Rita Gombinski

Mixed Media Drawing and Painting Abstract Mod Colorful Faces Jewish Woman Artist

20th Century

William Gropper Original Gouache on Paper depicting man carrying an axe and woman carrying basket walking together. Hand signed lower right Fra...

William Gropper Original Gouache on Paper Hand signed lower right 33.5 x 27.5 image 26 x 20.5 The New-York born artist William Gropper was a painter and cartoonist who, with caricature style, focused on social concerns, and was actively engaged in support of the organized labor movement throughout his career. This original watercolor drawing is done in the iconic style of the artist's oeuvre. Born to Harry and Jenny Gropper in 1897, William was raised in New York City's Lower East Side. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Romania and Ukraine, and young William grew up in relative poverty, watching his family struggle to achieve that sought-after American dream. His father, a bright and college-educated man, was unable to find employment that worthy of his intellect. His mother, meanwhile, worked as a seamstress from home. Coupled with the devastating loss of an aunt to the infamous Triangle Factory fire of 1911, significant childhood factors created the foundation that led to Gropper’s exploration of the American experience. Early on, Gropper displayed an extraordinary, natural skill for art. By 1912, he was already studying under the instruction of George Bellows and Robert Henri at the Ferrer School in Greenwich Village. During his time at school, Gropper was also awarded a prestigious scholarship to study at the National Academy of Design. However, he refused to fit into convention and was swiftly expelled from the Academy. After his expulsion, Gropper returned home to help financially by assisting his mother and taking a shop position. However, he didn't abandon art academia and soon presented a portfolio to the New York School of Fine Art which earned him a scholarship for study. Gropper obtained his first significant job as a cartoonist for the New York Tribune in 1917. While working as a staff cartoonist for the Tribune, he also contributed drawings to publications like Vanity Fair, New Masses, The Nation, and Freiheit. His interest in the welfare of the American worker, class inequality, and social injustice was central in his work. After publishing the graphic novel Alley Oop in 1930, Gropper's illustration career extended well into the decade. However, he was never exempt from controversy, and his 1935 Vanity Fair cartoon; prompted anger from the Japanese government. As an involved labor organizer and Social Realist activist, Gropper continued to bring attention to his radical reputation with visits to the Soviet Union and Poland. However, his concern with European politics and U.S. social causes didn't slow down his artistic career, and by the late 1930s, he had produced significant murals for American cities like Washington D.C. His 1938 mural Construction of a Dam was commissioned for the Department of the Interior and represents the Social-Realism style that depicts experiences of the worker and everyday societal life. Measuring at a staggering 27ft by 87ft, the piece portrays muscular, robust American laborers scaling rocky hillsides, building infrastructure, and operating heavy machinery. The mural feels undeniably American with golden scenery, denim blues, and steely gray colors. Gropper fits perfectly into Social-Realism because the style exhibits an illustrative flair with strong lines and simple, bold hues. The inspiration for Construction of a Dam sprang from his 1937 travels to the poverty-stricken Dust Bowl area. The trip was sponsored by a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and his drawings of the Grand Coulee and Boulder Dams...

MALCAH ZELDIS Circus, Trapeze Artists, Horse rider and Acrobats gouache on paper Hand signed and dated bottom right. titled in pencil on paper verso. Fr...

MALCAH ZELDIS Circus, Trapeze Artists, Horse rider and Acrobats gouache on paper Hand signed and dated bottom right. titled in pencil on paper verso. Fr...

MALCAH ZELDIS ''Basketball'', 1988, gouache on paper Hand signed and dated bottom right, titled in pencil on paper verso Malcah Zeldis (born Mildred ...

MALCAH ZELDIS Circus, Trapeze Artists and Acrobats gouache on paper Hand signed and dated bottom right. titled in pencil on paper verso. Framed to 15 X ...

Gloria Dudfield Yellow Purple Figure 1960s Oil Pastel and Gouache on Paper 36"x28" unframed $800 *Custom framing available for additional charge. Please ...

Oxford all night party 1983 (after a picture by Dafydd Jones), by Manuel Santelices Ink and gouache on paper Image size: 14 in. H x 11 in. W Unframed 202...

Cala Lily, by Manuel Santelices Ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper Image size: 14 in. H x 11 in. W Unframed 2023 The worlds of fashion, society, and pop culture are explored thr...

A corner at Dries van Noten’s home by Manuel Santelices Ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper Image size: 15 in. H x 11 in. W Unframed 2022 The worlds of fashion, society, and pop...

Sonia "Spider" Quenell by Manuel Santelices Ink pen, watercolor, and gouache Image size: 11" x 14" Unframed 2022 Manuel Santelices explores the world of fashion, society, and pop c...

The paper in some of these photos looks overly textured due to the sharpness of the high-res digital camera. In person, with the human eye, the paper looks reasonably smooth with out blemishes. For this fashion illustration, Georges Lepape paints a stunning abstract pattern for the subject dress that is repeated in her hair. The work represents an early use of metallic paint, with silver metallic in the dress and bronze metallic in the blouse. Lepape's highly detailed drawing becomes more evident the closer you look. It's quite amazing how deftly he rendered facial feature on such a small scale. "Eva" 1918 Gouache, watercolor, and ink on paper Signed and dated, lower right: '1918' Inscribed, verso: "Costume for L'enfantement du mort, (miracle en pourpre, et or.). Devised by Marcel L'Herbier and performed at the Théatre Edouard VII and the Comédie des Champs-Elysées, 1919" Provenance: Ex-collection Lucien...