Chaim Koppelman

Napoleons on Alligators

Napoleons on Alligators is an original etching created by the 20th century American artist, Chaim Koppelman. It is printed upon white archival paper and with full margins as published in New York in the limited edition of fifty impressions in 1963. This impression is signed by the artist in pencil beneath the lower plate-mark.

The figure of Napoleon stands at the center of Chaim Koppelman's art. The Emperor may very well be history's best example of the contrary forces within all of us. Eli Siegel stated, "On the one hand we see in him (Napoleon) a tremendous desire for democracy, and on the other a tremendous ego, a tremendous desire for power. The confusions … point to the confusions in us. We want to be welcomed by the masses, yet we want to nourish our selfish souls." *

Koppelman recognised the same elements within his own psyche and thus, in his art, brought Napoleon to his world and life. We see multiple examinations of Napoleon in the artist's studio, Napoleon entering New York, Napoleon at Coney Island, Napoleons with wild animals, Napoleon as an Indian, Napoleon nude and Napoleons on alligators. All explore not only Napoleon but the artist and, most importantly, the condition of mankind.

Chaim Koppelman wrote, "Napoleons on Alligators of 1963 may be my favorite. The high and mighty are comfortably riding the lowest and most primitive of beings, and the alligators also feel they're doing useful work." **

Quotations from the Exhibition Catalogue, Napoleon Entering New York; Chaim Koppelman and the Emperor, Gangemi Editore, Museo Napleonico, Rome, Italy, 2011 - 2012. * p. 15, ** p. 29.

Napoleons on Alligators

View other original works of art by Chaim Koppelman.

Chaim Koppelman (Brooklyn, New York, 1920 - 2009)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Info	-
01-		Critical Still Life by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Lithograph	1976	Signed by Chaim Koppelman and numbered '4/25' in pencil along the lower margin. Edition of twenty five impressions (Plus 5 Artist Proofs).
02.-		Death and the Butcher by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Aquatint	1957	Signed and titled by Chaim Koppelman, edition of 25 impressions.
03.-		Git Li'l Doggie by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Lithograph	1976	Signed by the artist in pencil by Chaim Koppelman in pencil along the lower margin. Edition of twenty five impressions (Plus 5 Artist Proofs).
04.-		Homage a Degas by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Etching and Aquatint	1969	Signed, titled & numbered in pencil by Chaim Koppelman, edition 53/250.	Sold
05.-		Napoleon and Me by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Lithograph	1970	Signed by Chaim Koppelman in pencil beneath the image.	Sold
06.-		Napoleons on Alligators by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Etching	1963	Signed by Chaim Koppelman in pencil beneath the lower plate-mark,edition of fifty impressions.	Sold
07.-		Not There by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Lithograph	1976	Signed by Chaim Koppelman in pencil along the lower right margin. Edition of twenty five impressions (Plus 5 Artist Proofs).
08.-		On Meeting Beauty II by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Aquatint	1958	Signed, titled and annotated 'A.P.' by Chaim Koppelman, edition of 200 (Artist Proof Impression).	Sold
09.-		Once We Were Two Smoothies by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Lithograph	1976	Signed, titled and numbered, '14/25' by Chaim Koppelman in pencil along the lower margin. Edition of twenty five impressions (Plus 5 Artist Proofs).
10.-		Over Brooklyn by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Lithograph	1976	Signed, titled and numbered, '3/25' by Chaim Koppelman in pencil along the lower margin. Edition of twenty five impressions (Plus 5 Artist Proofs).
11.-		Over Soho by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Lithograph	c. 1970	Signed, titled and numbered '1/30' by Chaim Koppelman in pencil beneath the image.	Sold
12.-		Retrospect by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Etching	1959	Signed & titled in pencil by Chaim Koppelman, edition of 250 impressions.	Sold
13.-		Shadows by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Etching	1957	Signed, dated, titled & inscriibed 'Ed 25' in pencil by Chaim Koppelman, edition of 25 impressions.	Sold
14.-		Voyage by the American artist, Chaim Koppelman	Original Etching	1955	Signed, titled and annotated, "Artist Proof" in pencil by Chaim Koppelman, edition of 30 impressions.

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Title:	Napoleons on Alligators
Artist:	Koppelman, Chaim (Brooklyn, New York, 1920 - 2009)
Date:	1963
Medium:	Original Etching
Printer:	Chaim Koppelman
Edition:	Limited Edition of Fifty Impressions.
Note:	Chaim Koppelman: More realist than abstractionist and more surrealist than realist, Chaim Koppelman’s etchings, aquatints and lithographs have both enchanted and haunted our imaginations since the end of the Second World War. Koppelman first studied at Brooklyn College and the Educational Alliance (1938) before moving on to the American Artists School of New York (1939) and the New School for Social Research, under Amedee Ozenfant. During the Second World War, Koppelman served with the American Air Force in Europe (1942-45). He used this time to further his artistic education, first at the Art College of Western England, Bristol, (1944) and then at the Ecole Regionale de Beaux-Arts in Reims (1945). As well, he studied the philosophy of Aesthetic Realism in New York with its founder, Eli Siegel, from 1940 to 1978, and continued his studies in this philosophy with the Chairman of Education, Elllen Reiss, until 2009.
	Koppelman’s first one man show was held at the Outline Gallery in Pittsburgh in 1943. Since that time his art has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Los Angeles County Museum, Yale University, the Chicago Art Institute, and as far from home as Mexico City, London and Moscow. Chaim Koppelman was a full member of the Society of American Graphic Artists (past President), the Boston Printmakers and the Society for Aesthetic Realism. His etchings and aquatints are now included in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Museum of Fine Arts, Caracas, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Joseph Hirschhorn Collection, Washington, Library of Congress, Yale University Art Gallery, and the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum and Whitney Museum, New York City.
	Koppelman’s art has long defied easy definition. It is both spiritual and psychological and most often explores our collective dream world. What can be said is that few artists since Goya and William Blake have delineated our state of being with such brilliant imagery as Chaim Koppelman. Like Goya, however, extraordinary circumstances led Koppelman’s art to also speak out in social protest. During the 1960’s, he produced some of the most moving images of the horrors of the War in Vietnam. He stated, “For the first time in my life as an artist I felt I had to engage a social theme.” *
	In 2000 a large retrospective exhibition of Chaim Koppelman’s art was held at the Beatrice Conde Gallery, New York, and in 2011 the Museo Napleonico in Rome, Italy, held a solo exhibition of his art entitled, Napoleon Entering New York; Chaim Koppelman and the Emperor; Works, 1957 - 2007. During his distinguished career Chaim Koppelman received such awards and honors as the Tiffany Grant for printmaking (1957 & 1959), the NY Artists Equity Award (1992) and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of American Graphic Artists (2004).
	Chaim Koppelman wrote, "Napoleons on Alligators of 1963 may be my favorite. The high and mighty are comfortably riding the lowest and most primitive of beings, and the alligators also feel they're doing useful work." **
Reference:	* Ralph E. Shikes, The Indignant Eye: The Artist as Social Critic, Boston, Beacon Press, 1969, p. 369.
Size:	4 1/2 X 5 1/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	UnMatted
Condition:	Printed upon white archival paper and with full margins as published in New York in the limited edition of fifty impressions in 1963. Signed by the artist in pencil beneath the lower plate-mark. A finely printed impression and in excellent condition throughout. Napoleons on Alligators is a prime, original example of the famous art of Chaim Koppelman.
Subject:	Chaim Koppelman, Napoleons on Alligators, original etching, Napoleon Entering New York; Chaim Koppelman and the Emperor; Works, 1957 - 2007, Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of American Graphic Artists, Society of American Graphic Artists (past President), the Boston Printmakers and the Society for Aesthetic Realism.
Price:	Sold - The price is no longer available.
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