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(ART.) MASOOD, ALI WILBERT WARREN.
Large collection of the
artist’s original work.
Consisting of: 19 8vo sketch books averaging 100 pages each,
mostly drawn in pencil, and dating from 1934 forward; 150 larger drawings done on 10 x
15 inch sketchbook paper, some in color, drawn on rectos only, some with multiple
images, contained in three portfolios, each with fifty 9 x 12 conté crayon and sepia felt tip
drawings —“Artiste Life Sketches by Ali, 1932 – 1956.” Plus 62 larger (14 x 11 inches)
drawings, mostly in sepia felt tip and conté crayon; plus 42 larger (24 x 18 inches) draw-
ings, mostly sepia felt tip, some conté crayon, a few in color; plus one framed portrait. In
all, over 2000 drawings of various size.
TOGETHER WITH THE ARTWORK ARE A NUMBER OF
PHOTOGRAPHS SOME FROM
M
ASOOD
’
S TIME IN THE SERVICE
;
OTHERS SHOW
A
LI IN HIS
STUDIO
,
WORKING ON A PIECE OF SCULPTURE AS WELL AS A FEW PHOTOS OF FINISHED
SCULPTURE
. A
LSO PART OF THIS COLLECTION ARE SOME PIECES OF EPHEMERA INCLUDING
MATERIAL FROM THE
B
AHA
’
I RELIGION
. The condition of the artwork is generally very
good, but given the size of the collection, it should be seen.
Vp, 1940’s-‘80’s.
[40,000/60,000]
A TRULY EXCEPTIONAL COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY MASOOD ALI WILBERT
WARREN
(1907-1995)
Masood, African-American painter, and sculptor, was a Muslim convert,
though there is evidence that he explored the Baha’i religion earlier on in life. While he is known pri-
marily for his portrait busts of famous people, Masood was a prolific sketcher, filling dozens of small
and large notebooks with conté crayon, graphite and felt tip pen drawings. This collection is rich in
images captured by Masood during his time as quartermaster sergeant in the U.S. Army. Masood
served here and abroad over a long military career. Masood also created a number of bronze pieces, sev-
eral of which are shown in the photographs included with the artwork. Masood was an observer of
people and his sketchbooks are filled with images of people of all types, sorts, and sizes, both during his
military service and during his travels on the buses and subways of New York. Many of the larger
drawings bear notations in Ali’s hand. There is even a snapshot (unfortunately slightly overexposed)
of Ali sitting at a small table on what appears to be Lenox Avenue in Harlem; there he would draw
portraits for a few dollars. In addition to all of the sketchbooks and loose drawings, there is a very nice