SwissArtGallery · Documented identity

Tom Wesselmann

Tom Wesselmann, an American artist described as originating from Cincinnati and based in New York, is documented here through works that address, among other subjects, still life and the nude. The Art Institute of Chicago lists several works made between 1962 and 1965: Drawing for Still Life #12 and Study for Still Life #9 (1962), Still Life #41 (1964), as well as Great American Nude Study and Cut-Out Nude (1965). These titles indicate two groups of subjects in the references held by the institution.

A 1970 drawing, Drawing for Big Brown Nude, is executed in pencil on a sheet measuring 10.3 × 16.6 cm. It bears the signature and date “Wesselmann 70” at the lower left, as well as the inscription “D-70” on the right. Its history mentions the Sidney Janis Gallery, New York, under number 13712, with a label, followed by a private collection in Switzerland.

This profile brings together identity references for Tom Wesselmann and paintings, drawings and works on paper documented in auction catalogues.

11 references are documented at Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer, DognyAuction, Kornfeld, Germann, Lempertz. Each record links to its source; the amounts are not a general valuation of the artist’s work.

Works recorded at auction

Lempertz · Lot 430

Nude

Bleistift auf Karton

Auction date : 2023-12-02

Published result : 7560 EUR

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : 8000

View the lot at the auction house ↗

Lempertz · Lot 464

Great American Cut out Nude

Bleistift auf gestanztem Karton

Auction date : 2021-06-18

Published result : 10625 EUR

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : 5000

View the lot at the auction house ↗

Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer · Lot 95

Smoker, 1978

Coloured chalk on paper

Original catalogue wording

Smoker, 1978
Farbkreide auf Papier

Catalogue period : 2020-09-23

Published result : 14585 CHF

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : CHF 12000–15000

View the lot at the auction house ↗

Kornfeld · Lot 794

Drawing for Big Brown Nude

Pencil

Catalogue period : 2020-09-17

Published result : 7800 CHF

Hammer price, excluding fees

Estimate : CHF 8000

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Lempertz · Lot 510

Paint Study for Great American Nude #82

Bleistift auf Karton

Auction date : 2018-12-01

Published result : 39680 EUR

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : 18000

View the lot at the auction house ↗

Lempertz · Lot 715

Great American Cut out Nude

Bleistift auf geschnittenem Karton

Auction date : 2016-12-03

Published result : 5332 EUR

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : 5000

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Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer · Lot 249

Study for two nipples, 1963

Oil on canvas

Original catalogue wording

Study for two nipples, 1963
huile sur toile

Catalogue period : 2015-06-20

Published result : 85120 CHF

Fees not specified in the available data

Estimate : CHF 70000–90000

View the lot at the auction house ↗

DognyAuction

Smoking cigarette

Liquitex on Bristol board

Original catalogue wording

Smoking cigarette
liquitex sur Bristol

Date to be documented

Published result : 5655 CHF

Fees not specified in the available data

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Germann

Study for Sunset Nude (1960 Judy), 2002

Farbstift und Bleistift auf Transparentpapier.

Date to be documented

Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed

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Germann

Bedroom Painting 20, 1969

Oil on canvas

Original catalogue wording

Bedroom Painting 20, 1969
Öl auf Leinwand.

Date to be documented

Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed

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Germann

Straight from Detroit, 1955-60

Pen-and-ink drawing.

Original catalogue wording

Straight from Detroit, 1955-60
Tuschfeder-Zeichnung.

Date to be documented

Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed

View the lot at the auction house ↗

Sources and references

• Reference record
• ARTIC · Reference link only; institutional text and images are not reproduced.
• LoC · Reference link only; institutional text and images are not reproduced.
• LoC · Reference link only; institutional text and images are not reproduced.
• MoMA · CC0
• NDL · NDL Terms of Use (source attribution)
• Documentary source
• Documentary source
• Documentary source

SwissArtGallery documentary note based on the cited sources. Titles, media and qualifications are provided in the profile language; the original catalogue wording remains available in each record.
Documentation updated : 2026-10-19