Kevin Connor
Non-Fiction Australian Art Art Monograph Modern Art Abstract Expressionism Artist-Signed Collectible Limited Edition
Collectors of Australian modernism prize this 1989 first-edition monograph because every copy was personally signed and hand-numbered by the artist himself: Kevin Connor inscribed this example “51 / 75,” making it one of only seventy-five in existence. Published by the respected Craftsman House press and presented in its original cloth-bound hardcover and matching slip-case, the book is the definitive study of Connor’s raw, expressionist canvases and charcoal drawings that chronicle the energy of Sydney’s streets, racetracks and human struggles. Barry Pearce—then curator of Australian art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales—supplies an authoritative, essay-length career overview, while lavish full-page plates reproduce the gestural brushwork and moody chiaroscuro that earned Connor the Archibald Prize three times.
What separates this copy from the handful of unsigned trade editions is the direct link to the artist: the limitation page bears Connor’s unmistakable autograph and serial number, turning the book into a museum-quality piece of ephemera. The substantial quarto format (roughly 30 cm tall) allows the monochrome and colour reproductions to approach the scale of the originals, making it indispensable for painters, art students and curators who want to study how Connor layers impasto and draws with the paint-knife. Additional documentary photographs, exhibition checklists and a bibliography provide a ready reference for valuers and historians tracking the market for Australian post-war art.
Condition notes are reassuring: aside from a trace of residual stickiness along the top edge that causes no tearing or foxing, the pages remain crisp and unmarked, and the slip-case is structurally sound. For buyers searching “signed Kevin Connor book,” “limited edition Australian art monograph,” or “Kevin Connor 51/75,” this is the scarce, collector-grade copy that completes a high-end art library and anchors any portfolio of modern Australian painters.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
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