Alpha 137 Gallery has listed a unique 1955 work on paper by American modernist Dorothy Dehner titled "Drawing for Sculpture." The piece, executed in brown marker on found stationery from a New York manufacturer’s agent, represents a pivotal moment in Dehner’s career when she transitioned from painting to the abstract sculpture for which she became famous. The work is hand-signed and dated, reflecting her early exploration of three-dimensional forms through graphic media.
This listing highlights the enduring market interest in Dehner, a figure who emerged from the shadow of her husband, David Smith, to become a significant force in mid-century abstraction. As a woman who began her primary sculptural practice at age 54, her secondary market presence remains vital for collectors of the New York School and Atelier 17 circles. The provenance and material choice—using found stationery—underscore the experimental nature of her process during a year she was honored with a solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago.