RAYMOND HAN
AMERICAN, 1931–2017
"Untitled (Raymond Painting Paul Nude)." Oil on canvas. Offered in AFTER DARK on 23 April 2026.
NOTE: The following article is NSFW and includes images of artistic nudity.
Raymond Han (1931-2017) was born to a Korean immigrant family with six siblings in 1931, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, 28 years before the archipelago’s statehood. His skill as a painter was apparent from an early age, having landed his first solo exhibition at the age of 18. Shortly thereafter, he would earn a scholarship to study at the Honolulu Academy of Arts (now the Honolulu Museum of Art) under the art conservator and educator Wilson Young Stamper.[1]
In 1954, Han moved to New York City, after acquiring a scholarship with the Art Students League, where he was taught by acclaimed artists like Frank Mason and Robert Beverly Hale, while also studying privately under the famous American realist, John Koch. In New York City, Han saw great success with his still life paintings, which referenced both classical subjects and history, as well as Korean cultural touchstones like Joseon baekje ceramics. While living in New York, Han would meet his partner, later husband, Paul Kellogg, director and impresario of the New York City Opera and the Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown.[2] Han would travel between New York City and upstate New York, while also frequently visiting his home state of Hawaiʻi. Towards the latter half of his career, he would eventually settle with his partner into Cooperstown, where he maintained his artist studio and a carefully curated garden.
Raymond Han. "Untitled (Self portrait, nude walking through door)." Oil on canvas. Offered in AFTER DARK on 23 April 2026.
While Han’s still lifes saw great success throughout his artistic career, his figurative work would gradually form a significant part of his late oeuvre. In their shared home in Cooperstown, Han would paint many portraits of himself and his husband, from carefully arranged tableaux to domestic scenes from their life together. These figure paintings showcased a similar preference for the precise rendering and muted colors that the artist had used in his still lifes. However, there was also a particular intimate quality to these paintings that is often overlooked in discussions about Han’s painting sensibilities.
Raymond Han. "Untitled (Raymond Painting Paul Nude)." Oil on canvas. Offered in AFTER DARK on 23 April 2026.
The paintings in Han’s late career illustrate a deep personal relationship with his subjects and setting. The interiors of his home in Cooperstown are featured in the majority of Han’s known body of work, and Kellogg is the most constant and certainly the most beloved of the artist’s muses. The artist’s paintings of his husband range from traditional portraiture following the academic genre, to more experimental compositions which showcase Kellogg playing multiple roles within the same piece.
Raymond Han. "Untitled (Tableau of Paul in Two Poses)." Oil on canvas. Offered in AFTER DARK on 18 June 2026.
Raymond Han and Paul Kellogg would be together for 60 years until Han’s death in 2017[3], after which the Raymond Han and Paul Kellogg Foundation would be founded to preserve the artist’s life and work. Han was a prolific painter, and he has seen significant recognition both during his career and after his passing. He has been exhibited in many institutions and galleries, such as the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Fenimore Art Museum, the McNay Art Museum, the Forum Gallery, and many more. His paintings are also held in the permanent collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art institute, and the Yale University Art Gallery.[4]
Notes
[1] “Tiger Tales: Finding Raymond Han.” Honolulu Museum of Art, December 10, 2024. https://honolulumuseum.org/tiger-tales-finding-raymond-han-qj8t.
[2] Tommasini, Anthony. “Paul Kellogg, New York City Opera Impresario, Dies at 84.” New York Times, May 20, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/arts/music/paul-kellogg-dead.html.
[3] "Han—Raymond G.J. Obituary." New York Times, April 23, 2017, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/raymond-han-obituary?id=20162276.
[4] “Raymond Han’s Art.” Raymond Han and Paul Kellogg Foundation. Accessed March 22, 2026. https://raymondhanpaintings.com/.
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Alex Burgamy
AFTER DARK Specialist, LGBTQ+ Fine Art
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