Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 9

Maurice Kish
Fiddler on the Roof Modern Judaica Shtetl Oil Painting WPA Jewish artist
1955

Name: Fiddler on the Roof Modern Judaica Shtetl Oil Painting WPA Jewish artist
Brand: Maurice Kish
Rating: 4.9 (107 reviews)

Price:$2,561.24

$4,000List Price

About the Item

Genre: Modern Subject: Fiddler on the roof Medium: Oil Surface: Board, size includes artist decorated frame Country: United States The imagery of Maurice Kish (1895-1987), whether factories or carousels, reliably subverts expectations. His vision hovers just around the unraveling edge of things, where what is solid and clear becomes ambiguous. He is fascinated, often delighted, by the falling apart. This unexpected, fresh perspective results in oddly affecting pictures of a now long-gone New York. Born Moishe in a town called Dvinsk, Russia (what is now Daugavpils, Latvia), Kish came with his family to New York when he was in his teens. The family settled in Brownsville, and for the rest of Kish’s life Brooklyn remained his home, though he moved from one neighborhood to another. He was close to his parents, who recognized his talent and supported his desire to become an artist. Kish attended the National Academy of Design as well as Cooper Union. His fellow students included many other immigrants and children of immigrants who were particularly receptive to the Modernism coming from Europe. As his career progressed, Kish himself applied different strains of Modernism to different purposes. For him, the story was held above all else. For years, Kish used the skills he acquired in art school to earn his living at a Manhattan glass factory where he painted floral designs on vases. During the Depression, Kish became a WPA painter in the Federal Art Project (FAP). FAP artists were given a mandate to create works that celebrated labor. The artists tended to be socially progressive, as Kish certainly was. Kish's work from this period, with its dark colors and rolling clouds, reveals the influence of Social Realists like Thomas Hart Benton. Apparent, too, is Kish's interest in the urban monumentality of Charles Sheeler. Kish's structures, however, lack Sheeler's almost dehumanized precision. Rather than the soulless, sleek machines of a typical modern urban dystopia, Kish's factories are shaggy old beasts as worn out as the laborers who troop through their doors. In End of Day's Toil, now at the Smithsonian, the viewer feels some affection for that rambly grandfather of a building all the tired small workers are leaving behind. Much of Kish's work, for the FAP and elsewhere, undermines received truths in a similar way. Some early works with themes from Yiddish culture are overtly humorous: a painting of a big jolly wedding guest, looking invitingly over her shoulder; a big fiddler on a small roof. Later, the humor becomes more ironic and reflective. In another work, the rather imposing organ grinder of the late 1930s looms above a child, yet his intermediary the cockatoo is bright and appealing, and offers the girl a fortune with his beak. This could read as an allegory for capitalism as easily as a straightforward colorful street scene. A small painting of a snowy day in Washington Square gives a bird's eye view of people bent against the wind walking alone or in pairs. The huge triumphal arch at the middle of it has no connection to their movements or their lives. Kish makes its size and centrality a quiet joke about the futility of grandiose gestures. Like the buildings in his FAP works, the arch has a personality. It is a landmark that looks a bit lost. A favorite location for Kish was Coney Island. For the laborers of the city, this was a place of great freedom and possibility. There were no bosses! Anyone could go to ride the rides and swim in the sea. For Kish, Coney Island, and especially Luna Park, became a place richly symbolic of workers’ rights. For the dreamlike paintings he set there, Kish looked past the Social Realists to the Expressionists. His colors are brilliant and his lines are wild. These images, joyfully unrestrained, give full voice to an anarchic vision merely hinted at in other works. If the structures of the earlier pictures came further out of the background than expected, these Coney Island structures completely take over the scene. Kish made several variations on the theme of the carousel as a site of revolution. In the moonlight, the horses have broken from their poles and spin away from the calm center. The workers have come to manic life, have released themselves from the yoke of labor and have abandoned their master, the merry-go-round. They escape to different corners of the pleasure park, dance together and ride the ferris wheel. One horse pretends to be a ticket seller. It is another allegory, one that depicts a worker's holiday paradise in carnival fashion. A painter who embraced ambiguity, Kish was himself a man who occupied many worlds simultaneously. Even during the period when he had shows at prestigious galleries and belonged to several artists' groups, he identified most strongly as an outsider, a Yiddischer. He wrote poetry in Yiddish throughout his life. In 1968, he published a volume of fifty years of these poems, Di Velt ist Mayn Lid (The World is My Song) in Yiddish, with no English translation, for his peers. Kish also translated English-language poetry into Yiddish and acted as a guide to help other Yiddish writers. Long after the art organizations ceased to provide meaning and fulfillment, Kish was a devoted member of the Yiddish Culture Association. In addition to painting and poetry, Kish was a dancer who taught during the summers at various Jewish resorts in the Catskills. Small but lithe, he also spent some years as an amateur boxer. Well into his eighties, Kish was proud of the quality of his handball game. By the 1940s, Kish’s career was going well, but his descriptive style of working began to fall out of fashion, supplanted by a more formal Abstraction. Kish was never able to support himself solely through his art, yet in the midst of all of his other activities, Kish continued to create his distinctive images of an immigrant's New York. He departed far from the mainstream, and in later years, seldom showed his work, preferring to keep it for himself (although he sometimes traded paintings for rent). Of making art, Kish said, "It is a sacred mission to enrich, to elevate and to make our lives more complete." His works, though frequently playful, encourage a second look at ordinary things. His irreverence elevates by revealing flaws where his audience, all workers and outsiders of a kind, can get a purchase. Kish's art fondly celebrates the beauty of the irregular.

Creator:
Maurice Kish (1895-1987, American)
Creation Year:
1955
Dimensions:
Height: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)Width: 16.5 in (41.91 cm)
Medium:
Oil
Movement Style:
Modern
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Condition:
minor wear.
Gallery Location:
Surfside, FL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU38212767742

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Philippe Henri Noyer
Philippe Noyer "Aldo" 1961 French Modern Oil on Canvas, Portrait, Boy by the Sea, 1961

$7,500

H 29 in W 25 in D 2.5 in

Àlvar Suñol "La prière du torero" 1963 Large Spanish Modernist Oil Painting

By Alvar Sunol Munoz-Ramos

Located in Miami, FL

ÀLVAR SUÑOL – "LA PRIÈRE DU TORERO" (THE BULLFIGHTER'S PRAYER) ⚜ Oil on Canvas ⚜ Hand Signed Lower Left and on Verso; Dated 1963 ⚜ Original Carved Wood Frame A MASTERWORK OF FAITH A...

Category

1960s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Alvar Sunol Munoz-Ramos
Àlvar Suñol "La prière du torero" 1963 Large Spanish Modernist Oil Painting, 1963

$50,000

H 39.5 in W 50.25 in D 3 in

1950 s French Modernist Portrait of Woman by the Window Textured Oil Painting

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Portrait of a Woman by the Window French, mid 20th century signed L. Bernard oil on canvas, unframed Canvas : 16 x 13 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: very go...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

L Bernard
1950 s French Modernist Portrait of Woman by the Window Textured Oil Painting, mid 20th Century

$1,624

H 16 in W 13 in

Fine 20th Century French Modernist Oil Painting Portrait Woman in Headscarf

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Portrait of a Woman in Headscarf by Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024) pupil of André LHOTE oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 18 x 15 inches Provenance: all the paintings we have by...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024)
Fine 20th Century French Modernist Oil Painting Portrait Woman in Headscarf

$1,232

H 18 in W 15 in

Portrait of Old Woman - Painting by Francesco Settimj - 1930s

Located in Roma, IT

Oil on plywood realized in 1930s. Painted on both sides, recto and verso. Good condition.

Category

1930s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Francesco Settimj
Portrait of Old Woman - Painting by Francesco Settimj - 1930s, 1930s

$540

H 15.75 in W 11.82 in D 0.08 in

Portrait of Child with Flowers in Hands - Miniature Painting by A. Noci

By Arturo Noci

Located in Roma, IT

Little portrait by Arturo Noci realized in 1909 probably in US. Oil on board. Bronze frame Signed and dated by the artist at bottom right. Very good conditions.

Category

Early 1900s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Arturo Noci
Portrait of Child with Flowers in Hands - Miniature Painting by A. Noci, 1909

$6,009

H 6.74 in W 5.12 in D 0.4 in

Romance Love Triangle on Fishing Boat - Mid-Century

Located in Miami, FL

Romance Love Triangle on Fishing Boat his artwork appeared on pages 22-23 of the December 1957 issue of Playboy Magazine, illustrating the fiction story by Budd Schulberg titled "Bar...

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Illustration Board, Pencil

Zeke Ziner
Romance Love Triangle on Fishing Boat - Mid-Century, 1957

$8,000

H 18 in W 19.5 in

America impressionist portrait young boy 1937 Modern Figurative Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

A fantastic modern portrait of a young boy. This work is signed what appears to be Paul Sellers and dated 1937, but we have not found information on the artist. The work dated 1936...

Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

America impressionist portrait young boy 1937 Modern Figurative Oil Painting, 1936

$489

H 16 in W 12 in

Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American modernist nude portrait oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a modern molding. Excellent condition, ready to ...

Category

1950s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting, 1950

$775

H 43 in W 32 in D 2 in

"Man in Red and Blue" Mid 20th Century Portrait Painting Dated 1959

Located in Rochester, NY

Modernist portrait of a young man in rich reds and blues. Signed on reverse H. Friedlander, 1959. Oil on board. Unframed.

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Man in Red and Blue" Mid 20th Century Portrait Painting Dated 1959, 1959

$1,150

H 24 in W 18 in D 0.25 in

More From This Seller

View All

Modernist American Judaica Painting Gaon and his Disciples

By Ervin B. Nussbaum

Located in Surfside, FL

In this painting, Nussbaum portrays a Rabbi, or Rebbe outside the synagogue The vibrant colors used in this painting seem to overlay each other without being previous mixed. Ervin B...

Category

20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Ervin B. Nussbaum
Modernist American Judaica Painting Gaon and his Disciples

$2,600

Oil Painting Woman Portrait French Armenian Modernist Jean Jansem Ecole De Paris

By Jean Jansem

Located in Surfside, FL

Jean Jansem (Hovhannes Semerdjian) 1920-2013 Hand signed upper left corner Dimensions: 14 X 9.5 Framed 21 X 16.75 Jean Jansem (Hovhannes Semerdjian) 1920-2013 Bursa, Ottoman Turki...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Jean Jansem
Oil Painting Woman Portrait French Armenian Modernist Jean Jansem Ecole De Paris

$8,500

Rare Large Judaica Oil Painting Jewish 2 Rabbis Painting Abram Tromka WPA Artist

By Abram Tromka

Located in Surfside, FL

Abram Tromka ( Polish/ Russian American 1896-1954 ) Hand signed upper center right. Bears label from Marbella Gallery, New York verso "Two Men Praying" (Davening) Dimensions: Sight- ...

Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board, Canvas

Abram Tromka
Rare Large Judaica Oil Painting Jewish 2 Rabbis Painting Abram Tromka WPA Artist, c.1930 s-1950 s

$6,500

Military Man Portrait Figurative Abstract Oil Painting American Modernist Artist

By Dean Richardson

Located in Surfside, FL

Oil on board, 1978. It depicts an abstracted portrait of a military man in an army uniform with medals. It is signed by the artist verso. Dimensions: sight size-22 inches tall X 19...

Category

1970s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Dean Richardson
Military Man Portrait Figurative Abstract Oil Painting American Modernist Artist, 1978

$3,000

Polish Jewish Chassidic Rabbi Judaica Art Oil Painting Konstantin Szewczenko

By Konstanty Szewczenko

Located in Surfside, FL

Konstanty Szewczenko (1910-1991), signed oil Judaica Oil Painting, Chassidic Rebbe, Polish. Frame: 17 X 15.25 Image: 11.5 X 9.5 Konstantin Shevchenko studied at the Institute of Fine Arts in Warsaw in the years 1927 - 1928. Then, in 1932 he studied painting under the guidance of Kowarski and Pruszkowski at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. Practiced easel painting, mostly judaic hassidic rabbi portraits, genre scenes. Among others, a portrait Moscicki, Rydz - Rydz, and after the war Rokossowski.He worked as a set designer. In the years 1934 - 1935 was production designer Variety Theatre. He collaborated with publishing houses with illustrations. He exhibited in Warsaw, Poland, Vienna, Austria and New York. In 1947 he took part in Exhibition Independent Artists Group) and abroad (solo exhibition at the Gallery G. Tomalsky in New York, 1964) . He is one of many great Jewish Polish artists that included Leopold Gottlieb, Maurycy Gottlieb, Henryk Hechtkopf, Leopold Pilichowski, Isidor Kaufmann, Lazar krestin, Alois Heinrich Priechenfried and Itshak Holtz. His works are in the collection of the Museum of the Polish Army. He was an Polish, Austro-Hungarian painter of Jewish themes...

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Konstanty Szewczenko
Polish Jewish Chassidic Rabbi Judaica Art Oil Painting Konstantin Szewczenko, 20th Century

$1,800

Simka Simkhovitch WPA Artist Oil Painting Family Mother, Kids American Modernist

By Simka Simkhovitch

Located in Surfside, FL

Simka Simkhovitch (Russian/American 1893 - 1949) This came with a small grouping from the artist's family, some were hand signed some were not. These were studies for larger paintin...

Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Simka Simkhovitch
Simka Simkhovitch WPA Artist Oil Painting Family Mother, Kids American Modernist, c.1930 s

$1,200

Still Thinking About These?

All Recently Viewed

More Ways To Browse

Vintage Merry Go Round

Handball Vintage

Organ Grinder

Fiddler On The Roof

Vintage Manhattan Glass

M Stewart

Monique Van

Paintings Of Musicians

Realism Painting Mid Century

Maurice KishFiddler on the Roof Modern Judaica Shtetl Oil Painting WPA Jewish artist1955

About the Item

You May Also Like

1960s Modern Portrait Paintings

Philippe Henri NoyerPhilippe Noyer "Aldo" 1961 French Modern Oil on Canvas, Portrait, Boy by the Sea, 1961

1960s Modern Figurative Paintings

Alvar Sunol Munoz-RamosÀlvar Suñol "La prière du torero" 1963 Large Spanish Modernist Oil Painting, 1963

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

L Bernard1950 s French Modernist Portrait of Woman by the Window Textured Oil Painting, mid 20th Century

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024)Fine 20th Century French Modernist Oil Painting Portrait Woman in Headscarf

1930s Modern Figurative Paintings

Francesco SettimjPortrait of Old Woman - Painting by Francesco Settimj - 1930s, 1930s

Early 1900s Modern Figurative Paintings

Arturo NociPortrait of Child with Flowers in Hands - Miniature Painting by A. Noci, 1909

1950s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Zeke ZinerRomance Love Triangle on Fishing Boat - Mid-Century, 1957

1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings

America impressionist portrait young boy 1937 Modern Figurative Oil Painting, 1936

1950s Modern Portrait Paintings

Vintage American Modernist Surreal Figural Nude Portrait Large Framed Painting, 1950

Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

"Man in Red and Blue" Mid 20th Century Portrait Painting Dated 1959, 1959

More From This Seller

20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Ervin B. NussbaumModernist American Judaica Painting Gaon and his Disciples

Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Jean JansemOil Painting Woman Portrait French Armenian Modernist Jean Jansem Ecole De Paris

1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Abram TromkaRare Large Judaica Oil Painting Jewish 2 Rabbis Painting Abram Tromka WPA Artist, c.1930 s-1950 s

1970s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Dean RichardsonMilitary Man Portrait Figurative Abstract Oil Painting American Modernist Artist, 1978

Mid-20th Century Modern Portrait Paintings

Konstanty SzewczenkoPolish Jewish Chassidic Rabbi Judaica Art Oil Painting Konstantin Szewczenko, 20th Century

1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Simka SimkhovitchSimka Simkhovitch WPA Artist Oil Painting Family Mother, Kids American Modernist, c.1930 s

Still Thinking About These?

More Ways To Browse

Maurice Kish
Fiddler on the Roof Modern Judaica Shtetl Oil Painting WPA Jewish artist
1955

Philippe Henri Noyer
Philippe Noyer "Aldo" 1961 French Modern Oil on Canvas, Portrait, Boy by the Sea, 1961

Alvar Sunol Munoz-Ramos
Àlvar Suñol "La prière du torero" 1963 Large Spanish Modernist Oil Painting, 1963

L Bernard
1950 s French Modernist Portrait of Woman by the Window Textured Oil Painting, mid 20th Century

Laure Noetzin-Azam (French 1929-2024)
Fine 20th Century French Modernist Oil Painting Portrait Woman in Headscarf

Francesco Settimj
Portrait of Old Woman - Painting by Francesco Settimj - 1930s, 1930s

Arturo Noci
Portrait of Child with Flowers in Hands - Miniature Painting by A. Noci, 1909

Zeke Ziner
Romance Love Triangle on Fishing Boat - Mid-Century, 1957

Ervin B. Nussbaum
Modernist American Judaica Painting Gaon and his Disciples

Jean Jansem
Oil Painting Woman Portrait French Armenian Modernist Jean Jansem Ecole De Paris

Abram Tromka
Rare Large Judaica Oil Painting Jewish 2 Rabbis Painting Abram Tromka WPA Artist, c.1930 s-1950 s

Dean Richardson
Military Man Portrait Figurative Abstract Oil Painting American Modernist Artist, 1978

Konstanty Szewczenko
Polish Jewish Chassidic Rabbi Judaica Art Oil Painting Konstantin Szewczenko, 20th Century

Simka Simkhovitch
Simka Simkhovitch WPA Artist Oil Painting Family Mother, Kids American Modernist, c.1930 s