John Howitt

Boy Astronaut

circa early 20th century

A fine modernist portrait of a woman by American artist Margaret Hawkins Keane (1927-2022). Keane was born in Nashville,TN, and attributes her deep respect for the Bible and inspirations of her artwork to the relationship with her grandmother. In the 1960’s, while married to her second husband Walter, she was forced to paint and sell under his name, but during their divorce proceedings, she was able to prove that the paintings were actually done by her and the court determined that she was able to paint under her own name again. She became known for painting women and children with large black sad eyes...

A fine portrait of a 5 year old Christina Patterson by American artist Aaron Abraham Shikler (1922-2015). Shikler was born in Brooklyn, New York, studied at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University, then studied in New York with the abstract painter Hans Hofmann, but he remained a committed realist throughout his life, under the sway of artists like Degas, Vuillard, Sickert and Sargent. To make a living, he painted clowns and ballerinas for a wholesale company, signing the work “Phil I. Steen” to register his disgust. When Leroy Davis, an Army friend, opened the Davis Gallery in Manhattan in 1953, he began showing Mr. Shikler’s work, which included figure studies, still lifes and landscapes. A turning point came in 1959 when Jane Engelhard...

An exceptional impressionist beachside scene with figures and powerful clouds by American artist Augustus B. Koopman (1869-1914). Koopman was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, initially studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine arts, and going on to live a large portion of his short life in Paris, studying at the Academie Julian and the Ecole des Beaux Arts, painting many of his marine and figure paintings on the coast at Etaples, near Belgium. Among his teachers were William Bouguereau, Benjamin Constant, and Tony Robert-Fleury. He was well known for his genre, maritime, landscape, figure, and portrait paintings. His drypoints and etchings can be found in both the Congressional and New York Public Libraries, and his painting “Vision of the Grand Canyon” is displayed in the Santa Fe Railway...

A fine impressionist oil painting of a beachside scene with figures by American artist John Rutherford Boyd (1884-1951). Boyd was born in Philadelphia, PA, and attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under American painter Thomas Anshutz...

One of the most successful illustrators of the early 20th century Dean Cornwell Untitled (Crucifixion on the Battlefield) initialed DC (center left), oil on canvas, framed canvas: 33...

ROBERT KENNETH WHITE – "DAUGHTER OF THE LIGHT" ⚜ Oil on Canvas ⚜ Hand Signed on Verso ⚜ Frameless Display A VISIONARY WORK OF SYMBOLISM AND LIGHT In “Daughter of the Light” (2015), ...

ROBERT KENNETH WHITE – "THE ARTICULATED FORM" ⚜ Oil on canvas ⚜ Hand signed on verso ⚜ Frameless display MECHANICS OF HUMANITY In “The Articulated Form,” Robert Kenneth White presen...

CHARLES LEVIER – [SOLITUDE DE PIERROT ⚜ Oil on Canvas ⚜ Hand Signed Lower Right ⚜ Original Period Frame A THEATRICAL PORTRAIT OF MELANCHOLY “Solitude de Pierrot” captures Charles Levier’s fascination with the archetypal Pierrot from commedia dell’arte. With angular black outlines and muted pastel tones, Levier reduces the figure to its essential gestures, creating a poignant symbol of isolation and quiet reflection. The vertical format emphasizes Pierrot’s elongated stance, while his downcast eyes and red-tipped nose heighten the painting’s emotive impact. This work was acquired directly from the artist by noted Beverly Hills designer Dean Richard Kukuk and retains its original Martin Lowitz Gallery label, underscoring both provenance and historical context. WHY COLLECT THIS WORK? ✓ An early and expressive Charles Levier oil from circa 1950 ✓ Features the Pierrot subject, connecting to the theatrical tradition of commedia dell’arte ✓ Strong provenance: Martin Lowitz Gallery, Los Angeles, and the collection of Dean Richard Kukuk, Beverly Hills ✓ Retains its original period frame in excellent condition with gallery label affixed verso ARTWORK DETAILS: ▸ Title: [Solitude de Pierrot] ▸ Artist: Levier, Charles ▸ Medium: Oil on Canvas ▸ Creation Date: circa 1950 ▸ Country of Creation: US ▸ Signed: Hand Signed Lower Right ▸ Current Condition: Excellent commensurate with age. Original period frame in great condition consistent with age. ▸ Documentation: Martin Lowitz Gallery label affixed to verso ▸ Provenance: Martin Lowitz Gallery, Los Angeles; Dean Richard Kukuk, Los Angeles ▸ Dimensions: — ◼︎ Canvas Size: 44.25 inches x 15 inches — ◻︎ Frame Size: 59 inches x 30 inches x 2.625 inches INCLUDED DOCUMENTATION ✓ Certificate of Authenticity ✓ Artist Biography Document THE ARTIST: Charles Levier (1920–2003) was a French-American painter known for expressive oils, gouaches, and watercolors that bridge Modernism and postwar design sensibilities. His subjects include harbor towns, still lifes, café society, and commedia dell’arte figures such as Pierrot and Harlequin. Levier’s linear bite and stylized elongations have invited comparison to Bernard Buffet, while collectors of Modigliani, Rouault, and mid-century École de Paris painting...