89

Margo Hoff

(1912-2008)

Winter Path.

Acrylic with canvas collage and crayon on masonite, circa 1980.
Signed lower right. Signed, titled, and inscribed in ink, verso.
48 x 48 in. (121.9 x 121.9 cm.)
Frame: 48 3/4 x 48 3/4 in. (123.8 x 123.8 cm.)

  • Provenance:
    2/20 Gallery, New York.
    Purchased from the above by private collection, New York, May 2003.
  • Exhibited:
    2/20 Gallery, New York, May 2003.
  • Notes:
    Margo Hoff's late abstract works incorporate collage, a technique she established during the 1960s and 1970s while living in New York. She has since been acknowledged as one of the most inventive and unique American collage artists; the medium did not limit her to the confines of her canvas. Hoff's global travels were often a source of inspiration, and works from this time period convey a sense of the environment, whether it be outside in nature or listening to live music. There are just traces of subjects as reduced figures, and Hoff often used a grid format in her artwork, just as in the present painting. 

    During her early career, Hoff painted in a representational style, but she had always occupied herself with simplifying form to convey lyricism and the essence of expression. She was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and became an apprentice to a sculptor as a teenager.  She graduated from Tulsa University in 1931 before moving to Chicago where she established herself as a promising young artist. During the 1940s, she won various commissions and prizes, including from the Art Institute of Chicago, and had exhibited alongside her husband, George Buehr. By 1955, Hoff was represented by Fairweather-Hardin Gallery in Chicago, and her work was already held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute and the Illinois State Museum of Natural History and Art, Springfield. Today, her work can be found in several important public and private collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.  A multifaceted artist, she also forayed into printmaking, theatrical design, illustrated books, tapestries, and ceramics. Hoff's work became more abstract as her career progressed. After moving to New York in the early 1960s, collage became her preferred medium, and she became best known for these abstract works. 
  • Condition: Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

    Condition reports and additional images are provided as a courtesy and should be used by you to aid in the formation of your own opinion regarding condition. All material is sold subject to Swann's standard Terms and Conditions of Sale as published in our catalogues and posted on our website, and include the following terms: (1) all property is sold "as-is"; and (2) works cannot be returned on the basis of condition.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Upon request, Swann will facilitate the shipping of purchases to out-of-town buyers at an additional charge for packing, shipping and insurance, but will not be responsible for any loss, damage or delay resulting from the packing, handling and shipping thereof. Unless specific instructions are received, Swann is the sole judge of the method to be used for shipment. Packing and shipping costs will be noted on the invoice mailed to successful bidders after the sale, and are based on the actual costs involved. Be advised that a full commercial invoice must accompany any purchase shipped outside the US.

June 4, 2026 12:00 PM EDT
New York, NY, US

Swann Auction Galleries

You agree to pay a buyer’s premium, as outlined below, and any applicable taxes and shipping.
Buyer's Premium
$0 - $100,000:
27.00%
$100,001 - $1,000,000:
22.00%
$1,000,001+:
12.00%

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $149 $10
$150 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $5,999 $200
$6,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $20,000
$500,000 + $50,000