“Clyde Stairway 2” Graphite Drawing by James Spencer Russell

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A graphite drawing by the American artist James Spencer Russell (1915-2000). Titled "Clyde Stairway 2," this drawing depicts a DNA … Read more A graphite drawing by the American artist James Spencer Russell (1915-2000). Titled "Clyde Stairway 2," this drawing depicts a DNA double helix in light gray with a triangle, cube, and sphere resting on the strand near the top of the page. The piece is unframed, unsigned, and titled to the lower left.

Born in Monticello, Indiana, Russell was interested in art from a young age but was directed into pursuing a military career by his family. As a young person, he attended a military academy, became a celebrated codebreaker during WWII, and even received a scholarship to attend WestPoint. However, Russell's interest in art eventually led him to abandon his military pursuits and try to make it in the art world instead. After working as an NBC set designer after WWII, he turned his attention to becoming a full-time artist. During the 1960s, he started exhibiting his works alongside artists who would later come to characterize the art scene at the time, including Robert Rauschenberg and Roy Lichtenstein. He later moved back to Indiana where he continued to create art until his death in 2000. See less