DRAWINGS: VACLAV VYTLACIL JULY 15 – AUGUST 18, 2021

Never-before-seen drawings discovered at the Sparkill estate of Vaclav Vytlacil, the legendary League Instructor and Alum, whose influence helped shape the course of American art for decades.

The exhibition features over 85 never-before-seen drawings by the legendary League Instructor and alumnus, whose influence helped shape the course of American art for decades. The exhibition includes works spanning over five decades and provides insight into Vytlacil’s obsessive drawing practice, tracing his evolution from early figurative works and landscapes to abstraction. Drawn from the League’s permanent collection, the exhibition marks the first time the works have been Vaclav Vytlacil and students at The Art Students League, 1977 displayed publicly. Vytlacil studied at The Art Students League from 1913 to 1916. After spending several years in Europe where he was greatly influenced by Cubism, he returned to The League in 1935, where he was one of its most influential instructors over the course of the next 41 years. In 1936, he took part in the founding of the American Abstract Artists group, and his career writ large has had a profound influence on modern American art. His students at the League included , , Mavis Pusey, , , Joseph Stapleton, and , as well as later League Instructors and Frank O’Cain. In addition to The League, Vytlacil taught at Columbia University, The , and Boston College, and was lecturer in Berkeley, CA.

In 1995, eleven years after his death, Vytlacil’s former home in Sparkill and his art works were donated to the The Art Students League. Most of the works discovered were landscape drawings produced during the late 50’s and early 60’s, or colorful abstract works produced around 1970. These drawings give an insight into Vytlacil’s almost obsessive drawing practice and show how the early figurative works and landscapes slowly evolved into abstraction, a transformation which is closely linked with the popularization of abstraction in American art in general during the mid-to-late 20th Century. Vytlacil’s works can be found in renowned institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

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The Art Students League of New York Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, 2nd Floor 215 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019

The Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery is open 10:00am through 6:00pm Monday through Friday.

The Art Students League Public Programs are supported by NYC Cultural Affairs.

1. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 Charcoal on paper, 13 x 10 in.

2. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 (after Aristide Maillol’s Leda) Charcoal on paper, 10 x 13 in.

3. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 Charcoal on paper, 10 x 13 in.

4. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-62 Charcoal on paper, 11 ¾ x 14 ¾ in.

5. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-62 Charcoal on paper, 11 ¾ x 14 ¾ in.

6. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-62 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 11 ¾ x 14 ¾ in.

7. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 12 ¼ x 14 ¾ in.

8. Vaclav Vytlacil Fishermen, ca. 1960 Oil pastel on paper, 7 x 8 ¼ in.

9. Vaclav Vytlacil Fishermen, ca. 1960 Oil pastel on paper, 7 x 8 ¼ in.

10. Vaclav Vytlacil Fishermen, ca. 1960 Oil pastel on paper, 7 x 8 ¼ in.

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11. Vaclav Vytlacil Fishermen, ca. 1960 Oil pastel on paper, 7 x 8 ¼ in.

12. Vaclav Vytlacil Fishermen, ca. 1960 Oil pastel on paper, 8 ¼ x 7 in.

13. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 6 x 9 in.

14. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 6 x 9 in.

15. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 6 x 9 in.

16. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, (after carving by Tilman Riemenschneider) 1921 Charcoal on paper, 13 x 10 in.

17. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled (after The Prodigal Son in the Brothel by Rembrandt), 1921 Charcoal and red chalk on paper, 13 x 10 in.

18. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled (after Don Gaspar de Guzmán by Workshop of Velazquez), 1921 Charcoal on paper, 13 x 10 in.

19. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink on paper, 16 x 11 in.

20. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 Graphite on paper, 12 ¼ x 9 in.

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21. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 (after Hans Holbein’s Double Portrait of Sir Thomas Godsalve and his son John) Graphite on paper, 12 ¼ x 9 in.

22. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

23. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

24. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink on paper, 16 ¾ x 14 in.

25. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink on paper, 16 ¾ x 14 in.

26. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink on paper, 16 ¾ x 14 in.

27. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921

Charcoal on paper, 13 x 10 in.

28. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 Charcoal and red chalk on paper, 13 x 10 in.

29. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 Charcoal on paper, 13 x 10 in.

30. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

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31. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

32. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal, gouache and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

33. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal, gouache and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

34. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal, gouache and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

35. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal, gouache and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

36.Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal, gouache and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

37. Vaclav Vytlacil Rooster, ca. 1963 Ink and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 9 in.

38. Vaclav Vytlacil Rooster, ca. 1963 Ink and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 9 in.

39. Vaclav Vytlacil Rooster, ca. 1963 Ink and oil pastel on paper, 12 x 9 in.

40. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1962 Oil pastel on paper, 9 x 11 in.

41. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1962 Oil pastel on paper, 6 ¾ x 8 ¼ in.

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42. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink on paper, 17 x 14 in.

43. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, 1921 Charcoal on paper, 13 x 10 in.

44. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 13 ¾ x 10 in.

45. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink on paper, 16 ¾ x 13 ¾ in.

46. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled (after Portrait of a Bearded Man by Rembrandt), 1921 Charcoal on paper, 13 x 10 in.

47. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and ink on paper, 15 x 12 in.

48. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and ink on paper, 15 x 12 in.

49. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and ink on paper, 9 ¾ x 12 ½ in.

50. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and ink on paper, 9 ¾ x 12 ½ in.

51. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal, ink and gouache on paper, 9 ¾ x 12 ½ in.

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52. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 9 ½ x 10 in.

53. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Charcoal on paper, 12x 15 in.

54. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 4 ½ x 9 in.

55. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 3 ¾ x 10 in.

56. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 5 x 5 ½ in.

57. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 11 ¾ x 14 ¾ in.

58. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 11 ¾ x 14 ¾ in.

59. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and ink on paper, 11 ¾ x 14 ¾ in.

60. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970

Oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

61. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970

Oil pastel on paper, 12 x 15 in.

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62. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1962 Oil pastel on paper, 9 x 11 in.

63. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 9 x 13 ½ in.

64. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 10 x 13 ½ in.

65. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

66. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

67. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 ½ x 9 ½ in.

68. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 12 ½ x 9 ½ in.

69. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 3 ¼ x 9 ½ in.

70. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink and oil pastel on paper, 5 x 13 ¼ in.

71. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink and oil pastel on paper, 8 ½ x 13 in.

72. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Ink and collage on paper, 10 ¾ x 15 ½ in.

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73. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 9 ¾ x 7 ¾ in.

74. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 7 ¾ x 9 ¾ in.

75. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 10 ½ x 14 in.

76. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 10 ½ x 14 in.

77. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 10 ½ x 14 in.

78. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

79. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

80. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

81. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

82. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

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83. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

84. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

85. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

86. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled (after Chickens, Colorful Realms of Beings by Jakuchu Ito), ca. 1963 Gouache on paper, 14 x 10 in.

87. Gallery Office: Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1963, Mexico Ink and gouache on paper, 8 x 4 ½ in. ea.

88. Ground floor window: Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962

Charcoal and gouache on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

89. Ground floor window: Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1957-1962 Charcoal and gouache on paper, 12 x 14 ¾ in.

90. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 7 ¾ x 9 ¾ in.

91. Vaclav Vytlacil Untitled, ca. 1970 Oil pastel on paper, 7 ¾ x 9 ¾ in.

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