Raised in Wilmington, North Carolina, Minnie Evans (1892–1987) grew up in the city’s African American community and was profoundly influenced by her dreams and visions from an early age. While raising her three sons, she began creating her first works in the 1930s, drawing in ink on paper. In 1948, Evans became the gatekeeper at Airlie Gardens, and the lush, botanical surroundings soon began to seep into her works. Her compositions grew increasingly intricate, incorporating crayon and paint to depict her visionary revelations of deities, angels, demons, and fantastical hybrid plants and animals rendered in dense, symmetrical arrangements. As she famously explained, “I have no imagination. I never plan a drawing, they just happen. In a dream it was shown to me what I have to do, of paintings" (Minnie Evans quoted in Nina Howell Starr, "The Lost World of Minnie Evans," The Bennington Review, vol. 111, no. 2 (Summer 1969) p. 41).
Untitled exemplifies these qualities, presenting a vibrant interplay of plants and ornamental patterns likely inspired by Airlie Gardens. The work’s surreal, otherworldly character aligns closely with Evans’s mature style.
Related Articles
Sorry, we are unable to display this content. Please check your connection.
You have agreed to be bound by the Conditions of Sale and if your bid is successful, you are legally obliged to pay for the lot you have won. The purchase price for a successful bid will be the sum of your final bid plus a buyer’s premium, any applicable taxes and any artist resale royalty, exclusive of shipping-related expenses.
Condition report
A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.
The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.
The canvas board is laid down on board. The work is very bowed. Very minor frame abrasion along the extreme edges. The surface is slightly dirty.
Print Report
Cost calculator
Enter your bid amount for an estimated cost
Bid amount
Please enter numbers onlyAmount must be higher than the starting bidAmount must be higher than the current bid
Buyer's premium
Loss, damage and liability
Shipping
Estimated Excise Duty
Artist Resale Royalty
Estimated total cost exclusive of customs duties/charges and tariffs