1940s Figurative Paintings

Medium: Oil on Illustration Board Signature: Unsigned This piece was produced as the cover art for the box containing a die-cut color lithograph manger set...

Dorothy King was born and lived in London in 1907. She studied at the Hornsey School of Art under JC Moody, then briefly at the Slade School of Fine Art with Randolph Schwabe. She to...

John Edward Costigan, N.A. American, 1888-1972 Woman and Child Oil on canvas Signed ‘J.E. Costigan N.A.’ lower left 24 by 30 in. W/frame 32 by 38 in. John Costigan was born of Irish-American parents in Providence, Rhode Island, February 29, 1888. He was a cousin of the noted American showman, George M. Cohan, whose parents brought the young Costigan to New York City and was instrumental in starting him on a career in the visual arts. They were less successful in encouraging him to pursue formal studies at the Art Students League (where, however, he later taught) than in exposing him to the commercial art world through the job they had gotten him with the New York lithographing firm that made their theatrical posters. At the H. C. Miner Lithographing Company, Costigan worked his way up from his entry job as a pressroom helper, through various apprenticeships, to the position of sketch artist. In the latter capacity he was an uncredited designer of posters for the Ziegfeld Follies and for numerous silent films. Meanwhile, he had supplemented his very meager formal studies in the fine arts with a self-teaching discipline that led to his first professional recognition in 1920 with the receipt of prizes for an oil painting and watercolor in separate New York exhibitions. A year earlier, Costigan had wed professional model Ida Blessin, with whom he established residence and began raising a family in the sleepy little rural New York hamlet of Orangeburg, the setting for the many idyllic farm landscapes and wood interiors with which he was to become identified in a career that would span half a century. John Costigan’s first national recognition came in 1922 with his winning of the coveted Peterson Purchase prize of the Art Institute of Chicago for an oil on canvas, “Sheep at the Brook.” It marked the start of an unbroken winning streak that would gain him at least one important prize per year for the remainder of the decade. The nation’s art journalists and critics began to take notice, making him the recurring subject of newspaper features and magazine articles. The eminent author and critic Edgar Holger Cahill was just a fledgling reporter when he wrote his first feature, “John Costigan Carries the Flame,” for Shadowland Magazine in 1922. Costigan had his first one-man show of paintings at the Rehn Gallery on New York’s 5th Avenue in November, 1924, to be followed less than three years later by another at the Art Institute of Chicago. In addition, Costigan’s work has been—and continues to be included, side-by-side with that of some of America’s most high-profile artists, in museum and gallery exhibitions throughout the country. His renown had peaked in the early 1930s, by which time his work had been honored with nearly every major award then being bestowed in the fine arts and had been acquired for the permanent collections of several prestigious American museums, including New York’s Metropolitan (which only recently, in 1997, deaccessioned his “Wood Interior,” acquired in 1934). Although Costigan’s celebrity had ebbed by the late 1930s, the Smithsonian Institution saw fit in 1937 to host an exhibition exclusively of his etchings. And, in 1941, the Corcoran Gallery (also Washington, D.C.) similarly honored him for his watercolors. (Another Washington institution, the Library of Congress, today includes 22 Costigan etchings and lithographs in its permanent print collection.) During World War II, Costigan returned briefly to illustrating, mainly for Bluebook, a men’s pulp adventure magazine. A gradual revival of interest in his more serious work began at the end of the war, culminating in 1968 with the mounting of a 50-year Costigan retrospective at the Paine Art Center and Arboretum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Oils, watercolors and prints were borrowed from museums and private collections throughout the country, and the exhibition was subsequently toured nationally by the Smithsonian Institution. John Costigan died of pneumonia in Nyack, NY, August 5, 1972, just months after receiving his final prestigious award —the Benjamin West Clinedinst Medal of the Artist’s Fellowship, Inc., presented in general recognition of his “...achievement of exceptional artistic merit...” in the various media he had mastered in the course of his career. This painting depicts one of the artist's favorite themes --the farm family bathing...

Edward Zutrau Toucan, 7/29/1949 Dated on verso Oil on linen 30 x 23 inches Edward Zutrau (1922–1993) was an American painter whose career spanned from the 1940s through the early 1...

A captivating, Modern 1940s portrait painting of a young female ballet dancer by famed Chicago artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). A skilled and expressive studio portrait of a ...

This WPA-era signed oil painting by Paul K. Smith captures a stormy summer landscape in Colorado, featuring houses and lush trees under dramatic storm clouds. Painted in rich shades ...

Beautiful oil on mahogany panel painting of the bustling Port of Ostend in Belgium by Louis Clesse. Signed lower right and dated 1942. Titled verso and signed again by the artist ve...

“The Big City, 1948” by Anna Elkan Meltzer (American, 1896-1974) One of Meltzer’s finest works, this painting encapsulates the organized chaos of Grand Central Terminal in NYC in th...

Maurice Asselin (1882-1947) A Still life with a book Signed upper right Oil on canvas 54 x 65 cm no frame In good condition, a small superficial scratch on the lower right side, ...

Original watercolor on paper. Initialed lower right by Rolph Scarlett. Artwork size 7.75 x 8.75 inches. Frame size 17.5 x 21.5 inches. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certifi...

6072 Victorian famaily beach outing signed Period frame Image size 13.5x27.5"

"Two Seas and a Moon" Surrealism American Scene WWII Modern WWI Denver WPA Era Arnold Ronnebeck (1885 - 1947) Two Seas and a Moon 30 x 22 1/2 inches Oil on Canvas, c. 1943 Signed u...

WPA Mural Study 1940 American Scene Modern Social Realism Figurative Mid Century Michael Loew (1907-1985) Detail for Mural (Social Security Building Washington D.C.) 24 x 24 inches ...

Approximate Date: 1948 Medium: Oil on Board Signature: Signed Lower Left Size: 20" x 16", Framed: 26" x 22" Original cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, September 25 1...

Frame size 42 x 52.5 inches ELISABETH RONGET "AU CAFE” OIL ON CANVAS, SIGNED FRANCE, C.1940 Elisabeth Ronget 1886-1962 Elisabeth Boehm Ronget was born in 1896 in Conitz, Polan...

This elegant 1945 interior still life oil painting is by celebrated Colorado modernist John E. Thompson (1882–1945), widely regarded as the “Dean of Colorad...

A charming portrait of a Black woman with stylized hairstyle of the period - Midtown Galleries label on verso, Unframed Signed and date...

Marta Sawyers. Illustrator Journalist. She was sent to war-ravaged countries to “Paint the Story”. What's unique here? This represents the work an Artist Journalist/War Correspondent...

Paul LUNAUD (Brantôme 1900 – 1949) The ironer Oil on wood H. 80 cm; W. 64 cm Signed and dated on the right in the center, formerly signed lower right. 1942 Provenance : Artist's stu...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring a standing female model dressed in sunglasses wearing an elegant design for women's beach wear. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/2 inches. ...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring elegant designs for women's lounge wear. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/2 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 inches. Provenance: Corn...

A charming, vibrant, early Mexican city street scene by famed Chicago Modern artist Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Depicting a bustling, picturesque view of the shaded, arched arcade of the Portal de Guadalupe in the historic city of San Miguel de Allende, the painting is oil on canvas and dates circa 1940. The towering pink spire of the majestic church, the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring colorful designs for women's red Robin Hood hat, suit and coat. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/4 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 in...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring colorful designs for women's hat, suit, shoes & coat. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/4 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 inches. Pro...

*UK BUYERS WILL PAY AN ADDITIONAL 5% IMPORT DUTY ON TOP OF THE ABOVE PRICE Jeune Fille à l'Accordéon by ISMAEL DE LA SERNA (1898-1968) Oil on masonite 88.9 x 115.6 cm (35 x 45 ¹/₂ i...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's hat and lace muff, Lily Daché. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/4 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 in...

Important, wonderful painting signed by the famous Italian artist Orazio Amato Portrait of young woman with landscape, oil on canvas signed This artwork, never before on the market...

Mid-Century Art Star Gladys Rockmore Davis paints a double portrait of what appears to be sisters or perhaps friends dressed in identical costumes. The work is as charming as it is i...

Original oil paintign on canvas. Hand signed and dated lower left by Henrik Kobor. Canvas size: 57 x 45.12 inches. Frame size: 62.75 x 50.75 inches Artwork is in overall excellen...

A Vibrant, Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Young Woman in a Yellow Blouse by Notable Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Oil on Masonite, dating circa 1945. Artwork Si...

5-3288 Oil on board set in a gilt wood frame Image size 19.5x15.5"

In this evocative winter landscape, painted in 1941, Swedish artist Olof Walfrid Nilsson captures the serenity and quiet grandeur of a frozen lake bathed in gentle afternoon light. E...

Rabbit Hunters, egg tempera on Masonite, 12 x 9 inches, 1947, signed and dated lower left, signed, titled and dated verso “Rabbit Hunters Egg Tempera Roger Medearis 1947,” exhibited at Medearis' solo show at Kende Galleries, New York, in 1949 (Medearis’ record book, a copy of which is held by Vose Galleries in Boston, MA, indicates this is painting “No. 23” and that is was completed in 1947 and sold via Kende Galleries (at Gimbel Brothers...

A charming, vibrant, early Mexican city street scene by famed Chicago Modern artist Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Depicting a quiet, picturesque view of the rooftops and cathedral...

Presenting a wonderful oil on heavy jute canvas, "The Artists Studio." The painting depicts an artist preparing his canvases for painting. "The Artist...

The present mid-century work features two taboos in one painting. In 1949, it was verboten to glamorize gay life and even more prohibited to show interracial love. This work by Dan A...

Medium: Oil on Canvas Signature: Signed Lower Right and Titled on reverse Dimensions: 28.13" x 25.13" (71.45 cm x 63.83 cm) Literature: Temple Bailey, Bridal White, The American Mag...

Date: 1940s Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: 20.00" x 34.00" Signature: Signed Lower Right Ruckus, Story Illustration

Original cover illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, November 13, 1948 The Post described, “Artist Stevan Dohanos felt like a baseball coach who had everything he needed excep...

5-3731 Oil on canvas applied to board Set in a wood frame

This Gil Elvgren gouache painting on board was probably intended to be used as an ad for beer. The husband is returning from work with a bouquet of flowers behind his back, while his wife is waiting at the door with a bottle of beer for her husband. This painting was probably done in the late 1940's. The model in this image has the typical Elvgren look, which is very similar to Elvgren's models that he used for his pin up calendar...

Julio De Diego’s Atomic Series paintings made an extraordinary statement regarding the shock and fear that accompanied the dawn of the nuclear age. In the artist’s own words, “Scientists were working secretly to develop formidable powers taken from the mysterious depths of the earth - with the power to make the earth useless! Then, the EXPLOSION! . . . we entered the Atomic Age, and from there the neo-Atomic war begins. Explosions fell everywhere and man kept on fighting, discovering he could fight without flesh.” To execute these works, De Diego developed a technique of using tempera underpainting before applying layer upon layer of pigmented oil glazes. The result is paintings with surfaces which were described as “bonelike” in quality. The forms seem to float freely, creating a three-dimensional visual effect. In the 1954 book The Modern Renaissance in American Art, author Ralph Pearson summarizes the series as “a fantastic interpretation of a weighty theme. Perhaps it is well to let fantasy and irony appear to lighten the devastating impact. By inverse action, they may in fact increase its weight.” Exhibited 1964 Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, San Antonio, Texas This work retains its original frame which measures 54" x 42" x 2" About this artist: Julio De Diego crafted a formidable persona within the artistic developments and political struggles of his time. The artist characterized his own work as “lyrical,” explaining, “through the years, the surrealists, the social-conscious painters and the others tried to adopt me, but I went my own way, good, bad or indifferent.” [1] His independence manifested early in life when de Diego left his parent’s home in Madrid, Spain, in adolescence following his father’s attempts to curtail his artistic aspirations. At the age of fifteen he held his first exhibition, set up within a gambling casino. He managed to acquire an apprenticeship in a studio producing scenery for Madrid’s operas, but moved from behind the curtains to the stage, trying his hand at acting and performing as an extra in the Ballet Russes’ Petrouchka with Nijinsky. He spent several years in the Spanish army, including a six-month stretch in the Rif War of 1920 in Northern Africa. His artistic career pushed ahead as he set off for Paris and became familiar with modernism’s forays into abstraction, surrealism, and cubism. The artist arrived in the U.S. in 1924 and settled in Chicago two years later. He established himself with a commission for the decoration of two chapels in St. Gregory’s Church. He also worked in fashion illustration, designed magazine covers and developed a popular laundry bag for the Hotel Sherman. De Diego began exhibiting through the Art Institute of Chicago in 1929, and participated in the annual Chicago Artists Exhibitions, Annual American Exhibitions, and International Water Color Exhibitions. He held a solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in the summer of 1935. Though the artist’s career was advancing, his family life had deteriorated. In 1932 his first marriage dissolved, and the couple’s young daughter Kiriki was sent to live with friend Paul Hoffman. De Diego continued to develop his artistic vocabulary with a growing interest in Mexican art. He traveled throughout the country acquainting himself with the works of muralists such as Carlos Merida, and also began a collection of small native artifacts...

Italian painting from the first half of the 20th century. Framework oil on board depicting a wooded landscape with a character of good pictorial quality. Modern frame in carved and g...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a women’s hat & coat for Saks Fifth Avenue. Inscription reads: "Wolf great coat from Sak's Fifth Avenue". Ar...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's autumn suit. Inscription reads: "Brown and grey suit and cape affair from Town and Country, Blum's ...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's red gown, evening wear. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/2 inches. Archivally matted to 16 x 12 inches. P...

Good wholesome mid-century Americana is on full display in the joyous illustration that depicts a red horsedrawn sled of merrymaking folks being rreated at an inn. Signed lower left ...

Birds by Jankel Adler (1895-1949) Oil and ciment on canvas 61.4 x 46.4 cm (24¹/₈ x 18¹/₄ inches) Signed lower right, Adler Executed in 1948 Provenance Galerie Charles Lienhard, Zürich, 1959 Gimpel Fils Gallery, London Denham Gallery, UK Exhibitions John Denham Gallery, Jankel Adler, June 9th - June 23rd 1996 Jankel Adler was born in Lodz, Poland and lived a life of wandering. In 1912 he moved to Belgrade where he began training as an engraver with his uncle and then went to Germany in 1914 where he lived for a time with his sister in Barmen. There he studied at the college of arts and crafts with Professor Gustav Wiethücher. Between 1918 and 1921 he moved between Lodz and Germany until in 1922, he settled in Düsseldorf where he became a teacher at the Academy of Arts, and became acquainted with Paul Klee, who influenced his work. A painting by Adler received a gold medal at the exhibition “German art Düsseldorf” in 1928. In 1933, with the rise of Hitler’s Nazi regime, he left Germany for Paris. With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, he volunteered for the Polish army...

Jim’s of Lambertville is proud to offer this artwork by: Gershon Benjamin (1899 - 1985) An American Modernist of portraits, landscapes, still lives, and the urban scene, Gershon ...

Magazine story illustration for part four of “Black Jack” by Robert E. Pinkerton, published in The Saturday Evening Post, December 11, 1943, page 32. This compelling illustration, ...

Signed lower right: Albert W. / Hampson

5-3086 oil on canvas set in a vintage gilt wood frame

Georgina Klitgaard Arroyo Seco, New Mexico Signed lower right Oil on canvas 28 x 42 inches Georgina Klitgaard’s art has sometimes gotten lost in the critical propensity to assign a...

Artist: Warren Francis Snow (1869-1962) Title: Sans titre (1945) Year: 1945 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 56.5 x 35 inches Inscription: Hand signed and dated, recto Provenance: Propert...

A Large, Colorful Vermont Landscape Painting by Famed Chicago Modern Artist, Harold Haydon. A wonderful quirky self portrait of the artist ...

Date: 1941 Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: 30.00" x 50.00" Signature: Signed Lower Left

Medium: Watercolor and Gouache on Paper laid on Board Signature: Signed and Dated on the Reverse Study for advertisement promoting Webster Cigars at Florida's Boca Raton Club, circa...

Mattais Cartier (French, circa 1910–1960) Cubist Figure with Raised Arm, 1947 Oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right Executed in 1947, this bold and architectonic composition ...

Medium: Oil on Canvas Signature: Signed Monogram Lower Left Sight Size 20.00" x 45.00", Framed 26.00" x 51.00" This piece was used for at least two separate Amoco advertisements. "A Real Happy New...

Title: Bell Tower of a Spanish Village Artist: Joaquín Asensio Mariné (1890-1961) Technique: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 25.6 x 21.3 in (65 x 54 cm) Framed: No Period: First half of th...