Harry Mathes Midcentury Abstract Expressionist Oil on Board

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RARE FIND! This is a fantastic original Mid-Century oil on board by listed artist Harry Mathes (1886-1969). Mathes' works are … Read more RARE FIND! This is a fantastic original Mid-Century oil on board by listed artist Harry Mathes (1886-1969). Mathes' works are held in impressive collections and some of his works have commanded very high prices (please read his full bio below).

This is a great chance to own a very nice work by an extremely talented and celebrated artist. It is a wonderful example of this era in painting. On one side you have an outstanding abstract expressionist piece, signed in the lower right. On the reverse is a study, also signed. It is not dated but looks to be circa 1940s. This is a standout among his available works and a must-have for the collector!

Certification: Gallery Certificate of Authenticity for items that sell for more that $500.

Condition: Good condition. Some crazing as expected. Some wear to edges that could be covered with framing. Please see photos

Measurements: Painting is approx 14.5"x19.5". Unframed as shown.

About the Artist: Harry Mathes (1882-1969) -- AKA Harry Aaron Mathes and Harry Arno Mathes -- was an American painter and illustrator whose works encompassed Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Cubism and Abstract Expressionism. Mathes was trained at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts before studying in Europe during World War I. He returned to New York and was a lifetime member of the Art Students' League, where he studied with significant tutors of the times. Mathes illustrated often in the early 1900s for Harpers Magazine and Scribners, as well as for several books and railroad publications. The recipient of many awards, he was regarded as "an established but neglected painter" (New York Times, 6-13-1956) who became best known for his Abstract Expressionist canvases.

Harry Mathes resided in Greenwich Village for much of his life and became a dependable contributor to the New York art community. Though working in oil and watercolor primarily, many of his pastel sketches and ink drawings remain. He experimented in semi-abstraction and abstract-non-figurative styles, as well as what his instructor Tschacbasov labeled "abstract surrealism." His works are included in collections of the Huntington Library (Pasadena, CA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art/Watson Library, and the Glenbow Museum's exhibit of American Illustrators in Calgary, Alberta. Mathes contributed to annual exhibits at the Whitney Museum in 1922-23 and 1926-27, and is included in the Peter A. Juley Collection of American Artists (photography exhibit) at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. See less