John Covert 1882 - 1960

Kathleen Lawler, probably 1923 (acquired from the artist)
Nona Lawler Mackie, Bellevue, Washington, 1952 (her sister)
Paul Denby Mackie, Bellevue, Washington (her husband)
Gift to the present owner from the above, 1959

Dallas, Texas, Dallas Museum for Contemporary Art, American Genius in Review #1: Murphy, Schamberg, Benrimo, Russell, Covert, May-June 1960

Rual Askew, "Bypassed Artists to Gain Fresh Study," The Dallas Morning News, April 26, 1960, section 1, p. 12
Rual Askew, "Mementos Current and From Recall," The Dallas Morning News, May 15, 1960, section 5, p. 4
Michael Klein, John Covert, 1882-1960, Washington, D.C., 1976, p. 15, illustrated figs. 6, 7
Michael Klein, "Covert and the Arensburg Circle: Symbolism, Cubism and Photosurrealism," Arts Magazine, vol. 51, no. 9, May 1977, p. 115, illustrated fig. 6, p. 114 (as Interior)

This work is in very good condition. The canvas is unlined. There is some diagonal cracking in the left side of the table and in the lower background. Under UV: There are 2 pindots of inpainting at the lower right edge and the upper right background.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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Although little known today, John Covert was a vital contributor to the visual and written dialogue on modern art in America in the early years of the 20^th century. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Covert maintained a conservative, academic style while studying in both Munich and Paris in the early years of his career. Upon his return to the United States in 1915, however, Covert joined the coterie of artists, writers, musicians and intellectuals surrounding his first cousin, Walter Arensberg, who championed the Dadaist movement in the wake of the First World War. Through Arensberg and his wife, Louise, Covert became acquainted with such avant-garde thinkers as Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp, with whom he helped form the Société Anonyme in 1916. Embracing the modernist influences around him for the first time, Covert’s style changed dramatically: he abandoned his earlier realist style and embraced a new aesthetic based on Cubism. Eventually he would incorporate such unconventional materials as upholstery tacks and string into his paintings.

Covert’s promising career shifted abruptly in 1923, when he stopped painting professionally to become a traveling salesman for his family’s ceramic company. Although he continued to pursue creative endeavors personally, he gave many of his works away to friends, closed his Manhattan studio, and refrained from publicly exhibiting his work. As a result, Covert’s contribution to the public understanding and dissemination of the avant-garde in America has been largely overlooked. His works are included in the collections of the Seattle Art Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Yale University Art Gallery.