James Spencer Russell Signed Graphite Drawing

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A signed graphite drawing by the American artist James Spencer Russell (1915-2000). This work depicts a figure walking next to … Read more A signed graphite drawing by the American artist James Spencer Russell (1915-2000). This work depicts a figure walking next to a white wall with marked out words circled in light gray. Unframed, the drawing is monochromatic and signed on the lower right.

Born in Monticello, Indiana, Russell was interested in art from a young age but was directed into pursuing a military career by his family. As a young person, he attended a military academy, became a celebrated codebreaker during WWII, and even received a scholarship to attend WestPoint. However, Russell's interest in art eventually led him to abandon his military pursuits and try to make it in the art world instead. After working as an NBC set designer after WWII, he turned his attention to becoming a full-time artist. During the 1960s, he started exhibiting his works alongside artists who would later come to characterize the art scene at the time, including Robert Rauschenberg and Roy Lichtenstein. He later moved back to Indiana where he continued to create art until his death in 2000. See less