Stephen Longstreet

Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin

c. 1980's

Illustrated: "Walt Kuhn, Painter, His Life and Work, by Phillip Rhys Adams, page 67, plate 27, Courtesy of Kennedy Galleries-Kuhn Estate Kuhn’s sculptures were collected by the noted early modernist collector John Quinn (1870-1924). Among the works in Quinn’s collection was the icon Brancusi Portait of Mlle Pogany, the work that inspired Kuhn to create the wood carving “Mask” (FA10815). Mlle Pogany was chosen by Kuhn for exhibition at the Armory Show, 1913. Other sculptures by Kuhn are in the collections of the Smithsonian Museum and the Heckscher Museum. The group of 15 wood carvings came from the estate of the artist to his daughter Brenda Kuhn. The Kuhn Estate (Brenda) originally worked with Kennedy Galleries of New York who published a detailed illustrated catalog of offerings from the estate in 1967. The estate left Kennedy Galleries some time prior to 1983. They established estate representation with Barridof Galleries of Portland, Maine in partnership with Salander O’Reilly Galleries Inc. of New York. This partnership published a monograph catalog on the artist in 1984. Of our group of 15 works, three of the early c. 1913 examples have Salander O’Reilly labels affixed to them. The group of works were involved in the Salander O’Reilly bankruptcy liquidation where they were bought from. There have been several related examples that have come to auction since the year 2000. In 1912, Kuhn was one of the founders of the organization Association of American Painters and Sculptors, the organizing body for what became known as The Armory Show, 1913. The Heckscher Museum exhibition, European Modernism, as Told by Americans, gives insight in to Kuhn’s travels, artistic associations and the influences on his artwork. “In 1912 Kuhn traveled through Europe securing loans from artists and dealers to represent Impressionism, Post Impressionism and the newer strains of art like Fauvism and Cubism. Inspired by these developments, Kuhn tried out Fauvism and Cubism for himself.” “Kuhn would later become an adviser to collectors like John Quinn and Lillie Bliss, a supporter of the Armory Show and later one of the founders of the Museum of Modern Art.” Quinn acquired seven Kuhn sculptures in wood, bronze and gilt bronze which are listed in his estate inventory. This work is directly inspired by an Archipenko sculpture, Negress (La Negresse...

Polo (Wall Plaque) Polychromed ceramic, c. 1930-1931 Signed with the artist's initials: VS recto Cowan Pottery stamp verso References And Exhibitions: Designed by the artist while working for Cowan Pottery in 1930. One of Cowan's clients, an interior designer, requested plates decorated with different outdoor activities. Others in the series included "Swimming," "Tennis," "Golf," and "The Hunt." Condition: with the usual craquelure Size: 11 1/4 inches in diameter Industrial design democratizes high style, and Mr. Schreckengost was widely considered among the most democratic industrial designers. He made, quite literally, the stuff of life — things found routinely in homes, backyards and garages in this country and around the world. He designed bicycles for Sears and everyday china for American Limoges. He designed children’s toys and pedal cars; flashlights, furniture and fans; lawn chairs, lawn mowers...

Golf (Wall Plaque) Polychromed ceramic, c. 1930-1 Signed with the artist's initials: VS recto Very rare, only a few produced prior to the closure of Cowan Pottery Format: Round ceramic plate, 11 1/4 inches Designed by the artist while working for Cowan Pottery in 1930. One of Cowan's clients, an interior designer, requested plates decorated with different outdoor activities. Others in the series included "Swimming," "Tennis," "Polo," and "The Hunt." According to Henry Adams, the number of examples created was very limited due to the closing of Cowan Pottery in 1931. Very rare Condition: Good, with the usual craquelure of the glazes used. Note: Industrial design democratizes high style, and Mr. Schreckengost was widely considered among the most democratic industrial designers. He made, quite literally, the stuff of life — things found routinely in homes, backyards and garages in this country and around the world. He designed bicycles for Sears and everyday china for American Limoges. He designed children’s toys and pedal cars; flashlights, furniture and fans; lawn chairs, lawn mowers and golf carts; baby walkers and artificial limbs. In 2006 Mr. Schreckengost was awarded the National Medal of Arts, the country’s highest cultural honor. His work is in the permanent collection of major museums, including the Renwick Gallery, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. Mr. Schreckengost belonged to the first great generation of American industrial designers, which included luminaries like Russel Wright, Norman Bel Geddes and Raymond Loewy. The lights of New York...

Dancing Figure Wood carving with pigment, c. 1913 Unsigned Provenance: Kuhn Heirs, Maine Kennedy Galleries, New York, until 1983 ...

From Lenz's House of Farnam "First Day" Cover Series Mixed media collage Signed in image lower left Label verso #174 A cachet is a printed design on an envelope that comm...

Ragtime Piano Collage, 1969 Signed and dated '69 lower right Address stamp verso Provenance: Acquired from the artist Joseph M. Erdelac, friend and patron of the artist 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 (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...

A beautiful chrysalis meticulously hand-sculpted in epoxy clay and painted with high quality metallic paint by New York artist Bethany Krull, hangs delicately from a minimalist branc...

To Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald, his miniature car sculptures are a means of traveling through time. Born from a fascination with the soap box derby cars of his youth, eac...

SKYLAR FEIN was born in Greenwich Village and raised in the Bronx. He has had many careers including teaching nonviolent resistance under the umbrella of the Quakers, working for a g...

Miquel Aparici's sculptures are surprising assemblages made from old objects that had other uses in the past, and which the artist recovers and uses in ...

Miquel Aparici's sculptures are surprising assemblages made from old objects that had other uses in the past, and which the artist recovers and uses in a creative and ingenious way. ...

Joe, the Gorilla. Miquel Aparici's sculptures are surprising assemblages made from old objects that had other uses in the past, and which the artist re...