# Cleve Gray artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/cleve-gray/
Profile generated: 2026-05-27T18:56:18.163Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1918-09-22
- Death date: 2004-12-08
- Nationality: American
- Movements: Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, Lyrical Abstraction
- Common media: painting

## About Cleve Gray

Cleve Gray (1918–2004) was an American painter and writer associated with Abstract Expressionism, Color Field painting, and Lyrical Abstraction. Born in New York City, Gray developed a distinctive approach to post-war abstraction characterized by luminous color and gestural brushwork that bridged the energy of Abstract Expressionism with the chromatic focus of Color Field painting. His work is represented in major institutional collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Gray was also active as a writer on art, contributing to the critical discourse around twentieth-century American painting. He died in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2004. Collectors encounter Gray's work at auction and through gallery estates, where his paintings are valued within the broader post-war American art market.

## Common works and media

Gray is best known for abstract paintings in oil and acrylic on canvas and paper. His output includes large-scale Color Field compositions, gestural abstract works, and works on paper including drawings and prints. Collectors may also encounter mixed-media pieces and smaller studies. Subject matter is typically non-representational, emphasizing color relationships, spatial depth, and painterly gesture.

## Market and appraisal context

Cleve Gray's work appears in the post-war and contemporary American art market, with over 200 documented auction appearances. Key valuation factors include medium, canvas size, date of execution, condition, and provenance. Works linked to his Abstract Expressionist and Color Field periods tend to attract the strongest market interest. Institutional holdings, including MoMA's collection, support his market standing. Collectors and appraisers should verify authenticity, review exhibition history, and compare against recent public auction results for similar works when assessing value.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines identity research from museum records, library authority files, and biographical sources with available auction records, sale dates, and comparable lot data. When auction results are available, they provide additional context for understanding the artist's market presence and the factors that influence appraisal.

## Sources

- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/33452
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5132000
- VIAF (OCLC): https://viaf.org/viaf/162092036/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500017477
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleve_Gray
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/2312
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50032114