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Lot 135

Charles Wilbert White
(1918-1979)
Pope X

7 October 2025, 10:00 PDT
Los Angeles

Sold for US$25,600 inc. premium

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Charles Wilbert White (1918-1979)

Pope X (Gedeon Ec9), 1972
Etching on wove paper laid to back mat, signed in pencil, titled, dated and annotated 'Artist Proof' (aside from the total edition of 19 signed prints), printed by Joseph and Hugo Mugnani, Los Angeles, with margins, framed.
plate 18 3/4 x 27 5/8in (47.6 x 70.2cm)
sheet 27 9/16 x 36 5/8in (70 x 93cm)

Footnotes

Gedeon notes while the prints were out of 25, there were only 12 signed impressions, 3 signed artist's proofs and 4 signed trial proofs, with two estate-stamped proofs.

Lot Essay
While Charles White depicted many religious figures throughout his oeuvre, the image of the Black Pope held particular significance during the 1970s. This etching was created a year before White's well-known painting Black Pope (Sandwich Board) and reflects a pivotal moment in sociopolitical discourse. Both works emerged during a time of speculation that Pope Paul VI might retire and be succeeded by a Black cardinal. In 1972, the year this etching was made, Time magazine published an article titled The Black Pope, highlighting the election of Philip Alford Potter, a Methodist from Dominica, as General Secretary of the World Council of Churches. The following year, Encore magazine published An African Pope, a piece later found among White's papers in the Archives of American Art. This etching captures a moment marked by social injustice, political unrest, and cultural transformation. White is remembered for his powerful visual commentary on racial injustice and his deeply reflective engagement with historical social and political movements.

Additional information

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