, but his imagery is distinctive, often featuring half marine and half lunar landscapes filled with amorphous objects.