Richard Posner (American, 1948-2011), His Master's Voice

1975-76, stained, textured and slag glass depicting "Nipper" gazing into the dark abyss of a cellar door, signed and dated 1997 (the year acquired by the Pilloffs) in the glass, presented in a pine frame.

24 x 26 in.

The Contemporary Art Collection of Francine & Benson Pilloff, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This work was created while Posner was in graduate school at California College of Arts and Crafts. The inspiration came from an interview with Edgar Allen Poe in which he was asked, "What are the most beautiful words in the English language?" to which he replied "cellar door". Soon after Posner learned of the death of his mentor, Enrie Mynatt, for which this piece became a memento mori. The title also refers to the Swedish film, "My Life As a Dog" where, in this case, man's best friend bears witness to his master's voice.

Accompanied with a detailed biography of the concept and creation of this work; a hand written postcard reading "Dear Francine - Glad you enjoyed the shnook-of-the-month-book-of-the month books. I'm read (plug) a sierra club book, Endangered Mexico, by my cousin Joel Simon: an environmental history of Mexico. When are you returning to LALA Land? Thanks for putting in a good word with Ann Cohen. We're meeting 8/7 @ SO. CA. Glass collectors soiree. Best (illegible), signed."; two photographs showing the window installed in the Pilloff's residence; and a 1999 article from the Wall Street Journal describing the controversial living garden artwork Posner was currently working on, sent from Germany to the Pilloff's residence. Francine recalls that she and Richard stayed in touch until his untimely death.

Exhibited:

1977: Artist's studio, Oakland, CA

1978: California Design, Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles

1979-83: New Stained Glass, Traveling Exhibition / Metropolitan Museum of Art / American Craft Museum / Renwick Gallery / Smithsonian Institution / Berkeley Art Center / Boise Museum of Art / Fresno Museum of Art

1984-86: Posner Glass, Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle

1987-94: Storage in studio of Narcissus Quagliata, Oakland, CA

1994-96: Artist's studio, Culver City

1997-present: Collection of Francine and Benson Pilloff

Public artist, architectural glass designer, ceramicist, and environmental garden designer, Posner's work has been exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in France, and is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Victoria and Albert Museum, and The Corning Museum of Glass. He received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Jackson Pollack-Lee Krasner Foundation, and four Fulbright fellowships.

Good condition.