Continental US - Paintings

Friedrich Ortlieb (German, 1839-1909) A fine and large oil on canvas titled "New Year's Day at The grandfather's". The joyful indoor family scene depicting a Christmas and new year's celebration with an elder seated couple, the grandparents, the grandmother holding a toddler on her arms, the grandfather with his smoking pipe by his side, both enjoying a young boy's (grandson) poem recital, while other children await their turn with gifts as the mesmerized young parents Stand and watch in awe. A Christmas tree by the window, a cat sneaking by and a basket with wine and bread awaits being delivered as a gift to the elders. A young boy sits patiently on a chair, an apple and an umbrella by his side. Signed: Fried Ortlieb, München 1873 - (lower right). An engraved brass plaque reads "New Year's at the grandfathers - Friederich Ortlieb 1839-1909) Munich, circa 1873. Friedrich Ortlieb was an accomplished artist, born in Stuttgart in 1839 and died in Munich on the 4th October 1909. He received his formal art training at the L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Stuttgart and also at Steffeck, Berlin. He exhibited widely, though most notably in Dresden and Vienna from 1871. He is best remembered for his genre scenes with children as shown in this finely detailed example of his work. Epitomizing the very best in this genre, Ortlieb depicts the character and personality of the children in joyful situations with accuracy and great sensitivity to the subject matter, a frozen moment in time with so much detail and emotion expressed in the children’s and elder's faces. Related literature: E. Benezit, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs by Gründ, Volume 8, Page 41 Provenance: Grogan Company, Dedham, December 5, 1999 - Sale No. 81, Lot 13 Gallerie in Paris, 2000 Christie's New York 2003 Paris art gallery...

Subdued in palette but gorgeous in subtle detail, this painting of a seated male nude from behind captures the sensuality and beauty of the human figure. The painter, Roberto Lupetti...

19th century painting of a maid and her lover, signed and dated In great condition Ready to hang Size of frame is : 38 inches by 30 inches Size of work is : 28 inches by 20 inches John Douglas...

Very hard to come by color etching by famous Mexican furniture designer Don Shoemaker, dating from 1951. Hand signed, numbered and titled on...

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period painting from the 19th century of an ancestral group portrait in custom frame. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Chinese history with this Qing Dynasty period painting, an ancestral group portrait from the 19th century that masterfully captures the essence of traditional Chinese society and family hierarchy. This vertical painting, housed in a custom composition wood frame with plexiglass, is a testament to the time-honored artistry of Qing Dynasty artists. Crafted on parchment paper, the painting displays generations of ancestors in a systematic, frontal arrangement. The chromatic spectrum of their robes - blues, reds, greens, golds, blacks, and oranges - adds vibrant depth to the ancestral tribute. Civil officials are distinguished by bird-adorned buzi, an emblem of their rank. In line with tradition, the portrait hierarchy descends from top to bottom - the older generation presides at the top, followed by subsequent generations. The men are positioned on the right, the women on the left, reflecting the societal norms of the period. Bordering the parchment, a silk frame contributes an elegant finish. Display this painting above a credenza, console table, or enfilade, and it promises to enhance any interior space with its captivating allure and cultural resonance. This Qing Dynasty painting...

Fine 19th century English oil on canvas: Portrait of a dog, after Edwin Landseer. The verso photo documented, original canvas, Initialed W M May 1882. Based on a drawing of Landseer's Scottish deerhound...

Immerse yourself in the captivating depths of this vintage original abstract oil painting on board. A stunning example of textural artistry, this piece features a rich tapestry of gr...

French Victorian (19th Cent) oil painting of French regiment on horseback (signed BAIRD) in gilt frame

French Victorian gilt framed oil painting of seated black and white terrier (signed DUBOUY, 1904).    

Early 19th century oil painting Signed "M. Isaacs" Dated "1918" Beautiful painting depicts a canal in Venice, Italy Two small restorations (shown in photo) Fine gold leaf frame

Orientalist Painting Wall Art Arab Market Scene Dutch G. Huijsser Antique Frame. Very nice oil on cardboard by Gerard Huijsser, Dutch painter, depicting a gathering of people in a or...

Monumental 1960s Lee Reynolds Mid Century Modern Impressionist Framed Oil Painting of Colorful, Detailed, Delicate Dancing Wildflowers Swept up by a Breeze. Focal and masterfully ...

Painted in France circa 1890, this evocative oil on panel depicts a bustling Paris boulevard at dusk. Executed in the manner of Édouard Cortès and Eugene Galien-Laloue, the scene cap...

Abstract Impressionist Mixed Media Drawing by Lynough, Framed, C1975. 18 1/4" x 24 1/4" x 7/8". An abstract impressionist mixed media drawing signed by Lynough, created around ...

This listing is for a beautiful set of 7 Chinese Export Gouache (watercolor) paintings on rice/pith papers depicting the traditional Chinese cos...

A traditional Russian icon of St. Nicholas portrayed in a frontal, half-length view, dressed in bishop's attire. He blesses with his right hand while holding the open Gospels in his ...

This charming oil on mahogany board depicts a portrait of a young woman in typical early 19th-century fashion surrounded by foliage while she sits on a rock tending to her shoe. Hous...

Very large - six foot by four foot - 1960s era canvas by the American artist Charles Arcier (1914-1995). This vibrantly stylized painting perfectly captures the cool vibes and smoot...

Large 19th Century English Oil Painting -Five Hunting Dogs- signed E. Armfield. Large, signed painting in oil on canvas. This ...

Artists: Pedro Friedeberg (Mexican, b. 1936) Title: "Nietzche's Last Picnic" Year: 1969 Medium: oil, pen and ink on board Size: 15 x 20" Marked: signed and dated "MCMLXIX" mid-...

The oil painting depicting a nude female in a state of relaxation, her hair styled in the fashion of the Art Deco period, in period molded and ebonized frame with gilt rabbet.

Copy of a mythological dreamscape painting combining Gothic and Neo Classical imagery of a devil sleeping on a womans chest Condition: Good; Wear consistent with age and use

Abstract oil on art board in subtle broad stroke tones. Predominant colors are gold, yellow, teal, gray, blue, violet and brown. Clean gray lacquered wood frame. Signed B. Levin '64.

This is a very handsome and well detailed watercolor from the mid-19th century. Signed and dated, mounted in a period gold-guilded frame and retaining the original old glass. The des...

Pair of old master paintings by August Querfurt (1696-1761). Oil on panel, one signed with initials in the lower left. Two scenes depicting hawking parties from the 18th century. ...

Wonderful mixed media entitled, Construction #2 by Norman Conn (1932-2003), circa 1961. Signed verso with D'Arcy Gallery, NYC label. Very good condition. Perfectly weathered and mast...

Robert Schwedler (German, 1816-1887) A Biedermeier portrait of a brother and sister, signed and dated 1845 canvas: 13 by 15 ½ inches frame: 17 by 20 inches

Copy of an impressionist watercolor of a Venetian scene titled "From the Gondola"

An original British School Regency Period watercolor portrait, mounted in a Georgian Period fruitwood frame – Dated 1834. These watercolors were largely painted by young girls fro...

Unique Impressionist painting "Caribbean" in patinated and engraved bronze and pewter with enamel cloisonne in green, yellow, blue, and red with hand-brazed braided bronze frame by P...

Copy of a classical portrait painting of Russian Royal Caterina II or Catherine The Great in Red Great Coat with medals and fur cap

An 18th century French Louis XVI style trumeau mirror with a large painting depicting Venus at the Forge of Vulcan. Fine quality oil on canvas with vivid color. Gilded wood frame is ...

Thierry Despont, best-known as a very successful architect, was also an accomplished artist. In his painting practice, when not analyzing the smallest, most detailed creatures of the...

Bring warmth and refinement to any living space with this exquisite set of three antique landscape paintings. Painted in France circa 1890, each oil on board captures a peaceful rura...

English oil on canvas portrait dating from the late 1700s painted in the manor of Joshua Reynolds. We believe the giltwood frame could be the original as it is right for the period. ...

Abstract painting by Cuban artist Hiremio Santaolaya "Autocontemplacion", 2019 Offered for sale is a figurative abstract acrylic on canva...

Oil on board seascape titled "Romance of the Sea". The artist was born in Odessa, Ukraine, in 1883. After immigrating to Cairo in 1912, his travels took him to Holland, Indonesia, an...

Painted in southern France circa 1885, this captivating maritime landscape captures the luminous atmosphere of the Port de Marseille along the Mediterranean coast. The oil on canvas,...

A stunning abstract painting by Australian Aboriginal artist Nyurapayia Nampitjinpa (also known as Mrs. Bennett; 1935-2013). Entitled "Tjukurla Country", this work was acrylic on Be...

George Sotter's Studio in Bucks County Pa, a brisk winter night. Chimney smoke gently kisses the air. The starry night sparkles over deciduous trees as lush snow covers the ground. D...

Leonard Thorpe "Nelson's Column" original oil painting, circa 1960 Nelson's Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, Centra...

Rendered with reverent precision, this hand-signed 1996 depiction of the Great Sphinx of Giza emerges from its papyrus canvas in a luminous tableau of ancient mystique and modern art...

Large 1960s Mid-century Modern Abstract Hard Edge Painting Offered for sale is a striking 1960s vintage hard edge abstract painting with great movement. The painting is unsigned an...

29 x 23 Signed Original Abstract Painting by Serge Paquet (Paque) Abstract original acrylic painting by Quebec artist Serge "Paque" Paquet circa 1970s ...

Depicting a worn road through a pasture toward a thatch roofed village with mountains in the background, in a period giltwood frame

A Marvelous 19th Century Italian Oil on Canvas titled "The Cardinal's Present" by Arturo Ricci. This oil on canvas is truly incredible and one of Ricci's best works of art. The sce...

20th Century Chinese ancestor portrait painting on canvas. Depicts a Qing Dynasty male and female figure dressed as an emperor and empress in red red robes decorated with cranes, sea...

An unusual, modernist painting by Hilda Altschule, 1950. Entitled "Orpheus and Euridyce", oil on canvas. A quick note about the artist "Hilda Coates Altschule (New York, Russian, 190...

Oversized Lee Reynolds abstract acrylic painting on canvas signed in lower right corner. Painting has great texture and a gold metal frame. Hangi...

Absolutely Stunning! MID CENTURY EXPRESSIONIST SEASCAPE Large Approx. 29" x 41" Beautiful Mid Century Wood Frame This is a wonderful and eye-catching seascape! This print and frame is in fine vintage shape with age appropriate wear. It is a most romantic and vibrant seascape combining the unrelenting power of the sea with the sun lit heavens! Vintage mid century prints...

Watercolor and ink depicting three women standing in the corner of a room next to a large window with a full view of prostitutes in the street below. Presented in a nickel frame, mat...

Attributed to Flora Crockett (American, 1892-1979), Untitled Abstraction. Flora Crockett is a newly discovered American abstractionist whose career spanned the middle decades of th...

Spectacular oil on canvas portrait of a beagle dog signed left lower R.de Soto. In a gold tone frame.

19th century Russian princess with tiara and elaborate jewelry portrait miniature This young woman is wearing elaborate jewelry and a golden tiara....

A dark-blue, black abstract interior with chairs and window surround, oil on wood in canvas on a blue frame by Daniel Clesse, painted in France, signed and dated circa in 1970. Dani...

A handsome and sophisticated mixed media on canvas by American artist John Rigsby. Found in a original state of preservation. His works are few and far between. The following biography was submitted by John David Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. The author is Lisa Rigsby Peterson, daughter of the artist, and owner of the copyright of the biography. John David Rigsby was born on October 10, 1934, the seventh child of an Alabama Depression-era sharecropper's son. He and his family moved frequently, from one one-room structure to another, often with no running water, no plumbing, no heat but the stove. His father was killed in a car accident when Rigsby was just 9 years old. Life for the remaining eight family members proved tumultuous and difficult -- food wasn't plentiful, nor money. The family moved from place to place, following work -- Rigsby attended 30 different schools before graduating from high school. Despite living in poverty, Rigsby demonstrated academic and artistic aptitude at a young age. Two oil paintings on covers ripped off of old books that he painted when he was eight years old show the promise of an imaginative and gifted eye. Rigsby was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1953. As he later wrote, "When basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, was over, I was told to go out and find a job. Jasper Johns was painting visual aids for the 28th Regimental Headquarters. He suggested the Band Training Unit." Rigsby played the clarinet in that unit, and after 2 years of service, he enrolled at the University of Alabama on the G.I. Bill to study art. After just two years, he left school and followed his mentor (and one of the greatest and longest-lasting influences on his art), Japanese artist and U of A art instructor Tatsu Heima, to New York City. Heima introduced him to Isamu Noguchi and suggested that Rigsby work as Noguchi's assistant. Instead, Rigsby chose a job as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, since "the notion of seeing all of that art appealed more to me than the boring task of studio assistant." The opportunity was a rich one for Rigsby. He had a chance to study the masters, and cited Rembrandt with his simplicity and elegance as another of the most important influences on his work. In the years between 1957 and 1963, when Rigsby eventually earned his BFA in sculpture, the artist traveled back and forth between New York and Tuscaloosa, alternating study with forays into the fertile New York art scene. Rigsby exhibited some of his early sculpture work in 1958 at a small New York gallery, which was also exhibiting the work of Willem and Elaine de Kooning and Theodore Stamos. Shortly thereafter, searching for an educational venue closer to New York City, Rigsby visited New Haven, Connecticut, and spent an afternoon speaking with Josef Albers at Yale. Albers agreed to accept Rigsby into the Yale program on the condition that he take freshman drawing all over again. A brilliant opportunity, but, in Rigsby's words, "When it was time to register, I was hitchhiking back to Alabama, looking for food and shelter." Rigsby had his first one-man show at the University of Alabama in 1959. A visiting critic from New York, J.F. Goosen, reviewed the show and wrote "here is a talent which produces art because that is the thing for a gifted person to do. In his effortless ease of conception and execution, he has already achieved a goal that eludes many artists for a lifetime." Finally, in 1963, Rigsby received his degree in sculpture, dissolved a short-lived marriage, visited his family, packed up his car and headed permanently for New York. That year, his work was included in a group show at the Delgado Museum in New Orleans - which led to a one-man exhibit at the Delgado in 1964. During 1964, Rigsby took drawing classes at Columbia University, and worked at the General Post Office at night. He met his future wife, Linda Palmieri, and married. In 1965, his daughter Lisa was born, followed in 1966 by the birth of his son, John David Jr. In 1966, Rigsby had a successful one-man show at the Pietrantonio Gallery in New York. Shortly thereafter, he and the family moved to Tunis, Tunisia at the suggestion of a colleague, who urged him to "come paint by the light of Klee." Rigsby worked for the United States Information Agency as a teacher, and he spent the next year and a half painting over ninety paintings inspired by the smells, light, and Phoenician and Roman art surrounding him. He also executed a number of character and landscape drawings, capturing the Tunisian way of life. During his time in Tunisia, Rigsby's work was shown there in two major exhibits. Upon the family's return to the U.S. in 1968, Rigsby once again exhibited at the Pietrantonio Gallery. Later that year, Rigsby enrolled in Southern Connecticut State College's Urban Studies program, earning a master's degree in 1970. During his time at SCSU, Rigsby worked as the city of Bridgeport's Curator of Exhibits, driving a mobile art gallery from schools to neighborhood fairs and housing projects. After completing his degree, Rigsby had an exhibit at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia. This exhibit caught the attention of a member of the search committee looking to hire an artist for a newly-developed program in neighboring South Carolina. In 1970, Rigsby was selected as the first Artist-in-Residence in the state of South Carolina for the National Endowment for the Arts Artists in Schools program. His work with the newly-integrated students at Beaufort (SC) High School over the term of his residency precluded substantial work on his own art. He did, however, set up a studio in downtown Beaufort, and was able to create a modest number of paintings, which were included in exhibits at the Columbia Museum in South Carolina in 1971 and Yale University in 1973. At the end of his residency in 1974, Rigsby was named the National Visual Arts Coordinator of the Artists in Schools program for the NEA, a post he held for two years. In this position, Rigsby traveled the country, reviewing grant applications, meeting with state leaders in government, education and the arts to promote program concepts and explore local opportunities. The message he repeated over and over again echoed that of one of the other major influences on Rigsby as an artist - Ruth Asawa Lanier, whose words taught him that all of the work that the artist does is the artist's work, not simply the paintings he creates. In his capacity as National Coordinator, as well as many times in the future, Rigsby stressed that artists function in the same way as any other person in society, and deserved the same respect and place for their work as did all other professions. After two years traveling the country, Rigsby was ready for a change, saying "for the first time in my adult life, there was not a body of paintings to show for the years put into my work." In 1976, a summer retreat to the mountain community of Central City, Colorado, led to a permanent relocation. Eventually settling in the small town of Evergreen, Rigsby followed his own advice about artists becoming actively involved in their communities, and he established the Evergreen Visual Arts Center. The Center provided working space for artists, classes for adults and children, and, most importantly, a place for Rigsby to create his own work. Buoyed by the opportunity to concentrate once again on his art, and inspired by his new surroundings, Rigsby entered an extremely prolific period in his career. In 1977, he organized a traveling exhibition of his paintings, which showed at the Kimball Arts Center in Utah, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Arvada Center in Colorado. 1978 brought more exhibits, notably in Aspen and Denver, as Rigsby's work continued. He took an extended trip to visit his mentor, Tatsu Heima, in Japan, where he climbed Mt. Fuji, followed by travels to Tehran, Delhi, and several European countries. He chronicled his impressions from his travels in a small collection of paintings upon his return to the U.S. - the beginning of a practice which would continue through the rest of his life. In 1979, Rigsby's marriage failed, and at the same time he lost the lease to his Evergreen studio to redevelopment plans. In response to the personal chaos around him, Rigsby began a series of what he called "hard-nosed process paintings," the watercolor paintings of dots which marked his work from this period. The paintings gained him an NEA Individual Artist grant in 1980, as well as a Yaddo fellowship in 1981. The polka dot paintings were followed by a series of cupcake-like images, again examining space and color. During the early 1980s, Rigsby lived in a suite of old dentists' offices in a rundown part of Denver, with a studio in an area that reminded him of the Bowery in New York. In 1984, Rigsby founded the Progreso Gallery in the building where he lived, using the space both to show his own work and also to mount shows of the work of many Colorado artists. The gallery also served as a focal point for Denver's local arts community, hosting weekly discussion groups and classes. In 1984, Rigsby traveled to the Baja Peninsula and then in 1985 to Yugoslavia. After each sojourn, Rigsby returned to create vibrant and explosive paintings based on his experiences, showing them at his Progreso gallery and another alternative gallery in Denver, the Edge Gallery. The economic recession of the mid-eighties hit the art market and Rigsby hard, however, and although he continued to create new works of art, major exhibitions were difficult to come by. In 1987, Rigsby decided to leave Denver and spent six months in Barcelona, Spain. It was an electrifying trip for him. Rigsby wrote of that time: "The streets alone are a visual feast, and the additions of museums from Saarinen, Picasso and Miro to 12th century icons produced artistic indigestion. My paintings are always about the way things look and feel. Barcelona was a time machine extending those sensory and emotional concerns back to the Middle Ages. I felt the need to reduce my work to essential elements of color, scale, drawing and format. The [resulting] color studies speak eloquently for themselves, and in doing so, redefine all of the work I've done in the past 35 years of painting." Rigsby completed over a hundred paintings while in Barcelona - color studies, street portraits of the characters he encountered on a daily basis, and a number of dark landscape paintings. He found time to run with the bulls in Pamplona, and began writing stories about his adventures that were later published. Upon his return to Denver in 1988, Rigsby continued to explore the alter egos of the color studies - he concentrated on a series of dark paintings, all prominently featuring back. He commented about these black paintings that he " decided it was time to explore the perception of the eye and physical space as defined by low -light conditions…I find these paintings elegant, joyous and light-filled, with no feeling of heaviness at all." In mid-1988, Rigsby moved permanently to Houston, Texas, where he would spend the last five years of his life. Once in Houston, Rigsby made a discovery that would serve as the inspiration and material for some of the last works of his career. In 1989, he discovered a salvage yard filled with scrap rubber, and he began working on black rubber sculptures, as well as paintings with rubber elements incorporated. He made strong connections in the Houston alternative arts scene, and became a regular contributor and art critic for a local weekly newspaper, The Public News. From 1989 through 1992, he exhibited his sculptures and paintings at Houston's Brent Gallery, Fountainhead Gallery, and Blaffer Gallery. He also produced an installation of his rubber sculptures on the roof of the Diverse Works Gallery in Houston. 1992 also marked Rigsby's return to Denver when he exhibited his sculptures at the Payton-Rule Gallery in Denver, leading to an Absolut Rigsby commission by Carillon Importers. The 1990s were a tremendous struggle for Rigsby, with financial crises compounded by physical trauma (he accidentally sawed off the top joint of the index finger of his left hand while working in his studio). Although his work was being shown, it wasn't selling, and the tremendous financial pressure he felt weighed heavily upon him. He spent an increasing proportion of his time going to flea markets and garage sales, rehabilitating and repairing the things he bought there, and then re-selling them simply to raise enough money to keep a roof over his head. He had little time to paint or sculpt, the things in life that had always, no matter what the circumstances, brought him joy. Rigsby's final works were a series of intricate paintings and drawings on used books that he purchased at the flea market. Most of these drawings, which he referred to as sculptural form drawings, were executed on page after page of science texts, music books, and a Korean bible and fill hundreds of pages. Additionally, Rigsby created an exquisite book he titled 28 de los Angeles, in which his twenty-eight simple and elegant drawings of angels resonated with the influence of Rembrandt he had so admired in his early days. In a sense, Rigsby's final works, art created on used books which were the only materials he could afford, brought his work and life full circle from his childhood days. Rigsby's life, though begun and ended in adversity, was nonetheless illuminated and enriched by the irresistible impulse he had to create art and beauty. John David Rigsby was killed in a one-car accident in Colorado in August, 1993. Biography from the Archives of askART Following is a review by Michael Paglia of the artist's July 2004 retrospective at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art. It was submitted by John Rigsby, Jr., son of the artist. There's a magnificent retrospective at Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art devoted to the work of the late John David Rigsby, who was a major powerhouse in Colorado's art scene. "Dots, Blobs and Angels" surveys more than forty years' worth of the remarkable artist's paintings and sculptures. The year 1993 was strange, and by that I mean terrible. Many of the city's galleries closed because of bad economic times, and then the artists started dying. In a matter of a few months, Denver lost three significant artists: Rigsby, experimental photographer Wes Kennedy...

Framed Surrealist Seascape painting, oil on canvas with linen matting by California artist Robert Watson. Titled #27 Shoreline. Retains the original paper label from a San Francisco ...

Philadelphia artist Emlen Etting returned again and again to the theme of Icarus Falling, in part because it gave him an opportunity to depict the nude male in motion. This is the fi...

Measuring 56 H x 67 W, this large Dutch oil on canvas painting from the 1700s depicts a Southern landscape of a glen beneath a rocky cliff. The expansive valley stretches far into the distance, before terminating at a lake in front of a mountain. Numerous flocks of sheep can be seen throughout the basin, including a group high up on the towering cliff with green trees dotting the sand-colored rock. Most of the flocks in the distance are being tended to by shepherds, but interestingly, a group of four men has gathered in the foreground to engage in leisurely activities as their sheep, cows, goat, and dog await nearby. A few chateaus can be seen in the distance, but most of the architecture is in the style of a capriccio, in that they are dilapidated. The top of a stone obelisk is missing and there are some losses to the inscribed pedestal next to it that supports a lidded urn. Large pieces of broken rock are scattered about, with one slab being used as a seat/table for two shepherds playing cards. Several birds fly in the blue sky, with the setting sun giving the clouds hues of gray, orange, and pink. The peaceful scene is surrounded by a brown wood frame with a thin undulating gilt border that edges the canvas. Our large Dutch painting...

WWII, how are you? Private Theater: Gay American Soldier in Reflection, Original WWII-Era Gouache, Signed CSG A highly nuanced, emotionally layered, and visually accomplished original painting in gouache and watercolor on Whatman drawing board, signed CSG lower right. This rare mid-20th-century work portrays a seated U.S. Army Air Forces officer—smiling faintly, cigarette in hand, and with a small black-bound diary resting on his lap—lost in reverie as smoke from his cigarette rises and transforms into the visages of three idealized male figures. Rendered in an illustrative realist style with tonal sensitivity and surreal suggestion, the composition invites interpretation as an interior portrait of desire, intimacy, and memory—quietly coded, emotionally sincere, and possibly autobiographical. The figure wears a regulation-issue A-2 leather flight jacket, iconic of U.S. Army Air Forces personnel during WWII. The jacket is detailed with a personalized, hand-painted circular patch depicting a lion rampant in a blue roundel—a heraldic symbol of power, pride, and possibly self-invention. An American flag patch is affixed to the left shoulder. The jacket, traditionally worn by bomber crews, officers, and pilots, functions here not only as a marker of military identity but as a gendered and cultural signifier—suggesting the complex intersection of duty, masculinity, and private identity. The slightly open collar, relaxed posture, and cigarette suggest the officer is off-duty—physically grounded but mentally elsewhere. The seated figure’s companions—summoned in smoke—appear above and behind him in a dreamlike procession: a helmeted infantryman, a pilot in goggles, and a hat-wearing civilian (?) man posed in pin-up style. Each face is rendered with tenderness and idealization, not as ghosts or casualties, but as romantic or erotic conquests: remembered lovers, fleeting encounters, or imagined partners. Their expressions, softly lit and emotionally present, reflect a form of desire neither tormented nor tragic. This is not a meditation on loss but on intimacy remembered, perhaps treasured. On the table beside him rests a small bronze Buddha...