The Judge, 1958

Kootz Gallery, New York Christie’s, auction, New York, 6-7 September 2006, lot 136 as "Judge", 1958 Estate of Robert Noakes

Prolific Canadian abstract painter William Ronald was the youngest member of the Painters Eleven. His studies of the Abstract Expressionists in New York in the 1950s left a long-lasting influence on the artist’s work for the remainder of his career. Ronald quickly caught the attention of New York gallery owner Samuel Kootz, who exhibited his work in 1956. This support provided financial security and wide exposure for Ronald, enabling further acceleration of his career. He became friendly with fellow abstract painters of the New York School, including Mark Rothko and Franz Kline. Also in 1956, Painters Eleven was invited to exhibit in the annual exhibition of the American Association of Abstract Artists at the Riverside Museum in New York City. This exposure would introduce Ronald and his peers to a wider audience and give them an international standing. Ronald would have seven solo exhibitions at the Kootz Gallery in New York from 1957 to 1963. He carefully crafted each show to be a unique, artistic evolution. On April 15th, 1957, Ronald's debut New York exhibition, "Insurgent", won critical acclaim. With his innovation of the central image in Abstract Expressionism, his artistic signature was established. By the end of 1957, William Ronald had works in major public galleries, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Art Gallery of Toronto (now the Art Gallery of Ontario) and the National Gallery of Canada. The Judge dates to 1958, during these fruitful New York years when Ronald was painting a large central image that hinted at representation but remained true to total abstraction.