Larry Rivers (1923-2003) was a pioneering American artist and founding father of Pop Art. His combination of abstraction with commercial imagery was a precursor to the Pop Art movement. 

In the late 1940s, Rivers studied at the School before completing his BA at NYU in 1951. Despite the ascent of abstraction in the avant-garde, Rivers continued to include elements of figuration, specifically the body, challenging existing notions of modernism. 

The human body was a recurring element of exploration for the artist, who broke down the form into incomplete fragments, overlapping parts, and richly textural layers of mixed media. Infused with a palpable tension, his approach feels almost forensic, isolating or omitting certain body parts as if to examine their form with a critical, investigative eye.

"Venus" is a remarkable example of River's signature aesthetic. Executed in rough, expressive linework, the artist renders three iterations of the Venus de Milo at various stages of completion. Of the three figures, one faces the viewer, her contrapasso pose emphasized by a collage component that adds an element of realism.

River's works can be found in the permanent collections of many of the most prestigious art institutions globally including; The Guggenheim Museum (NY), the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (NY), the Whitney Museum (NY), the National Gallery (Washington D.C.), and the Centres Pompidou (Paris). 

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"Venus"

USA, 1962

Pencil collage on paper

Signed (middle of right edge)

13.5"H 14.5"W (work)

Framed

Very good condition