Hans Gustav Burkhardt Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Hans Gustav Burkhardt Art Value Price Guide

Aug. 18, 2026
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994), Industrial scene, 1948
Est: $700 - $900
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Industrial scene, 1948 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right: H. Burkhardt 48
John Moran Auctioneers
Aug. 18, 2026
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994), Architectural composition, 1951
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Architectural composition, 1951 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right: H. Burkhardt 51
John Moran Auctioneers
Jul. 29, 2026
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994), Modern abstract, 1984
Est: $600 - $800
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Modern abstract, 1984 Oil on paper Signed, dated, and inscribed in pencil along the lower edge: H. Burkhardt / 1984 / "To My friend Joseph Basso / From Hans"
John Moran Auctioneers
Jul. 16, 2026
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (American, 1904â1994): Nude Model
Est: $100 - $200
pastel on paper signed, 25 x 19 in.
Abell Auction
Jul. 14, 2026
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Artist Proof (1973)
Est: $800 - $1,200
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (Swiss-born American, 1904-1994) "Abstract with Purple, Red and Blue Circles" linocut, 1973. "Artist Proof" at lower left. Artist's signature and creation date at lower right. A crisp, graphic linocut where Burkhardt distills his abstract language into a compact stage of tension, balance, and color. Against a dense black field, three floating forms - purple, red, and blue - hover like planets or masks, poised above a fractured architecture of white-edged shapes. The composition reads as both playful and severe, its hard angles and torn contours suggesting collision, construction, and the nervous energy of modern life. Executed in 1973, the print captures Burkhardt's gift for making abstraction feel immediate and symbolic. The palette is spare but deliberate: jewel-toned circles set against stark black and white, with sharp accents of yellow and orange that punctuate the center like sparks. Size of print: 10" W x 8.5" H (25.4 cm x 21.6 cm); of paper: 20.5" W x 15" H (52.1 cm x 38.1 cm) The linocut medium intensifies the image's graphic bite, emphasizing contrast, edge, and silhouette. The sheet is further distinguished as an Artist Proof, a designation typically reserved for impressions pulled outside the numbered edition, often kept by the artist or gifted within close circles. Most compelling is the personal inscription below: "To Marion and Francis in friendship Thordis & Hans." This dedication confirms the work as a gifted impression, presented by Hans Burkhardt and his wife Thordis to the renowned actor Francis Lederer and his wife Marion. More than a strong example of Burkhardt's printmaking, it is also a document of friendship and cultural proximity - an artwork that moved not only through galleries, but through the intimate circuits of artistic and theatrical life. About the artist: Hans Gustav Burkhardt was a pioneering abstract expressionist whose life and work were forged in upheaval, exile, and moral urgency. Born in an industrial quarter of Basel, he experienced loss early - abandoned by his father, orphaned by his mother's death, and shaped by institutional life. At twenty, he emigrated to New York, where personal tragedy followed swiftly with the deaths of his father and stepmother. These early ruptures would echo throughout a career devoted to confronting human suffering without flinching. While working as a cabinetmaker and decorative painter, Burkhardt studied at the Cooper Union School of the Arts from 1925 to 1928, forming lasting friendships with Arshile Gorky and Willem de Kooning and sharing Gorky's studio for nearly a decade. His paintings of the 1930s stand among the earliest foundations of American abstract expressionism. In 1937, he relocated to Los Angeles, becoming a rare and influential bridge between the artistic developments of New York and the West Coast. Burkhardt held his first solo exhibition in 1939 and soon emerged as one of the most uncompromising anti-war voices in American art. Responding to the Spanish Civil War, World War II, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vietnam, and later global conflicts, he developed a powerful visual language of apocalyptic abstraction balanced by moments of lyricism, intimacy, and hope. His work was praised for its direct engagement with political reality, even as it endured censorship during the McCarthy era. Deeply influenced by Mexico after extended stays beginning in 1950, Burkhardt absorbed its attitudes toward death, ritual, and color, becoming known for what critics described as painting the soul of Mexico. He was admired by figures such as Rufino Tamayo and regarded by contemporaries as a master of abstract memento mori. In later decades, his work expanded to include sculptural elements, protest imagery, and meditations on love, loss, and endurance. A dedicated educator, Burkhardt taught for many years and retired as professor emeritus from California State University, Northridge. He received the Jimmy Ernst Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 and established the Hans G. and Thordis W. Burkhardt Foundation. His final series, Black Rain, created shortly before his death, distilled a lifetime of anguish and resolve into images that mourn humanity while still insisting on hope. Today, Burkhardt is widely regarded as one of the most vital and singular voices of American abstract expressionism - an artist who transformed tragedy into fierce, searching beauty. Provenance: private collection of important Hollywood family, collected between 1930 and 1980 SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.). PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception. Item # 200749
Artemis Fine Arts
Jun. 21, 2026
GROUP OF EIGHT WOODCUT PRINTS BY HANS BURKHARDT
Est: $150 - $300
A group of eight woodcut prints by Hans Gustav Burkhardt (1904 - 1994 California / Switzerland). In flat yellow and multiple colors on various types of wove paper. Circa 1970's & 1990's. Each with pencil-signature and edition along with blindstamp at lower right. Some prints have slight handling marks / slight wear to paper surface and edges; all are in very good overall condition. Largest 10.5x15"; Longest is 21" L.
District Auction
Jun. 05, 2026
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Artist Proof (1973)
Est: $800 - $1,200
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (Swiss-born American, 1904-1994) "Abstract with Purple, Red and Blue Circles" linocut, 1973. "Artist Proof" at lower left. Artist's signature and creation date at lower right. A crisp, graphic linocut where Burkhardt distills his abstract language into a compact stage of tension, balance, and color. Against a dense black field, three floating forms - purple, red, and blue - hover like planets or masks, poised above a fractured architecture of white-edged shapes. The composition reads as both playful and severe, its hard angles and torn contours suggesting collision, construction, and the nervous energy of modern life. Executed in 1973, the print captures Burkhardt's gift for making abstraction feel immediate and symbolic. The palette is spare but deliberate: jewel-toned circles set against stark black and white, with sharp accents of yellow and orange that punctuate the center like sparks. Size of print: 10" W x 8.5" H (25.4 cm x 21.6 cm); of paper: 20.5" W x 15" H (52.1 cm x 38.1 cm) The linocut medium intensifies the image's graphic bite, emphasizing contrast, edge, and silhouette. The sheet is further distinguished as an Artist Proof, a designation typically reserved for impressions pulled outside the numbered edition, often kept by the artist or gifted within close circles. Most compelling is the personal inscription below: "To Marion and Francis in friendship Thordis & Hans." This dedication confirms the work as a gifted impression, presented by Hans Burkhardt and his wife Thordis to the renowned actor Francis Lederer and his wife Marion. More than a strong example of Burkhardt's printmaking, it is also a document of friendship and cultural proximity - an artwork that moved not only through galleries, but through the intimate circuits of artistic and theatrical life. About the artist: Hans Gustav Burkhardt was a pioneering abstract expressionist whose life and work were forged in upheaval, exile, and moral urgency. Born in an industrial quarter of Basel, he experienced loss early - abandoned by his father, orphaned by his mother's death, and shaped by institutional life. At twenty, he emigrated to New York, where personal tragedy followed swiftly with the deaths of his father and stepmother. These early ruptures would echo throughout a career devoted to confronting human suffering without flinching. While working as a cabinetmaker and decorative painter, Burkhardt studied at the Cooper Union School of the Arts from 1925 to 1928, forming lasting friendships with Arshile Gorky and Willem de Kooning and sharing Gorky's studio for nearly a decade. His paintings of the 1930s stand among the earliest foundations of American abstract expressionism. In 1937, he relocated to Los Angeles, becoming a rare and influential bridge between the artistic developments of New York and the West Coast. Burkhardt held his first solo exhibition in 1939 and soon emerged as one of the most uncompromising anti-war voices in American art. Responding to the Spanish Civil War, World War II, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vietnam, and later global conflicts, he developed a powerful visual language of apocalyptic abstraction balanced by moments of lyricism, intimacy, and hope. His work was praised for its direct engagement with political reality, even as it endured censorship during the McCarthy era. Deeply influenced by Mexico after extended stays beginning in 1950, Burkhardt absorbed its attitudes toward death, ritual, and color, becoming known for what critics described as painting the soul of Mexico. He was admired by figures such as Rufino Tamayo and regarded by contemporaries as a master of abstract memento mori. In later decades, his work expanded to include sculptural elements, protest imagery, and meditations on love, loss, and endurance. A dedicated educator, Burkhardt taught for many years and retired as professor emeritus from California State University, Northridge. He received the Jimmy Ernst Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 and established the Hans G. and Thordis W. Burkhardt Foundation. His final series, Black Rain, created shortly before his death, distilled a lifetime of anguish and resolve into images that mourn humanity while still insisting on hope. Today, Burkhardt is widely regarded as one of the most vital and singular voices of American abstract expressionism - an artist who transformed tragedy into fierce, searching beauty. Provenance: private collection of important Hollywood family, collected between 1930 and 1980 SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.). PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception. Item # 200749
Artemis Fine Arts
May. 16, 2026
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Signed Lithograph
Est: $100 - $1,000
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (1904-1994) Signed Lithograph "Untitled". Signed and dated 19?7 lower right, numbered 48/50 and embossed lower left. Minor blemish on lower right, minor wear along the edges of the work, otherwise in good condition. Measures 19 3/4" x 28 1/4" 7A
Joshua Kodner
Apr. 24, 2026
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Artist Proof (1973)
Est: $800 - $1,200
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (Swiss-born American, 1904-1994) "Abstract with Purple, Red and Blue Circles" linocut, 1973. "Artist Proof" at lower left. Artist's signature and creation date at lower right. A crisp, graphic linocut where Burkhardt distills his abstract language into a compact stage of tension, balance, and color. Against a dense black field, three floating forms - purple, red, and blue - hover like planets or masks, poised above a fractured architecture of white-edged shapes. The composition reads as both playful and severe, its hard angles and torn contours suggesting collision, construction, and the nervous energy of modern life. Executed in 1973, the print captures Burkhardt's gift for making abstraction feel immediate and symbolic. The palette is spare but deliberate: jewel-toned circles set against stark black and white, with sharp accents of yellow and orange that punctuate the center like sparks. Size of print: 10" W x 8.5" H (25.4 cm x 21.6 cm); of paper: 20.5" W x 15" H (52.1 cm x 38.1 cm) The linocut medium intensifies the image's graphic bite, emphasizing contrast, edge, and silhouette. The sheet is further distinguished as an Artist Proof, a designation typically reserved for impressions pulled outside the numbered edition, often kept by the artist or gifted within close circles. Most compelling is the personal inscription below: "To Marion and Francis in friendship Thordis & Hans." This dedication confirms the work as a gifted impression, presented by Hans Burkhardt and his wife Thordis to the renowned actor Francis Lederer and his wife Marion. More than a strong example of Burkhardt's printmaking, it is also a document of friendship and cultural proximity - an artwork that moved not only through galleries, but through the intimate circuits of artistic and theatrical life. About the artist: Hans Gustav Burkhardt was a pioneering abstract expressionist whose life and work were forged in upheaval, exile, and moral urgency. Born in an industrial quarter of Basel, he experienced loss early - abandoned by his father, orphaned by his mother's death, and shaped by institutional life. At twenty, he emigrated to New York, where personal tragedy followed swiftly with the deaths of his father and stepmother. These early ruptures would echo throughout a career devoted to confronting human suffering without flinching. While working as a cabinetmaker and decorative painter, Burkhardt studied at the Cooper Union School of the Arts from 1925 to 1928, forming lasting friendships with Arshile Gorky and Willem de Kooning and sharing Gorky's studio for nearly a decade. His paintings of the 1930s stand among the earliest foundations of American abstract expressionism. In 1937, he relocated to Los Angeles, becoming a rare and influential bridge between the artistic developments of New York and the West Coast. Burkhardt held his first solo exhibition in 1939 and soon emerged as one of the most uncompromising anti-war voices in American art. Responding to the Spanish Civil War, World War II, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vietnam, and later global conflicts, he developed a powerful visual language of apocalyptic abstraction balanced by moments of lyricism, intimacy, and hope. His work was praised for its direct engagement with political reality, even as it endured censorship during the McCarthy era. Deeply influenced by Mexico after extended stays beginning in 1950, Burkhardt absorbed its attitudes toward death, ritual, and color, becoming known for what critics described as painting the soul of Mexico. He was admired by figures such as Rufino Tamayo and regarded by contemporaries as a master of abstract memento mori. In later decades, his work expanded to include sculptural elements, protest imagery, and meditations on love, loss, and endurance. A dedicated educator, Burkhardt taught for many years and retired as professor emeritus from California State University, Northridge. He received the Jimmy Ernst Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 and established the Hans G. and Thordis W. Burkhardt Foundation. His final series, Black Rain, created shortly before his death, distilled a lifetime of anguish and resolve into images that mourn humanity while still insisting on hope. Today, Burkhardt is widely regarded as one of the most vital and singular voices of American abstract expressionism - an artist who transformed tragedy into fierce, searching beauty. Provenance: private collection of important Hollywood family, collected between 1930 and 1980 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. Please note that buyers are responsible for understanding and complying with the import regulations of their destination country. While we carefully prepare and document all shipments, we cannot be held responsible for customs delays, clearance issues, additional duties or taxes, or any seizure of property. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.). PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions. #200749
Artemis Fine Arts
Mar. 25, 2026
7 HANS GUSTAV BURKHARDT WOODCUT PRINTS & OTHER
Est: $250 - $350
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Swiss American, 1904-1994, 7 woodcut prints, includes Edvard Munch's breakfast table, signed; Edvard Munch's House signed and dated 1992, numbered 6/6, bears artists embossed initials, others are untitled, pencil signed, two are dated all except smallest bears artists embossed initials along with a framed woodcut of a Cat (on Fabriano paper), unknown artist, pencil signed and dated 74'
Litchfield Auctions
Mar. 24, 2026
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994), Nude, 1973
Est: $800 - $1,200
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Nude, 1973 Pastel and gouache on laid paper Signed, dated, and inscribed in pencil along the lower edge: H. Burkhardt / 1973 / "Happy Birthday Werner / your friend Hans"; with the artist's blindstamp in the lower right corner
John Moran Auctioneers
Mar. 22, 2026
HANS GUSTAV BURKHARDT UNTITLED, 1964 PASTEL ON PAPER
Est: -
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (1904 - 1994) Untitled, 1964 Pastel on Paper. Hans was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1904, he arrived in NYC in 1924. He became a student of Arshile Gorky at the Grand Central School of Arts and involved with a group of European émigrés who espoused Abstract Expressionism. When he relocated to Los Angeles in 1937, he became a vital link between the avant garde movements on both coasts. Burkhardt's works are included in the collections of such major museums as the British Museum, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, Palace of the Legion Honor, Santa Barbara Museum and Los Angeles County Museum. In 1992, Burkhardt was honored in New York by the American Academy of Art for his lifetime achievement. Artist: Hans Gustav Burkhardt Title: Untitled, 1964 Medium: Pastel on Paper Signature Type: Hand Signed | Signature Location: Lower Right | Site Measurement: 23.5" x 17" Image | Keywords: Modern, contemporary; Ref: BD1918
Bradford's
Mar. 22, 2026
HANS GUSTAV BURKHARDT UNTITLED, 1973 PASTEL ON PAPER
Est: -
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (1904 - 1994) Untitled, 1973 Pastel on Paper. Hans was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1904, he arrived in NYC in 1924. He became a student of Arshile Gorky at the Grand Central School of Arts and involved with a group of European émigrés who espoused Abstract Expressionism. When he relocated to Los Angeles in 1937, he became a vital link between the avant garde movements on both coasts. Burkhardt's works are included in the collections of such major museums as the British Museum, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, Palace of the Legion Honor, Santa Barbara Museum and Los Angeles County Museum. In 1992, Burkhardt was honored in New York by the American Academy of Art for his lifetime achievement. Artist: Hans Gustav Burkhardt Title: Untitled, 1973 Medium: Pastel on Paper Signature Type: Hand Signed | Signature Location: Lower Right | Site Measurement: 25.5" x 19.5" Image | Keywords: Modern, contemporary; Ref: BD1918
Bradford's
Mar. 21, 2026
HANS GUSTAV BURKHARDT (SWISS-AMERICAN, 1904-1994)
Est: $1,000 - $3,000
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Swiss-American, 1904-1994 Oil on canvas Signed and dated 1969 lower right. Abstract composition, framed. Hans Burkhardt was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1904, and emigrated to New York in 1924. Upon his arrival in New York, he aligned himself with the pioneers of what was to later emerge as the New York School. He associated with artists such as, Willem De Kooning and Arshile Gorky, even sharing Gorky's studio between 1928 and 1937. In 1937, he moved to Los Angeles where he independently pursued his Abstract Expressionist style. His first solo exhibition was in 1939 at the Stendahl Gallery. During his career, Burkhardt created what many now regard as some of the most powerful examples of Abstract Expressionism. Burkhardt's works are included in the collections of such major museums as the British Museum, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, Palace of the Legion Honor, Santa Barbara Museum and Los Angeles County Museum. In 1992, Burkhardt was honored in New York by the American Academy of Art for his lifetime achievement.
Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers
Mar. 19, 2026
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Artist Proof (1973)
Est: $900 - $1,350
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (Swiss-born American, 1904-1994) "Abstract with Purple, Red and Blue Circles" linocut, 1973. "Artist Proof" at lower left. Artist's signature and creation date at lower right. A crisp, graphic linocut where Burkhardt distills his abstract language into a compact stage of tension, balance, and color. Against a dense black field, three floating forms - purple, red, and blue - hover like planets or masks, poised above a fractured architecture of white-edged shapes. The composition reads as both playful and severe, its hard angles and torn contours suggesting collision, construction, and the nervous energy of modern life. Executed in 1973, the print captures Burkhardt's gift for making abstraction feel immediate and symbolic. The palette is spare but deliberate: jewel-toned circles set against stark black and white, with sharp accents of yellow and orange that punctuate the center like sparks. Size of print: 10" W x 8.5" H (25.4 cm x 21.6 cm); of paper: 20.5" W x 15" H (52.1 cm x 38.1 cm) The linocut medium intensifies the image's graphic bite, emphasizing contrast, edge, and silhouette. The sheet is further distinguished as an Artist Proof, a designation typically reserved for impressions pulled outside the numbered edition, often kept by the artist or gifted within close circles. Most compelling is the personal inscription below: "To Marion and Francis in friendship Thordis & Hans." This dedication confirms the work as a gifted impression, presented by Hans Burkhardt and his wife Thordis to the renowned actor Francis Lederer and his wife Marion. More than a strong example of Burkhardt's printmaking, it is also a document of friendship and cultural proximity - an artwork that moved not only through galleries, but through the intimate circuits of artistic and theatrical life. About the artist: Hans Gustav Burkhardt was a pioneering abstract expressionist whose life and work were forged in upheaval, exile, and moral urgency. Born in an industrial quarter of Basel, he experienced loss early - abandoned by his father, orphaned by his mother's death, and shaped by institutional life. At twenty, he emigrated to New York, where personal tragedy followed swiftly with the deaths of his father and stepmother. These early ruptures would echo throughout a career devoted to confronting human suffering without flinching. While working as a cabinetmaker and decorative painter, Burkhardt studied at the Cooper Union School of the Arts from 1925 to 1928, forming lasting friendships with Arshile Gorky and Willem de Kooning and sharing Gorky's studio for nearly a decade. His paintings of the 1930s stand among the earliest foundations of American abstract expressionism. In 1937, he relocated to Los Angeles, becoming a rare and influential bridge between the artistic developments of New York and the West Coast. Burkhardt held his first solo exhibition in 1939 and soon emerged as one of the most uncompromising anti-war voices in American art. Responding to the Spanish Civil War, World War II, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vietnam, and later global conflicts, he developed a powerful visual language of apocalyptic abstraction balanced by moments of lyricism, intimacy, and hope. His work was praised for its direct engagement with political reality, even as it endured censorship during the McCarthy era. Deeply influenced by Mexico after extended stays beginning in 1950, Burkhardt absorbed its attitudes toward death, ritual, and color, becoming known for what critics described as painting the soul of Mexico. He was admired by figures such as Rufino Tamayo and regarded by contemporaries as a master of abstract memento mori. In later decades, his work expanded to include sculptural elements, protest imagery, and meditations on love, loss, and endurance. A dedicated educator, Burkhardt taught for many years and retired as professor emeritus from California State University, Northridge. He received the Jimmy Ernst Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 and established the Hans G. and Thordis W. Burkhardt Foundation. His final series, Black Rain, created shortly before his death, distilled a lifetime of anguish and resolve into images that mourn humanity while still insisting on hope. Today, Burkhardt is widely regarded as one of the most vital and singular voices of American abstract expressionism - an artist who transformed tragedy into fierce, searching beauty. Provenance: private collection of important Hollywood family, collected between 1930 and 1980 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. Please note that buyers are responsible for understanding and complying with the import regulations of their destination country. While we carefully prepare and document all shipments, we cannot be held responsible for customs delays, clearance issues, additional duties or taxes, or any seizure of property. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.). PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions. #200749
Artemis Fine Arts
Feb. 27, 2026
HANS GUSTAV BURKHARDT (1904-1994). Two Female Figures. pastel on paper25 x
Est: $500 - $700
HANS GUSTAV BURKHARDT (1904-1994). Two Female Figures. pastel on paper25 x 18 ¾ in. (63.5 x 47.6 cm.).
Christie's
Feb. 13, 2026
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Artist Proof (1973)
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (Swiss-born American, 1904-1994) "Abstract with Purple, Red and Blue Circles" linocut, 1973. "Artist Proof" at lower left. Artist's signature and creation date at lower right. A crisp, graphic linocut where Burkhardt distills his abstract language into a compact stage of tension, balance, and color. Against a dense black field, three floating forms - purple, red, and blue - hover like planets or masks, poised above a fractured architecture of white-edged shapes. The composition reads as both playful and severe, its hard angles and torn contours suggesting collision, construction, and the nervous energy of modern life. Executed in 1973, the print captures Burkhardt's gift for making abstraction feel immediate and symbolic. The palette is spare but deliberate: jewel-toned circles set against stark black and white, with sharp accents of yellow and orange that punctuate the center like sparks. Size of print: 10" W x 8.5" H (25.4 cm x 21.6 cm); of paper: 20.5" W x 15" H (52.1 cm x 38.1 cm) The linocut medium intensifies the image's graphic bite, emphasizing contrast, edge, and silhouette. The sheet is further distinguished as an Artist Proof, a designation typically reserved for impressions pulled outside the numbered edition, often kept by the artist or gifted within close circles. Most compelling is the personal inscription below: "To Marion and Francis in friendship Thordis & Hans." This dedication confirms the work as a gifted impression, presented by Hans Burkhardt and his wife Thordis to the renowned actor Francis Lederer and his wife Marion. More than a strong example of Burkhardt's printmaking, it is also a document of friendship and cultural proximity - an artwork that moved not only through galleries, but through the intimate circuits of artistic and theatrical life. About the artist: Hans Gustav Burkhardt was a pioneering abstract expressionist whose life and work were forged in upheaval, exile, and moral urgency. Born in an industrial quarter of Basel, he experienced loss early - abandoned by his father, orphaned by his mother's death, and shaped by institutional life. At twenty, he emigrated to New York, where personal tragedy followed swiftly with the deaths of his father and stepmother. These early ruptures would echo throughout a career devoted to confronting human suffering without flinching. While working as a cabinetmaker and decorative painter, Burkhardt studied at the Cooper Union School of the Arts from 1925 to 1928, forming lasting friendships with Arshile Gorky and Willem de Kooning and sharing Gorky's studio for nearly a decade. His paintings of the 1930s stand among the earliest foundations of American abstract expressionism. In 1937, he relocated to Los Angeles, becoming a rare and influential bridge between the artistic developments of New York and the West Coast. Burkhardt held his first solo exhibition in 1939 and soon emerged as one of the most uncompromising anti-war voices in American art. Responding to the Spanish Civil War, World War II, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vietnam, and later global conflicts, he developed a powerful visual language of apocalyptic abstraction balanced by moments of lyricism, intimacy, and hope. His work was praised for its direct engagement with political reality, even as it endured censorship during the McCarthy era. Deeply influenced by Mexico after extended stays beginning in 1950, Burkhardt absorbed its attitudes toward death, ritual, and color, becoming known for what critics described as painting the soul of Mexico. He was admired by figures such as Rufino Tamayo and regarded by contemporaries as a master of abstract memento mori. In later decades, his work expanded to include sculptural elements, protest imagery, and meditations on love, loss, and endurance. A dedicated educator, Burkhardt taught for many years and retired as professor emeritus from California State University, Northridge. He received the Jimmy Ernst Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992 and established the Hans G. and Thordis W. Burkhardt Foundation. His final series, Black Rain, created shortly before his death, distilled a lifetime of anguish and resolve into images that mourn humanity while still insisting on hope. Today, Burkhardt is widely regarded as one of the most vital and singular voices of American abstract expressionism - an artist who transformed tragedy into fierce, searching beauty. Provenance: private collection of important Hollywood family, collected between 1930 and 1980 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. SHIPPING EXCEPTIONS: Due to customs clearance issues, we are unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia. If you live in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.) PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions. #200749
Artemis Fine Arts
Oct. 09, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, 1904-1994, Untitled
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt American/Swiss, 1904-1994 Untitled oil and pastel on paper 1979; signed and dated in pencil lower right
Abell Auction
Sep. 20, 2025
Work on Paper, Hans Burkhardt
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (American, 1904-1994), Female in Profile, 1964, pastel on paper, signed and dated lower right, overall (with frame): 25.5"h x 19.5"w. Provenance: Bonhams, 11/23/2010, lot 1030
Clars Auctions
Sep. 20, 2025
Work on Paper, Hans Burkhardt
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (American, 1904-1994), Reclining Nude, 1963, pastel on paper, signed and dated lower right, overall (with frame): 25.25"h x 19.25"w. Provenance: Bonhams, 11/23/2010, lot 1030
Clars Auctions
Sep. 20, 2025
Work on Paper, Hans Burkhardt
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (American, 1904-1994), Seated Female Nude, 1965, pastel on paper, signed and dated lower right, overall (with frame): 31.25"h x 25.25" w. Provenance: Bonhams, 11/23/2010, lot 1030
Clars Auctions
Sep. 18, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, 1904-1994, Untitled
Est: $500 - $700
Hans Gustav Burkhardt American/Swiss, 1904-1994 Untitled oil and pastel on paper 1979; signed and dated lower right
Abell Auction
Sep. 17, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, 1904-1994, Two Works
Est: $100 - $200
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Two Works each: lithograph
Abell Auction
Jul. 17, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (American, 1904-1994), Two female nude figures, pastel on paper, sight 25 x 19in (62.5 x 47.5cm)
Est: $100 - $200
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (American, 1904-1994) Two female nude figures pastel on paper signed and dated lower right H. Burkhardt 1971
Andrew Jones Auctions
May. 18, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt: Peace On Earth, 1966
Est: $300 - $400
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (1904-1994) Peace On Earth, 1966 Print Signed, dated, and annotated on recto Image: 7.375 x 12.25 in; Framed: 11.25 x 16 in
Santa Monica Auctions
Apr. 24, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Untitled (Abstract Figures)
Est: $100 - $200
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Abstract Figures) pastel and charcoal on paper 1958; signed and dated in pencil lower right
Abell Auction
Apr. 10, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Untitled (Figures(
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Figures( pastel on paper 1975; signed and dated in pencil lower middle
Abell Auction
Apr. 10, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Untitled (Two Nudes)
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Two Nudes) pastel on paper 1962; signed and dated lower middle
Abell Auction
Apr. 10, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Untitled (Kneeling Nude)
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Kneeling Nude) pastel on paper 1975, signed and dated in pencil lower right
Abell Auction
Apr. 10, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Adam and Eve
Est: $200 - $300
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Adam and Eve serigraph 1979, ed. 6/8; signed, dated and numbered in pencil
Abell Auction
Apr. 10, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Untitled (Abstract Figure)
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Abstract Figure) oil and watercolor on paper 1975; signed and dated in pencil lower right
Abell Auction
Apr. 10, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Untitled (Nude Figural Group)
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Nude Figural Group) pastel on paper 1962; signed and dated in pencil lower right
Abell Auction
Apr. 10, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Untitled (Abstract Figures)
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Abstract Figures) pastel and charcoal on paper 1958; signed and dated in pencil lower right
Abell Auction
Mar. 11, 2025
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Swiss Californian (three)
Est: $100 - $300
UNTITLED, 1985, two color monoprints, each signed and dated in pencil, sights 10 ¼ x 8”, frames 15 ¼ x 12 ¼” with glass; Together with UNTITLED, 1976, color block print, signed and dated and inscribed A.P. (artist’s proof) in pencil, image 9 ¾ x 13 ¾”, full margins, frame 18 ¼ x 22 ¼” with plexiglass. (3) Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.
Clark's Fine Art & Auctioneers Inc.
Mar. 11, 2025
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Swiss Californian (four)
Est: $100 - $300
VARIOUS, 1975-80, four color block prints, each signed and dated in pencil, two from editions of 50 & 20, images from 7 ¾ x 6” to 4 ¼ x 3”, all with full margins, frames from 19 ½ x 15 ½” to 8 ¼ x 6 ¼”, all with glass. (4) Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.
Clark's Fine Art & Auctioneers Inc.
Mar. 11, 2025
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Swiss Californian (three)
Est: $100 - $300
UNTITLED, 1984, two color monoprints, each signed and inscribed and dated in pencil, the first sheet 20 x 24”, discardable frame 22 x 26” with plexiglass; the second plate 8 x 14”, full margins, frame 16 ¾ x 20 ¾” with glass; Together with UNTITLED, color block print, signed and inscribed A.P. (artist’s proof) in pencil, image 17 x 20 ¾”, full narrow margins, frame 20 x 26” with glass. (3) Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.
Clark's Fine Art & Auctioneers Inc.
Mar. 11, 2025
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Swiss Californian (three)
Est: $100 - $300
WOMAN PUTTING ON STOCKING, 1975, color pastel on paper, signed and dated lower center right, sheet 24 x 18” Together with NUDES, a woodblock print and a color woodblock print, each signed and dated in pencil, from editions of 5 & 6, plates 14 x 9 ¼”, both with full margins, frames 21 ¼ x 17 ¼”. (3) Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.
Clark's Fine Art & Auctioneers Inc.
Mar. 11, 2025
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Swiss Californian
Est: $100 - $300
SEATED WOMAN, 1968, color and white pastel on paper, signed and dated lower right, sight 20 x 17 ½”, frame 25 ¼ x 21 ¼” with plexiglass. Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.
Clark's Fine Art & Auctioneers Inc.
Mar. 11, 2025
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) Swiss Californian
Est: $100 - $300
KNEELING BLONDE WOMAN, 1973, color pastel on paper, signed and dated lower right, with artist’s blind stamp lower right, sight 23 ¾ x 18 ½”, frame 30 ¼ x 24 ¼” with plexiglass. Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner.
Clark's Fine Art & Auctioneers Inc.
Mar. 05, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Two Nude Women, Pencil and Chalk on Paper
Est: $600 - $900
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Two Nude Women Pencil and Chalk on Paper Signed in pencil l.r. and dated '69. Creases, tears.
Nye & Company
Mar. 05, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, Los Angeles, CA 1904-1994, Abstract, Mixed Media on Paper
Est: $400 - $600
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Abstract Mixed Media on Paper Signed in pencil l.r. and dated 1976.
Nye & Company
Feb. 20, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (1904-1994): Two Female Nude Figures
Est: $400 - $600
Hans Gustav Burkhardt 1904-1994 Two Female Nude Figures pastel on paper 1971; signed and dated lower center, and with artist's "HB" blindstamp lower right
Abell Auction
Feb. 19, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (1904-1994): Untitled (Nudes)
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Gustav Burkhardt Los Angeles, CA, 1904-1994 Untitled (Nudes) pastel on paper 1967; signed and dated in pencil lower right, and with the artist's blindstamp "HB" lower right
Abell Auction
Jan. 26, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt American 1904 -1994 Modernist Linoleum Print Ltd Ed Signed
Est: $120 - $150
Hans Gustav Burkhardt (American, 1904-1994), Modernist Linoleum Linocut Print on paper, 51/100 limited edition. Signed in pencil lower right and dated 1971. Inscribed: "To Dr. Rupert from Hans" with a peace sign. Unframed. #986 Measurements: Approx. Sheet 13 x 10 inches Domestic Shipping: $25
Carnegie's Auction Gallery
Jan. 25, 2025
Hans Gustav Burkhardt, American, b. Swiss (1904 - 1994), Two Figures, 1958, pastel on paper, 23 1/2"H x 17 1/4"W(sight), 35 1/2"H x 28"W(frame)
Est: $200 - $400
Hans Gustav Burkhardt American, b. Swiss, (1904 - 1994) Two Figures, 1958 pastel on paper Signed and dated lower right. Exhibited: The Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock; Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, UT; Jack Rutberg Fine Arts Inc, CA Biography from Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, Inc: Hans Burkhardt was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1904, emigrating to New York in 1924. Upon his arrival to New York, he became associated with the pioneers of what was to later emerge as the New York School, Arshile Gorky and Willem De Kooning. He shared Gorky's studio between 1928 and 1937. In 1937, arriving in Los Angeles, Burkhardt represented the most direct link to the New York School. In Los Angeles, he independently pursued his Abstract Expressionist style, often anticipating the work of his contemporaries and later artists on the East Coast and in Europe. His first solo exhibition in 1939 at the Stendahl Gallery was at the suggestion of Lorser Feitelson, who was responsible for Burkhardt's inclusion in numerous national exhibitions. As Director of the L.A. Art Association, Feitelson chose Burkhardt to be the first artist afforded a solo show by the Association. Burkhardt's paintings spanned the range of human emotion, and while perhaps having painted the most provocative body of work on the subject of war, spanning the Spanish Civil War through his final works of the 1990s, his ouevre was balanced by works of celebration. While Los Angeles art in the 1960s was seduced by California Light, Hard Edge, Minimalism and Pop Art, Burkhardt, in typical independent manner, created what many now regard as some of the most powerful examples of Abstract Expressionism and is also well-known for his richly drawn pastel abstractions of the figure. Hans Burkhardt's works have in recent years increasingly been exhibited in museum exhibitions nationally and internationally. He continues to attract significant critical attention from some of the leading art historians such as Peter Selz and Donald Kuspit. Burkhardt's works are included in the collections of such major museums as the British Museum, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, Palace of the Legion Honor, Santa Barbara Museum and Los Angeles County Museum. In 1992, Burkhardt was honored in New York by the American Academy of Art for his lifetime achievement. He died in Los Angeles in 1994. The works of Hans Burkhardt have been represented by Jack Rutberg Fine Arts since 1973.
Ripley Auctions
Nov. 19, 2024
HANS BURKHARDT (1904-1994) - Lovers
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
HANS BURKHARDT (1904-1994) Lovers Image: 9 x 12 in. (229 x 305 mm.) Sheet: 12 ¼ x 16 7⁄8 in. (311 x 428 mm.)
Christie's
Oct. 24, 2024
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994): Day and Night
Est: $300 - $500
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994): Day and Night woodcut print in black on laid paper; 1971; signed, dated and titled in pencil, and with "HB" blindstamp lower right
Abell Auction
Sep. 18, 2024
Hans Burkhardt (1904-1994) California
Est: $100 - $300
UNTITLED, 1942, charcoal drawing on brown paper with additional charcoal drawing on verso, signed and dated lower right, with artist’s blind stamp, sight lower right, 11 x 10 ½”, frame 21 ¼ x 19 ¾ x 2 ½” with plexiglass. Provenance: Pasquale Iannetti, San Francisco.
Clark's Fine Art & Auctioneers Inc.