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A Painting That Chooses You — Frank Michael Tauriello, Female Nude, 1959
There are small paintings that fill a room. This is one of them. A standing female nude, rendered in warm luminous flesh tones against a profound black ground — the figure emerging from darkness with the quiet authority of an Old Master. The chiaroscuro is not decorative; it is structural, deliberate, and deeply felt. At just 6 × 12 inches, this painting should not command the presence it does. And yet it does.
Oil on board, 1959. Signed by the artist. Acquired from a distinguished private collection in Coconut Grove, Florida.
About Frank Michael Tauriello
Born in New York in 1927, Frank Michael Tauriello received his Fine Art degree from Syracuse University before furthering his studies at the Art Students League in New York — one of the most prestigious and demanding institutions in American art history, whose alumni include Georgia O\'Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, and Jackson Pollock.
He went on to become a professor of painting and drawing, a Juror for the California Art Association, and a Board Member Emeritus of the American Society of Portrait Artists. His portrait subjects ranged from State Governors to Clint Eastwood and Merv Griffin — yet it is in works like this one, painted for no client and no commission, that his true mastery reveals itself.
This nude — executed when Tauriello was 32 years old, at the height of his technical powers — belongs to an entirely different category from his commercial work. It is a painter speaking only to himself, and to whoever is fortunate enough to find it.
The Collection It Came From
This painting was acquired in the 1990s from the estate of a serious and sophisticated private collector in Coconut Grove, Florida — one of the most culturally rich and artistically significant communities in the American South. The collection included works by Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Joan Miró, alongside exceptional pieces by notable South American artists.
This was not a collector who bought names carelessly. This was someone with a highly cultivated eye and the means to acquire virtually anything — and they chose this painting. That choice speaks for itself.
This Painting
- Medium: Oil on board
- Date: 1959
- Image size: Approximately 6 × 12 inches
- Framed size: Approximately 8.5 × 14.5 inches
- Frame: Period gilt frame — ornate beaded molding consistent with mid-century presentation
- Condition: Excellent structural integrity; paint layer vibrant and intact; surface shows expected and appropriate age characteristics consistent with a 65-year-old work. Frame shows honest age-appropriate wear.
- Signed: Yes, lower left
The scale of this painting is part of its power. At 6 × 12 inches, every brushstroke counts. There is no room for hesitation — and there is none. This is a painter in complete command of his craft.
Shipping:Given the value of this work, all shipments are handled at the premium level only — custom-built protective crating inside a reinforced outer box, fully insured and requiring a signature with picture identification upon delivery.
Local pickup available in Orlando, West Palm Beach or Miami, FL — please message us before purchasing to arrange.
Buy with Confidence
- 100% Original — this is the actual painting pictured. What you see is what you receive.
- Provenance: distinguished private collection, Coconut Grove, Florida
- 30-Day hassle-free returns
- Museum-grade protective shipping, fully insured
- Money Back Guarantee
International buyers: please check with your local customs office regarding any applicable import duties or taxes prior to purchasing.
Questions? We welcome serious inquiries — please message us before you buy.
