Paul Cadmus

(American, 1904–1999)

Paul Cadmus was an American painter, best known for his stylized, high-contrast renderings of male nudes and portraits. In his elegant tempura paintings, Cadmus emphasizes his subjects’ musculature in a style akin to Magical Realism, offering a level of intricate detail beyond observable life. Born on December 17, 1904 in New York, NY, he studied at the Art Students League in 1928 and thereafter worked in field commercial illustration, eventually receiving commissions in 1933 from the New Deal art program and going on to create mural paintings in post offices and other government offices. One of his earliest and most important works was The Fleets In!, a 1934 commission by the Public Works of Art Project of the WPA, wherein he painted a series of portraits of sailors on leave which controversially included a homosexual couple. His work garnered him both critical and commercial success, and he died in Connecticut on December 12, 1999. Cadmus has been featured in numerous important museum exhibitions, including the Whitney Museum in New York in 1996.

Paul Cadmus Artworks

Paul Cadmus (1,435 results)
Going south, 1934–1934

Paul Cadmus

Going south, 1934–1934

Sale Date: May 14, 1998

Auction Closed

Coney Island, 1935–1935

Paul Cadmus

Coney Island, 1935–1935

Sale Date: April 30, 1998

Auction Closed

Shore leave, 1935–1935

Paul Cadmus

Shore leave, 1935–1935

Sale Date: April 30, 1998

Auction Closed

Spring

Paul Cadmus

Spring

Sale Date: April 29, 1998

Auction Closed

Horse-play, 1935–1935

Paul Cadmus

Horse-play, 1935–1935

Sale Date: April 27, 1998

Auction Closed

Polo spill, 1938–1938

Paul Cadmus

Polo spill, 1938–1938

Sale Date: April 21, 1998

Auction Closed

Coney Island, 1935–1935

Paul Cadmus

Coney Island, 1935–1935

Sale Date: April 21, 1998

Auction Closed

Youth with kite, 1941–1941

Paul Cadmus

Youth with kite, 1941–1941

Sale Date: March 6, 1998

Auction Closed

Waiting for rehearsal, 1984–1984

Paul Cadmus

Waiting for rehearsal, 1984–1984

Sale Date: November 13, 1997

Auction Closed

Study for serigraph of

Paul Cadmus

Study for serigraph of "Mobile" (Head..., 1953–1953

Sale Date: November 13, 1997

Auction Closed

Horse-play, 1935–1935

Paul Cadmus

Horse-play, 1935–1935

Sale Date: November 13, 1997

Auction Closed

Shore leave, 1935–1935

Paul Cadmus

Shore leave, 1935–1935

Sale Date: November 13, 1997

Auction Closed

First and second arabesque, 1946–1947

Paul Cadmus

First and second arabesque, 1946–1947

Sale Date: November 13, 1997

Auction Closed

Teddo, 1985–1985

Paul Cadmus

Teddo, 1985–1985

Sale Date: November 11, 1997

Auction Closed

Waiting for rehearsal, 1984–1984

Paul Cadmus

Waiting for rehearsal, 1984–1984

Sale Date: November 7, 1997

Auction Closed

The bath
, 1953–1953

Paul Cadmus

The bath , 1953–1953

Sale Date: November 7, 1997

Auction Closed

YMCA locker room, 1934–1934

Paul Cadmus

YMCA locker room, 1934–1934

Sale Date: October 22, 1997

Auction Closed

Reclining nude, 1939

Paul Cadmus

Reclining nude, 1939

Sale Date: May 22, 1997

Auction Closed

Two boys on a beach
, 1938

Paul Cadmus

Two boys on a beach , 1938

Sale Date: May 15, 1997

Auction Closed

Male head resting (portrait of Alfonso..., 1939–1940

Paul Cadmus

Male head resting (portrait of Alfonso..., 1939–1940

Sale Date: April 25, 1997

Auction Closed

Stewarts

Paul Cadmus

Stewarts

Sale Date: April 25, 1997

Auction Closed

Two boys on a beach #1

Paul Cadmus

Two boys on a beach #1

Sale Date: April 25, 1997

Auction Closed

Two boys on a beach

Paul Cadmus

Two boys on a beach

Sale Date: April 25, 1997

Auction Closed

Youth with kite

Paul Cadmus

Youth with kite

Sale Date: April 25, 1997

Auction Closed