Help ID Painting
Pete C.
I've gone through a number of searches to no avail.
Being fairly artistically challenged, I can't really say what
style or school you would consider the piece, though the ashcan
artists seem to be in the right neighborhood. Here goes my rough
description from almost twenty years ago:
It's a park in an urban setting. I would imagine it is central
park, but there really isn't enough skyline in the background to
tell for sure. It is night, but the sky is very much more blue
than black. There are some (black) buildings in the background,
with a few yellow lights in some of the windows.
In the foreground, there is a (in his 50's) man sitting on a park
bench smoking. He is wearing a a suit, fedora and eyeglasses,
and his features are somewhat comically out of proportion (though
not to the point of being ridiculous). I believe he had a pack
of Lucky Strikes sticking out of his pocket. Off to the side
(right, I believe) is a wealthy looking woman walking a dog,
eyeing him suspiciously. (Keep in mind that it has been a while,
and I may have the subjects reversed).
All in all, the painting has a very light, almost comical feel to
it. The colors are very intense: dark blues that are somehow
very bright, interrupted by very bright yellows.
Sadly, that's all the clues I can provide. Any help ID-ing the
painting and or painting would be greatly appreciated by both
myself and the people around me going nuts trying to help me find
it. If unable to identify, perhaps someone could suggets a good
search engine and technique that I could use to find a painting
with the few clues that I have.
Regards,
Pete
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Erik A. Mattila
graphic artists (Berlin DaDa) who lived in New York for a while. I just
thought of Grosz because he did produce very 'cartoon like' paintings. He did
a series of very satirical works of German "High Society" after WWI, and I
wouldn't be surprised if he didn't do the same in New York.
Another long shot is Miguel Corarrubias, a Mexican artist who lived in New York
on and off frequently. Your description made me think of him, also.
You description also made me think of a cover to a New Yorker magazine. Are
you sure it was a painting? It would help to know where you saw it. If it was
in an Art Museum, that would narrow the search dramatically. Otherwise, from
your description, it's hard to tell if it was just any of thousands of popular
satirical prints that may have been around.
Erik Mattila
Alison A Raimes
<emat...@tomatoweb.com> writes
>You know, it's a long shot, but try George Grosz. He was a German painter and
>graphic artists (Berlin DaDa) who lived in New York for a while. I just
>thought of Grosz because he did produce very 'cartoon like' paintings. He did
>a series of very satirical works of German "High Society" after WWI, and I
>wouldn't be surprised if he didn't do the same in New York.
>
>Another long shot is Miguel Corarrubias, a Mexican artist who lived in New York
>on and off frequently. Your description made me think of him, also.
>
>You description also made me think of a cover to a New Yorker magazine. Are
>you sure it was a painting? It would help to know where you saw it. If it was
>in an Art Museum, that would narrow the search dramatically. Otherwise, from
>your description, it's hard to tell if it was just any of thousands of popular
>satirical prints that may have been around.
>
>Erik Mattila
My mind keeps insisting on David Hockney. Can't pinpoint the actual work
though.
Alison
Jiri Borsky
British Beryl Cook would fit the description, but she was not all that well known
internationally 20 years ago.
George Grosz, mentioned by EM, is a good lead.
(BTW, his son Marty is a very fine jazz guitarist.)
Jiri Borsky
--
remove all zzz from address
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/borsky/
Pete C.
it wasn't a magazine cover. Well, I should say, it may have been
a magazine cover at one time, but that is not where I saw it. I
purchased a poster of it in the gift shop of the Met in NY.
Can't recall if I saw the work in the museum and was so taken by
it that I hunted it down in the gift shop, or if I was just
souvenier (sp?) hunting in the gift shop and stumbled across it.
I checked the Mete website (moma), but it is pretty much
useless.
Thanks again for the names, though. It will give me a new place
to start my hunt.
Pete C.
Pete C.
with anything. They were all close though. Combine all the ones
provided with Hopper and I think we have our man.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks,
Alison A Raimes
<s3NOs...@myremarq.com.invalid> writes
>Sorry guys. Dug through the names provided and didn't come up
>with anything. They were all close though. Combine all the ones
>provided with Hopper and I think we have our man.
>
>Any other suggestions?
Try Seurat !
Erik A. Mattila
miffed because I didn't take you up on your really generous offer for a
good argument? :-)
But I think Pete has a big problem finding this artist. When Grosz and
Corrubias start lookin"close".... And Surat to the stew -- it boggles
the mind.
Erik
Alison A Raimes
<emat...@tomatoweb.com> writes
>My, Alison, you're being quite here of late. Working hard? Or are you
>miffed because I didn't take you up on your really generous offer for a
>good argument? :-)
No time ! Working on a new series at the moment - got my teeth into it.
Fighting the landlords too, Erik. And working full time for the Cancer
Research Campaign in London on top of that. Eighty hour weeks and I look
as though I am doing them ;-) The landlords and property developers are
closing in - our sister studios just got notice to quit, and the boards
hanging on the outside of our building don't inspire much confidence
here. The idea of over four hundred artists scrambling for studios in
London over the next six months is a veritable nightmare - especially as
there are already five hundred in that lane. The fight just began ! We
are trying to raise funds to buy, or to find a landlord who will be
supportive of us.
Still, you should get all the intellectual challenge you need from
Marilyn eh ;-)
See you on the other side .... with any luck.
Alison A Raimes
Director/Trustee; Cable Street Arts Factory Ltd
566 Cable Street
Limehouse
London E1 9HB
Tel: 0207 790 1309/0207 780 9493
Fax: 0207 790 1323
Email: csaf.s...@virgin.net
Cable Street Studios and Galleries are part of the Cable Street Arts Factory
Ltd, an artist run charity group formerly known as the Shah Arts Foundation Ltd,
registered charity no. 1067848. Established in 1984, it has 150 self contained
studios with approximately 180 artists working on site. Rents start at 90 pounds
per month and all boast excellent natural light. 24 hour access with night time
security guard on site, it has two artist run galleries and cafe.