Artist's Portolio: A Curious Collection of 38 Lithographs by Robert Bushong

Robert (Bobby) Bushong

Unknown: Presumed Robert Bushong, 1948

A curious collection of mounted plates (lithographs) from the artist Robert Bushong.  Includes 38 lithographic plates, mounted on heavy card stock, held in a worn cardboard box (handmade?).  The plates are loose.  The lithographs vary in size from 12 x 8.5 cm to 11.5 x 7 cm. Some of the margins of the cards are chipped, but the plates themselves are clean and undamaged. 9 of the lithographs illustrate Joris-Karl Huysmans' infamous novel, Against the grain [A rebours].  Three are titled, "Bathers," "The Card Players," and "The Hairy People."  26 of the illustrations are not labeled, ten of are signed by Bushong (in print) and seven are dated 1948-1949.  Also includes a larger folded plate (30.4 x 22.7 cm) showing the decadent (Parisian-inspired, art-covered, mid-century New York) apartment of Peter Lindamood.  Small printed inscription: For Peter Lindamood, Bobby Bushong. [Lindamood was a noted NYC art dealer and famous hoarder.]  The holding box is worn, split on the side, and lacking the top side and has a lithographic design.  

Robert Bushong (1922-1995) studied at the Museum School in Boston and the Worcester Art Museum school with Walter Gropius. He was a commercial artist in New York City and Nantucket.  Cataloger's note: I was unable to locate a similar collection in library holdings or auction records.  I believe this is the artist, Bushong's self-made collection (portfolio?) of his original work, circa 1947-1948.