Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5

Stephen Longstreet
Lonly (Lonely)

c. 20th century

About the Item

Signed lower right Provenance: Joseph M. Erdelac, Cleveland, OH Possibly deaccessed from the Columbus Museum of Art THOMAS FRENCH FINE ART, LLC Stephen Longstreet (1907-2002) At the artist’s website, the artist’s own grandchildren attempt to fathom the real life and nature of Stephen Longstreet, prolific author, artist, screenplay writer, and jazz aficionado. Born Chauncy Weiner (sometimes spelled Wiener) in New York City in 1907, Longstreet reinvented himself on a regular basis. Changing his name first to “Henry,” then “Henri,” he started his career as a commercial artist for a department store. In various public biographies he claimed to have studied in New York, London, and Paris, and said he was a student of cartoonist Ralph Barton (1891-1931). Facts that can be documented are that he was art editor for Golfer and Sportsman magazines, and was a contributor to various other magazines including The New Yorker, Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, Life, and Hooey, among others. He wrote sketches for NBC radio and the Rudy Vallee Show. In the 1930s, Longstreet worked and wrote under the names Thomas Burton, David Ormsbee, and Paul Haggard before settling on the name Stephen Longstreet in 1939. He wrote 12 novels under this name as well as numerous screen plays, most notably The Jolson Story, The Greatest Show on Earth, and The Helen Morgan Story. Longstreet claimed to have been introduced to ragtime and jazz by no less a legend than singer Paul Robeson while Robeson was an All-American football player at Rutgers University. However it happened, the world of jazz was a constant theme throughout Longstreet’s life. He drew and painted such notables as Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Duke Ellington. His media included collage, watercolors, and ink drawings. In 1989 Longstreet published his 100th book, Jazz from A to Z: a Graphic Dictionary. One of the more curious aspects of Longstreet’s art is his method of dating his material. He dated his works by the year depicted, not by the date of actual execution. Art signed “Longstreet” and dated before 1939 was actually done much later, as Stephen Longstreet did not exist prior to that! Early works from the late 1920s and 1930s will be signed “Henri” or “He” since Longstreet was still Weiner in those days. Later he often signed his work SL inside a circle. His collages dated in the 1950s or earlier were most likely done in the 1970s or 1980s. Longstreet spent most of his life in the Los Angeles area with his wife and oft-times collaborator, Ethel Longstreet. The artist remained active and prolific into his 90s. He died in Los Angeles in 2002 at the age of 94. Courtesy, Stephen Longstreet web site
  • Creator:
  • Creation Year:
    c. 20th century
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 17.5 in (44.45 cm)Width: 11.5 in (29.21 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Fairlawn, OH
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: FA93851stDibs: LU1401209333

More From This Seller

View All
Chain Gang Music
By Stephen Longstreet
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Chain Gang Music Watercolor on paper, dated '39, but created in the 1970's Signed "Longstreet" lower left corner Titled and annotated "George - '39" in pencil at top of sheet Provenance: Acquired from the artist Joseph M. Erdelac, friend and patron of the artist Born Henri Weiner (sometimes spelled Wiener), the artist tried alternate names and personae including Paul Haggard, Thomas Burton, and David Ormsbee before settling on the name Stephen Longstreet in 1939. Longstreet dates his art based on the period he means to represent, not the actual date of execution. Stephen Longstreet (1907-2002) The artist’s own grandchildren attempt to fathom the real life and nature of Stephen Longstreet, prolific author, artist, screenplay writer, and jazz aficionado. Born Chauncy Weiner (sometimes spelled Wiener) in New York City in 1907, Longstreet reinvented himself on a regular basis. Changing his name first to “Henry,” then “Henri,” he started his career as a commercial artist for a department store. In various public biographies he claimed to have studied in New York, London, and Paris, and said he was a student of cartoonist Ralph Barton...
Category

1970s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Two Women and a Child on the Beach at Provincetown
By Charles Demuth
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Two Women and a Child on the Beach at Provincetown Unsigned. Watercolor on paper, c. 1934 A beautiful Provincetown beach scene, included in the catalogue raisonne. Please see Babcoc...
Category

1930s American Modern Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Wire Haired Girl and Cat
By William Sommer
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Wire Haired Girl and Cat Pen and ink with watercolor, c. 1930 Signed with the Estate stamp "B" Provenance: Estate of the Artist By descent to his son Edward ...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Two Studies of Henriette (Head of the artist's wife & The Artist's wife writing
By Leon Kelly
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Two Studies of Henriette (Left: Head of the artist's wife, Right: The Artist's wife writing a letter) Watercolor and graphite on paper, 1928-1930 Signed in pencil lower right (see photo) Image/sheet size: 9 3/8 x 11 inches Condition: Excellent Colors fresh and unfaded Provenance: Estate of the artist The Orange Chicken...
Category

1920s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Girl in Profile
By William Sommer
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Girl in Profile Lithographic crayon and watercolor on thin wove paper, c. 1930 Signed twice in pencil (see photos) Provenance: Estate of the Artist Edward Somme...
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Untitled (Double sided watercolor) Recto: Figures seated at a table
By Ben Shahn
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Watercolor on paper Most probably related to the artist's creation of images surrounding Haggadah (Passover) which he started in 1930 and finished with the publication of his book in...
Category

1960s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

You May Also Like

Snow in Forest, Mid-Century Winter Landscape, Cleveland School Artist
By Clarence Holbrook Carter
Located in Beachwood, OH
Clarence Holbrook Carter (American, 1904-2000) Snow in the Forest, 1945 Watercolor on paper Signed and dated lower right 19 x 23.75 inches 24 x 29 inches, framed Clarence Holbrook C...
Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

WPA 1940s Framed Figurative Village Landscape with Figures, Houses & Mountains
By Charles Ragland Bunnell
Located in Denver, CO
This evocative watercolor painting, titled The Way War First Comes (1940), was created by noted American artist Charles Ragland Bunnell (1897-1968) during the Depression era. The pie...
Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor

Chinese Theater, Los Angeles
By Dong Kingman
Located in Missouri, MO
Dong Kingman "Chinese Theater, Los Angeles" 1965 Watercolor on Paper Sheet Size: 15 x 22 inches Framed Size: approx 19 x 26 inches Dong Kingman, the world-renowned artist and teacher, died in his sleep on May 12, 2000 at age 89 in his home in Manhattan. The cause was pancreatic cancer. Long acknowledged as an American watercolor master, he has received an extraordinary number of awards and honors throughout his 70-year career in the arts. Included are two Guggenheim fellowships in 1942 and 1943; the San Francisco Art Association First Purchase Prize, 1936; Audubon Artist Medal of Honor, 1946; Philadelphia Watercolor Club Joseph Pennel Memorial Medal, 1950; Metropolitan Museum of Art Award, and the National Academy Design 150th Anniversary Gold Medal Award, 1975. In 1987, the American Watercolor Society awarded Dong Kingman its highest honor, the Dolphin Medal, "for having made outstanding contributions to art especially to that of watercolor." His work is represented in the permanent collections of 50 museums and universities, including the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, M.H. deYoung Memorial Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Art Institute of Chicago, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden, Des Moines Art Center, Columbus Museum of Arts and Crafts, Brooklyn Museum and Hirshhorn Museum. Born in Oakland, California in 1911 of Chinese descent, Kingman moved to Hong Kong at age five. He studied art and calligraphy in his formative years at the Lingnan School. The painting master Szeto Wai had recently studied art in Paris and took a keen interest in young Dongs precocious talents. He taught him both Chinese classical and French Impressionist styles of painting. Kingman returned home to Oakland when he was 18 at the height of the Depression. He worked as a newsboy and dishwasher to make ends meet. When he was employed as a houseboy for the Drew family in San Francisco, he painted every spare moment. In a year, he created enough pictures to have a one-man show at the Art Center. It attracted the attention of San Francisco art critics who raved about Kingmans unique style. Wrote Junius Cravens of the San Francisco News: "That young Chinese artist is showing 20 of the freshest and most satisfying watercolors that have been seen hereabouts in many a day Kingman already has developed that universal quality which may place a sincere artist work above the limitations of either racial characteristics or schools. Kingmans art belongs to the world at large today." Dong Kingman became an overnight success. From 1936 to 1941, he was a project artist for WPA and became a pioneer for a new school of painting, the "California Style." His two Guggenheim fellowships enabled him to travel the country painting American scenes. His first one-man show in New York at Midtown Galleries in 1942 was well received in the media, including Time, Newsweek, the New Yorker and American Artist. M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco held a major exhibit of his watercolors in 1945. In 1951, Midtown presented a 10-year retrospective of his work. Time Magazine wrote, "At age 40, Kingman is one of the worlds best watercolorists." Other retrospectives, including Corcoran in Washington,D.C. an d Witte Memorial Museum in San Antonio, were held for the artist. Kingman moved to Wildenstein (1958-1969) where he had successful exhibits in New York, London and Paris. Hammer Galleries exhibited his paintings in the 70s, and then the artist expanded his venues to the West Coast and Far East. During World War II, he served with the OSS in Washington, D.C. where he was a cartographer. After his honorable discharge, Kingman moved to Brooklyn Heights from San Francisco when he became a guest lecturer and then art instructor at Columbia University (1946-1958). Hunter College also appointed him instructor in watercolors and Chinese Art (1948-1953). His teaching career continued with the Famous Artists School, Westport, CT in 1953, joining such distinguished artists on the faculty as Will Barnet, Stuart Davis, Norman Rockwell and Ben Shahn. He also became a teaching member for 40 years for the Hewitt Painting Workshops, which conducts worldwide painting tours. He taught at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, was a member of its board, and received an honorary doctorate from the Academy. In 1954, the U.S. Department of State invited Kingman to go on a cultural exchange program tour around the world to give exhibitions and lectures and to meet local artists. When he came home, he presented the State Department with a 40-foot long report on a scroll, which later appeared in LIFE Magazine. One of Kingman's most treasured experiences was his invitation by the Ministry of Culture of the Peoples Republic of China to exhibit in that country in 1981. He was the first American artist to be accorded a one-man show since diplomatic relations resumed. More than 100,000 visitors attended his exhibitions in Beijing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou and the retrospective received critical acclaim from the Chinese press. Noted the China Daily Mail, "Just as the master painters of the Song Dynasty roamed about mountain and stream to capture the rhythm of nature, Dong Kingman traveled the world capturing the dynamism of modern lifefamiliar scenes have been transformed into a vibrant new vision of life through color schemes with rhythms that play over the entire surface of the picture. The wind swept skies which enliven his watercolors remind us of the pleinairism of the French Impressionists." Kingman, who has been fascinated with movies since seeing his first film "The Thief of Baghdad...
Category

1960s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Mid Century "Driver with Hard Hat" Gouache and Oil Pastel Figurative 1960s SF
By Gloria Dudfield
Located in Arp, TX
Gloria Dudfield Driver with Hard Hat 1960s Gouache and Oil Pastel on Paper 27"x36" unframed Gloria (Fischer) Dudfield July 12, 1922 – May 27, 2015 Came from...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel, Gouache

1960s "Leaning Over" Gouache & Oil Pastel Bay Area Figurative Movement
By Gloria Dudfield
Located in Arp, TX
Gloria Dudfield "Leaning Over" c. 1960s Gouache and charcoal on newsprint Unsigned 18" x 12" framed silver bamboo frame black mat 19.25"x25.25" Gloria...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Oil Pastel, Gouache

Women's World Magazine Cover Illustration , Children Sledding
By Maginel Wright Enright Barney
Located in Miami, FL
Children Sledding, Women's World Magazine Cover, December 1939 Signed lower center image watercolor, gouache, pencil, and wash on paper
Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Gouache

Recently Viewed

View All