C. 1969 Tony Mafia Signed Etching Jewish Figures 9/10 Rare Limited Edition

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Rare Original Tony Mafia Etching – Jewish Theme, Limited Edition 9/10

Offered is a rare, original signed etching by Tony … Read more Rare Original Tony Mafia Etching – Jewish Theme, Limited Edition 9/10

Offered is a rare, original signed etching by Tony Mafia (1931–1999) depicting two figures in an expressive, intimate composition. The work has a distinctly Jewish theme and is especially interesting in connection with Mafia’s time living in the Jewish quarter of Antwerp, Belgium, around 1969, when he created a small group of etchings inspired by the people and atmosphere he encountered there.

The etching is pencil signed by Tony Mafia in the lower right and numbered 9/10 in the lower left, indicating an exceptionally small limited edition of only ten impressions. The intimate edition size makes this an especially desirable example for collectors of Tony Mafia and mid-century graphic art.

Artwork Details:

Artist: Tony Mafia (Robert Lee Alderson), 1931–1999
Title: Jewish Figures / Jewish Theme
Medium: Original etching
Edition: 9/10 – extremely limited edition
Signature: Pencil signed lower right
Subject: Jewish figures / Antwerp Jewish community
Approx. Frame Dimensions: 15” x 12”
Visible Artwork Area: approximately 5” x 5”
Framing: Newly professionally reframed with acid-free archival materials

Condition: Very good original condition; please examine photographs carefully for details.
About the Artist:

Tony Mafia (1931–1999) was the professional name of Robert Lee Alderson, an American painter, sculptor, muralist, singer-songwriter, and influential figure in the Los Angeles counterculture of the 1960s. He was of Cherokee heritage and developed a highly distinctive artistic language combining figurative, expressionist, symbolic, and sometimes surreal elements.

Mafia was an unusually cosmopolitan artist who lived and worked in the United States and throughout Europe, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Mexico. His work was exhibited internationally from the 1960s through the 1990s. During his years in Antwerp, he lived in the city’s Jewish quarter, and contemporary material concerning his work specifically notes a group of etchings inspired by the Jewish community there.

In Los Angeles during the 1960s, Mafia became associated with the city’s emerging counterculture and music scene. His paintings were displayed at the legendary Whisky a Go Go, and his work attracted collectors including Jack Lemmon, Jack Nicholson and Cher.

This unusual 9/10 signed etching offers an opportunity to own a scarce example of Mafia’s graphic work, particularly appealing to collectors interested in Jewish-themed art, Antwerp history, mid-century printmaking, Native American artists, and the fascinating Los Angeles art scene of the 1960s.

A rare and highly collectible Tony Mafia print with an exceptionally small edition of only 10 impressions. See less