Bidspirit auction | Wanda Gag Birds MM Ink

Wanda Gag Birds MM Ink & Gouache Drawing - Wanda Gag (American, 1893-1946). Mixed-media ink and gouache drawing on paper depicting dynamic birds scattered amongst foliage. Pencil initialed along the lower right. Pencil numbered ”17-18” along the verso. Provenance: From the Collection of Colles & John Larkin, Minnesota; acquired directly from the artist's estate. As pillars of the Twin Cities cultural community, Colles B. Larkin and her late husband, Dr. John Larkin (1930-2019), spent decades quietly driving the growth and prestige of Minnesota’s arts scene. The couple served as a formidable bridge between professional scholarship and institutional stewardship: Colles brought the scholarly rigor of an experienced curator, while Dr. Larkin provided nearly six combined decades of board leadership at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) and the Minnesota Museum of American Art (The M). Together, they didn't just collect fine art; they actively sustained the region's cultural ecosystem by funding exhibitions, donating key works to public collections, and opening their private holdings to scholars and art lovers alike. Lots from the Larkin Collection signify an origin anchored in deep artistic expertise, civic vision, and an unwavering commitment to the Minnesota arts community. Sheet; height: 2 1/2 in x width: 7 1/4 in. Mat; height: 6 3/4 in x width: 11 1/2 in. Condition: The colors are bold and bright. There is a minute tear along the upper edge that extends downward appoximately 1/4 inch. The margins are slightly uneven; the work may have been trimmed. Light wear along the extreme edges. Floated under a nonacidic mat. The work is not framed.