Bernard Murray Martin (American, 1935-2021), Vincent: Study In Burnt Sienna Medium

Pastel on paper, 2002, signed and dated at lower right, inscribed to verso, mounted and framed below glass.

Sheet size 30 x 22 1/4 in.; Frame dimensions 33 3/8 x 25 3/8 in.

Bernard Murray Martin was an influential artist and educator born in Ferrum, Virginia. He earned a BFA from Richmond Professional Institute (now VCU) and an MFA from Hunter College. As the founding chair of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Painting and Printmaking, he played a central role in shaping art education in the region.

Martin’s work spanned conceptualism, text-image combinations, and pop-cultural commentary. He exhibited widely and is represented in major collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. He received honors including NEA and VMFA fellowships and the Pollak Lifetime Achievement Award.

Some spotting to the sheet and grime trapped below the glass.