Posted 5 years ago
kwqd
(1185 items)
This painting's visible size is 14.5" x 19.5". It is probably a half sheet under the frame, 15" x 22". I found this at a local thrift shop several years ago. It is extremely well framed and sealed, so I have not taken it apart to look for a signature or title. No signature is visible on the front of the painting. This appears to be a loose copy of "May Day, Central Park", by Maurice Prendergast. It is not an exact copy, and is not signed where Prendergast's painting is signed. The main differences are that some of the figures are in slightly different locations in the painting and it appears to be unfinished. This may be an homage to Prendergast by an admiring artist or possibly a sketch by Prendergast. Prendergast was known to have painted multiple versions of many of his paintings. It was framed by Beach Arts of Bonita Springs, Florida. The glass was so dirty that the painting appeared quite washed out, and it didn't look like much, and I was startled at how rich the colors were, once the glass was cleaned. A pleasant surprise. After I posted this on my art collection web site, several people made back door efforts to try to purchase it from me. I was not that familiar with Prendergast's work at the time and did not recognize the similarity to his work. A fellow collector contacted me and gave me a heads up. I am a pure collector, I don't collect for profit or sell from my collection so had not been tempted to sell it, anyway. I've been advised to have it examined by a Prendergast expert, but I don't have any real motivation to do so, and I plan to just continue to enjoy it. When I finally have to downsize, I will decide what to do with it. In the mean time, it hangs on my living room wall.
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1926.17
https://useum.org/artwork/May-Day-Central-Park-Maurice-Prendergast-1901
Funny story (or sad depending on your point of view). I have several paintings hanging around this one on my wall, and also below it I have a few unframed works resting on the frame of the painting below it. I live in an 1880s house with box locks on the doors, even the back door, and a few years (five? more?) ago I misplaced my back door key and have been looking for ever since. I found it today hanging on a nail behind a painting I moved to do this photograph. The key fits several locks in the house, so I must have hung it by the door near this painting.
Thanks for loving my painting Thomas, Jenni and LaurenRedmond! I will post a framed image later today.
Thank you AdeleC and vetraio50!
Thank you keramikos!
Thank you fortapache!
Thanks glassiegirl, Radegunder, renedijkstra and aura!
Another beautiful scene to look at.
Great news (and amusing) about the key!!
Thanks Karen! I get to lock my back door again!
Beautiful artwork and glad you are a true art collector as I am. I do not post much of the works I have collected but I may in time. Thank You for sharing, I really enjoyed seeing it.
Thanks dlpetersen! I show virtually all of the paintings in my collection on my web site . The url is in my profile.
Thanks Eileen! One of these days, I will pull the backing off and see if there is any information on the back of the painting.
Oops! Looks like I posted this painting twice, once long ago-ish and once recently-ish. I think I did this post to tell about finding my lost key!