Monday, June 8, 2020
Purvis Young (1943–2010)
[Urban Angels with Funeral and Cars], about 1990
Mixed media on wood, 48 x 48 in.
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Purvis Young was one of those rare artists whose own truth and vision led him to create universal images of the human condition. That his depictions of the people and life in Overtown, a downtrodden section of Miami in the immediate aftermath of the Civil Rights Era, can be read as prescient emblems of today’s struggles for equality is nothing short of tragic. For Young however, there always remained hope for a better tomorrow in the face of a brutal today. Protestors turn into dancers, warriors become angels, and communities ravaged by civil unrest are united in solidarity. —Ted Holland, Artist Manager & Exhibition Coordinator, Hirschl & Adler Modern
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Robert Natkin (1930–2010)
Untitled (Hitchcock), 1988
Acrylic on linen, 70 x 80 in.
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Starting at the age of five Robert Natkin frequented the movie theater—sometimes as much as six times a week! No doubt that his early exposure to film influenced his career as an artist. Natkin leads the viewer though his paintings by carefully interweaving shapes, patterns, and emotive colors, much in the same way the great filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock connected different story lines into one cohesive film. —Ellyn Basky, Assistant, Hirschl & Adler Modern
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Neo-Classical Work Table with Lyre Ends, about 1815
Attributed to Thomas Seymour (1771–1848), Boston
Rosewood (secondary woods: mahogany), with brass line inlay and brass-over-wood moldings, gilt-brass and gilt-bronze and ormolu mounts, toe-caps, and castors, and fabric work bag
29 3/4 in. high, 20 5/16 in. wide, 16 3/4 in. deep (in the case), 17 5/8 in. deep (at the feet)
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Our notion of “work at home” has recently come sharply into focus. Ladies of the early 19th century worked at home in great style, with work tables, or sewing tables, made of the finest materials and in the newest fashions of their day. Inspired by English and French design sources, this Boston-made table, likely from the workshop of Thomas Seymour, is the highest style of “work at home” chic, circa 1815. —Stuart Feld, President
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Diana Horowitz (b. 1958)
World Trade Center Reflecting Pools and Harbor #2, 2011
Oil on linen, 42 x 30 in.
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Horowitz painted this scene from the 48th floor of the rebuilt 7 World Trade Center, in real time, as the Memorial Pools, World Trade One, and the Freedom Tower were taking shape. The artist focuses on the formal components of the city and its architecture, in her abstract handling of geometric shapes and color observed from a dramatic vantage point. Yet this rigorous painting captures a moment in time worth remembering. It was a time of renewal and reawakening for lower Manhattan, and for the entire city. The emerging skyline in this painting reminds us that destruction and ashes offer us an opportunity for growth and change. —Shelley Farmer, Director, Hirschl & Adler Modern
Friday, June 12, 2020
Hiram Powers (1805–1873)
Bust of the “Greek Slave”, 1852
Marble, 15 in. high x 9 5/8 in. wide x 6 in. deep
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It is astonishing that one of the most popular works of art of the 19th century was Hiram Powers’ Greek Slave. A Vermont farm boy with an innate genius for mechanics and modeling, Powers moved to Italy and achieved international renown with his unveiling of the Greek Slave in 1843. The scandalous female nude, anathema to Victorian mores, overtly symbolized the Greek War of Independence in the 1820s but also was appropriated by abolitionists as a symbol of slavery in antebellum America. Replicas of the full-length Slave toured American cities, drew adoring crowds, and created a demand for replicas. Busts of the Slave in three sizes were produced, including this 15-in. high one from 1852. —Eric Baumgartner, Senior Vice President
Monday, June 15, 2020
Elizabeth Turk (b. 1961)
Script: Column 9, 2018
Marble, 56 1/2 in. high x 10 in. wide x 10 in. deep (83 in. with wood base)
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This hand-carved marble sculpture by MacArthur “Genius” Elizabeth Turk inspires us all to push harder and soar to new heights during this time of uncertainty and hope. We look forward to Elizabeth’s next solo exhibition at the gallery, opening Fall 2020! —Elizabeth Feld, Managing Director
Monday, June 15, 2020
O. Louis Guglielmi (1906–1956)
Tumblers, 1942
Oil on composition board, 10 x 8 in.
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This small gem of Magic Realism depicts three stacked, tottering chairs. They appear to be celebrating their escape from the darkness of their urban interior into the dazzling sunshine bathing the sidewalk. Exhibited at the seminal exhibition of Magic Realism at MoMA and from the personal collection of the museum’s influential curator, Dorothy Miller, this whimsical work is a deviation from the artist’s earlier somber and political themes. The hopeful image of “Tumblers” embodies what we are all looking forward to right now: an escape into the sunlight. —Margot Chvatal, Vice President
Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Childe Hassam (1859–1935)
Seascape: Appledore, Isles of Shoals, 1902
Oil on canvas, 14 1/4 x 19 1/2 in.
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In Seascape: Appledore, Isles of Shoals Hassam returns to one of his favorite summertime spots to survey the Shoals' rocky coastline. Hassam's affinity for the island, located several miles off the coast of southern Maine, developed as a result of his close friendship with American writer, Celia Thaxter (1835–1894). Hassam was a frequent visitor of the island, often attending Thaxter's famous summer salons. Following Thaxter's death, the subject of Hassam's Appledore pictures shifted from her vibrant gardens and cottage to bold seascapes of Atlantic surf crashing into the rocky coastline, as is the case in the present picture. —Yasmeen Sabet, Executive Assistant to the President
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Neo-Classical Convex Girandole Mirror with Candle Arms, about 1810
American, probably Salem, Massachusetts
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), gessoed and gilded, and partially ebonized, with convex mirror plate, glass drip pans, blown and cut, glass prisms, gilt-brass candle cups and bobeches, and brass chain
43 in. high, 38 in. wide, 10 5/8 in. deep
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This Neo-Classical girandole mirror has reflected the interiors of American homes for over 200 years. With its elaborate gilded frame, hanging gold balls, swooping chains, and glass prisms, all topped with a majestic ebonized eagle, this looking glass would have been the centerpiece of any grand parlor. Now, more than ever, it is a great time for self-reflection, so why not do it in style? —Debra Wieder, Associate Director
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Honoré Sharrer (1920–2009)
Roman Landscape, 1990
Oil on canvas, 20 x 17 in.
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Few artists have the intelligence, skill, and courage to challenge America’s patriarchy like Honoré Sharrer. Her refined technique and acerbic wit have earned her cult status among contemporary artists and enthusiasts alike. In “Roman Landscape,” of 1990, our “hero” is giddy with delight—he’s a macho toreador about to claim his prize. But through his lust he fails to see how his conquest mocks him with her knowing confidence and power. The pink triumphal arch tells us all we need to know about the true victor on this day. Hypocrisy, chauvinism, misogyny don’t stand a chance against the artist’s brush. Sharrer knew. —Tom Parker, Associate Director
Friday, June 19, 2020
Francis Guy (1760–1820)
Rhinebeck Landing, Hudson River, about 1817–20
Oil on canvas, 39 1/2 x 66 in.
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Predating the Hudson River School, this extraordinarily rare, early American landscape gives us a wonderful glimpse of life on the Hudson during the second decade of the 19th century. Depicting the town of Rhinebeck, New York, the topographical elements are expertly blended with atmospheric effects that suggest something of an eerie tranquility, an element that is latent in much of the mythology of the Hudson. This is the world recorded by Washington Irving, and Guy’s picture—painted at the height of his powers—is an important, newly-discovered pictorial account of it, deftly executed and infused with the quiet Romanticism that would later inform our Transcendentalists, not to mention the Hudson River School artists that were soon to follow. —Brendan Ryan, Associate, President's Office
One of the great strengths of Hirschl & Adler is the scope of its inventory. From early American portraiture and Neo-Classical furniture, to groundbreaking paintings by Modernist masters and Self-taught artists, the gallery’s holdings truly offer something for nearly everyone. Over the next 2 weeks, the staff of Hirschl & Adler will present and discuss their favorite works on Facebook and Instagram, so please be sure to visit us daily. Enjoy the show.
