American Modern Figurative Paintings

A Large, Striking 1920s Modern Portrait of a Seated Young Woman in a Studio Interior by Notable Chicago Artist, Walter Burt Adams (Am. 1903-1990). A well executed, early student wor...

A striking Mid-Century Modern portrait of a young woman by famed American artist, William Franklin Draper (1912-2003). Artwork size: 24 x 18 inches, oil on canvas, dating ca. 1960s...

Blast Furnace: Dynamic Machine Age industrial View of a Steel Mill by Notable New York Illustrator and Cartoonist Herb Field Jr. (Am. 1909-1999). Artwork size: 23 x 26 inches; oil...

A dynamic ca. 1940s American Machine Age Modern industrial scene, depicting a suspended gantry crane and factory workers. Possibly completed as an illustration study for a print adv...

A Contemplative 1940s Modern Studio Portrait of a Seated Female Ballet Dancer by Notable Chicago Modern Artist, Walter Burt Adams (Am. 1903-1990). The painting a is well executed, i...

An Introspective, Post-War Modern Southwestern Landscape Painting of an Adobe House in New Mexico by Notable Chicago Artist, Walter Burt Adams (Am. 1903-1990). A subtle tonal, archi...

A Colorful, Modern Maine Coastal Scene Painting, "White Boat in Harbor" by Famed Chicago Artist and Printmaker, Charles Turzak (Am. 1899 - 1986). The painting depicts a vibrant, sunlit autumn landscape painting most likely painted near the quiet rural harbor town of Penobscot, Maine. The painting is acrylic on canvas, dates from the 1950s and has a great visual appeal- a perfect complement to any New England coastal home or summer cottage in Maine. Artwork size: 20 x 36 inches, accompanied with the artist's original, hand-painted frame (Framed size: 21 3/4 x 36 1/2 inches). Signed "Turzak", lower left; titled on artist's label on reverse. Provenance: Estate of the artist. Charles Turzak was one of Chicago’s greatest printmakers of the Art Deco-era. Son of a coal miner, Turzak was born in Streeter, IL in 1899. In 1920, Turzak won the first prize a cartoon contest sponsored by the Purina company and he used his prize money to enroll in the Art Institute of Chicago. Best known as a print maker, in the 1920s & 30s, he created woodcuts of many of Chicago’s most notable buildings, including the Merchandise Mart, Palmolive Building and the Old Water Tower, among others. In 1933, he was commissioned to create woodcuts of many of Chicago’s most iconic buildings to illustrate a guidebook called “All About Chicago” by John and Ruth Ashenhurst” that featured the upcoming Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago. During the 1933 World’s Fair...

Artist: Leo Meiersdorff – German/American (1934-1994) Title: Bass and Trumpet Year: ca 1965-70 Medium: Watercolor and ink Sight size: 14.25 x 17.5 inches. Matted size: 22 x 24 inch...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for a woman's evening gown. Artwork size: 11 x 8 1/2 inches. Colored pencil and pencil on paper. Archivally ma...

A stylish, vintage, 1940s fashion study featuring an elegant design for women's dresses (day & evening wear). Most likely a design study for a print advertisement for the famed Chicago department store, Marshall Field & Co. Inscription reads: "Above- Irene Castle inspired this dinner gown...

Acrylic Painting on canvas One of a kind artwork Size: 40 × 50 × 3,8 cm (unframed) The artwork is titled and signed on the front and also comes with a certificate of authenticity. ...

A scenic, colorful Modern 1930s summer harbor scene of Saugatuck, Michigan by notable Chicago Modern artist, Francis Chapin. Depicting a lively summer harbor view of the historic S...

Painting of New York City Fire Department in New York City by Contemporary British Artist, Angela Wakefield. Art measures 36 x 24 inches Frame measures 41 x 29 inches Angela Wake...

Peter Max was born in 1937 and unfortunately just passed away in September 2026He is a very well listed and well collected American artist. He has been very prolific in his career, but nevertheless, he is highly sought after and collected, especially recently. This wonderful original acrylic on canvas was most likely painted in the late 1990s or early 2000. It is a favorite subject matter of his the blossoming lady or lady with blossoms. This painting is so vibrant exploding with colors. It measures 10 1/2 inches wide by 10 1/2 inches high. The frame measures 18“ x 18“. He has had Auction results over $70,000 but sells for much more privately and in galleries Once again, this is an original Peter Max acrylic on canvas...

Blacksmith (Untitled), 1936, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right, 28 x 30 inches Erle Loran was an influential American painter, art historian, and educator, renowned for h...

Children’s Theater, 1934, watercolor on paper, signed and dated lower right, 10 ¾ x 12 5/8 inches (image) Children’s Theater is a fine example of Berlandina’s modernist approach to ...

A Vibrant, Mid-Century Modern 1960s Studio Interior Scene of a Standing Female Nude by Notable Chicago Woman Artist, Vivian Kinsley Chapin (Am. 1909-1984). Very "Mod" in style and a...

A Brooding, Compelling 1940s American Scene, Social Realist Oil Painting, "Tenement Ruins" by Notable Canadian / American artist Emil Weddige (1907-2001). Oil on canvas, dating from...

Theresa Bernstein Circus, Madison Square Garden, 1936 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 28 x 36 inches Provenance The artist Private Collection (acquired from the above) Exhibited N...

This painting is part of our exhibition American Coast to Coast: Artists of the 1930s Subway Construction, c. 1928, oil on board, 19 x 15 ¾ inches, signed upper left, artist and title verso; exhibited: 1) 12th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists, The Waldorf Astoria, New York NY, from March 9 to April 1, 1928, no. 864 (original price $250) (see Death Prevailing Theme of Artists in Weird Exhibits, The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec, Canada), March 8, 1928); 2) Boston Tercentenary Exhibition Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibition, Horticultural Hall, Boston MA, July, 1930, no. 108 (honorable mention - noted verso); 3) 38th Annual Exhibition of American Art, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH, June, 1931 (see Alexander, Mary, The Week in Art Circles, The Cincinnati Enquirer, June 7, 1931); and 4) National Art Week Exhibition [Group Show], Montross Gallery, New York, New York, December, 1940 (see Devree, Howard, Brief Comment on Some Recently Opened Exhibitions in the Galleries, The New York Times, December 1, 1940) About the Painting Ernest Stock’s Subway Construction depicts the excavation of New York’s 8th Avenue line, which was the first completed section of the city-operated Independent Subway System (IND). The groundbreaking ceremony was in 1925, but the line did not open until 1932, placing Stock’s painting in the middle of the construction effort. The 8th Avenue line was primarily constructed using the “cut and cover” method in which the streets above the line were dug up, infrastructure was built from the surface level down, the resulting holes were filled, and the streets reconstructed. While many artists of the 1920s were fascinated with the upward thrust of New York’s exploding skyline as architects and developers sought to erect ever higher buildings, Stock turned his attention to the engineering marvels which were taking place below ground. In Subway Construction, Stock depicts workers removing the earth beneath the street and building scaffolding and other support structures to allow concrete to be poured. Light and shadow fall across the x-shaped grid pattern formed by the wooden beams and planks. It is no surprise that critics reviewing the painting commented on Stock’s use of an “interesting pattern” to form a painting that is “clever and well designed.” About the Artist Ernest Richard Stock was an award-winning painter, print maker, muralist, and commercial artist. He was born in Bristol, England and was educated at the prestigious Bristol Grammar School. During World War I, Stock joined the British Royal Air Flying Corps in Canada and served in France as a pilot where he was wounded. After the war, he immigrated to the United States and joined the firm of Mack, Jenny, and Tyler, where he further honed his architectural and decorative painting skills. During the 1920s, Stock often traveled back and forth between the US and Europe. He was twice married, including to the American author, Katherine Anne Porter. Starting in the mid-1920s, Stock began to exhibit his artwork professionally, including at London’s Beaux Arts Gallery, the Society of Independent Artists, the Salons of America, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Whitney Studio and various locations in the Northeast. Critics often praised the strong design sensibility in Stock’s paintings. Stock was a commercial illustrator for a handful of published books and during World War II, he worked in the Stratford Connecticut...

A large, expansive 1950s Mid-Century Modern Southwestern landscape painting of Sedona, Arizona by notable Chicago artist, Francis Chapin. Depicting a scenic, colorful view of Cathed...

A Striking, Colorful 1940s Modern Studio Portrait of a Seated Female Model in a Pink Blouse by Notable Chicago Modern Artist, Walter Burt Adams (Am. 1903-1990). The painting a is we...

Henry Gasser American Scene Realism Regionalism Mid-20th Century Modern WPA 1940s Henry Martin Gasser (1909-1981) "Hilltop Houses" Watercolor on paper, c. 1940s Sight size 10 1/2 x...

Mid Century Modern Jazz Quartet Figurative -- "The Band Box" Signed A vivid, mid-century modernist interpretation of a jazz ensemble by Louis M. Centofanti (American, 1921-2018). "B...

A Charming, 1950s Painting of Lisbon, Portugal by Famed Chicago Modern Artist Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Depicting a bustling, colorful view of Lisbon's historic Black Horse Sq...

"Cowboy Serenade", A Large, Cheerful Southwestern, New Mexico Landscape Painting by Notable Chicago Artist, Walter Burt Adams (Am. 1903-1...

Lovers - Nude Couple in Bed - Figurative Composition in Acrylic on Paper Expressive depiction of a nude couple by Byron Richard Rodarmel (American, 1932-2007). A couple is intertwin...

"Sea Cliff" Mid Century Modern Coastal Cliff Seascape in Acrylic on Masonite Expansive seascape by notable California artist Farren Jensen (American, 19...

This mural study is part of our exhibition America Coast to Coast: Artists of the 1930s San Pedro Post Office: History of Writing Mural South, Preliminary Mural Maquette right panel...

Canvas Size: 29 x 24 in. Frame Size: 36.5 x 31 in. Signed, bottom leftt. In this mesmerizing portrait, Joaquín Torrents Lladó demonstrates the virtuoso brushwork and dramatic chiaro...

Modernist Portrait of St. Francis, Oil on Canvas, Signed Compelling modernist oil on canvas portrait of St. Francis by Dr. Tarmo Pasto (American, 1906-1986). Presented in a taupe pa...

Title: French Gouache Study of Hopi Kachina Mask and Taos Pueblo Textile by Emile GALLOIS (1882-1965, French) Signed: Yes Medium: Original gouache painting on thick unframed paper, ...

A Striking Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Notable Chicago Artist, Walter Burt Adams (Am. 1903-1990). A well executed figurative work by the artist, depicting a young woman stylishly dressed in a black sleeveless top seated in a muted studio interior. The painting exemplifies the artist's adept and practiced skill at portraiture, and was likely completed at the artist's studio in Evanston, Illinois. Artwork size: 24 x 20 inches, oil on canvas, accompanied with the original painted Mid-Century frame (framed size: 27 3/4 x 23 3/4 inches). Provenance: Estate of the artist. Walter Burt Adams was a dedicated painter of the American Scene and a singular personality among his peers in the Chicago Modern Art community. His no-nonsense manner, devotion to his craft and sardonic sense of humor characterize a man whose paintings capture life in and around Chicago between the early 1920s and the late 1970s. Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin just after the turn of the last century, Walter Burt Adams spent his childhood in Fargo, North Dakota and began his artistic education there through a correspondence cartooning class as a boy. After finishing high school in Fargo, Adams moved to Chicago in 1922 in order to enroll at the school of the Art Institute of Chicago. Adams’ instruction at the school with artists such as George Oberteuffer, Frederick V. Poole, Charles Wilimovsky...

A charming 1950s Modern painting of a little red house, titled "Corner of the Brick House with Last Snow Bank, Calais, VT" by notable Chicago artist, Harold Haydon. Painted near the...

Morton Roberts (American, 1927-1964) Antiques, c. 1950 Oil on canvas 12 1/4 x 15 in. Framed: 15 x 17 3/4 x 2 in. Signed lower left: Morton Roberts He was a promising artist, who die...

The Artist's Apartment Mid-Century Fauvist Interior Scene Original Oil on Canvas Vibrant interior scene by Santa Cruz California artist Frances Rinaldo (American, b. 1943). A bright...

Painting size without frame: 15"x20 1/2" Painting size with frame: 21"x26 1/2" Period Foster Brothers Frame Painting is signed lower right. A lively boardwalk scene by Theresa Ber...

Dancing Figures (Untitled), 1944, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right, 22 x 34 1/4 inches, presented in its original strip wood frame, from the estate of the artist Ernest Ro...

“The Champ, 1942” by Theodore Fried (1902-1980) This important portrait by Hungarian-American artist Theodore Fried depicts the legendary boxer Joe Louis aka “The Brown Bomber” and ...

American Modernism WPA Mid 20th Century Realism NYC Street Scene Cityscape Max Arthur Cohn (1903 - 1998) "New York Street Scene" Watercolor on paper, c. 1930s Sight: 21 x 16 inches...

This painting is part of our exhibition America Coast to Coast: Artists of the 1930s Quarry Workers, c. 1930s, mixed media on board, unsigned, 24 x 24 inches, possibly exhibited at...

Modernist Portrait of Woman with Green Background, Original Framed Oil Painting Beautifully rendered portrait by Maxim Bugzester (Poland/American, 1909-1978). The woman in the portr...

"Skating Party" WPA Regionalism American Scene Mid 20th Century Modern Realism Roger Medearis (1920 – 2001) "Skating Party" 20 x 24 inches Tempera on board, 1949 Signed Medearis and...

A Charming 1930s City Rooftop Scene by Notable Chicago Modern Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Depicting a colorful, early springtime view likely painted from the artist's stu...

Industrial Mid-20th Century WPA Modern Men Working American Scene Social Realism George Pearse Ennis (American, 1884-1936) "Forging a Gun Tube #1...

This painting is part of our exhibition America Coast to Coast: Artists of the 1930s Street Cleaners, c. 1940s, oil on canvas, signed lower right, 28 ¾ x 42 inches, Gallery Z...

"Paper Making" WPA Industrial Mid-Century American Scene Social Realism Workers Douglas Crockwell (1904-1968) "Paper Making" 19 x 39 inches Oil on board, c. 1936 Signed verso Framed: 28 x 47 Provenance: Estate of the Artist BIO Spencer Douglass Crockwell was born into a comfortable middle class household on April 29, 1904 in Columbus, Ohio. His father, Charles Roland Crockwell, was a mining engineer; his mother, Cora, was the daughter of an Iowa attorney. He became a commercial artist and experimental filmmaker who spent a good part of his career creating illustrations and advertisements for the Saturday Evening Post. In 1907 the Crockwell family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he graduated from high school and then attended from Washington University. Initially he studied engineering, but soon switched to business. While still an undergraduate, Crockwell took courses at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts and quickly realized that he wanted to be an artist. After graduating from Washington University in 1926, Crockwell continued to study at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts until 1929. The following year he relocated to Chicago and continued his studies at the American Academy of Art. In 1930 and 1931 he studied in Europe on a Traveling Fellowship. In 1932 Douglass Crockwell moved to Glens Falls, New York, which was to be his home for the remainder of his life. The following year he married Margaret Braman. They had three children, a son Douglass and two daughters, Johanna and Margaret. During the depression he created murals and posters for the Works Progress Administration including Post Office murals in White River junction, Vermont; Endicott, New York; and Macon, Mississippi. In 1934 he painted Paper Workers, Finch Pruyn & Co. (the leading Glens Falls, New York company) for the WPA. In the 1930s Crockwell developed an interest in experimental animated films that occupied him for the rest of his life. In 1936 and 1937, he collaborated with David Smith, a sculptor, to create surrealist films. Because of his interest in experimental films, his output of paintings was limited to just twenty to forty illustrations a year during this time. Crockwell painted his first of many Saturday Evening Post cover in 1933. He also worked for Life, Look, and Esquire, and numerous national advertisers including Friskies dog food, Welch’s Grape Juice, Republic Steel...

A colorful, blustery painting of sailing off the coast of Martha's Vineyard by famed Chicago Modern artist, Francis Chapin. Painted in the early 1950s, the painting depicts a vibran...

Get Change Here - American Modernism Scene WPA Mid-Century Realism NYC Cityscape Max Arthur Cohn (1903-1988) "Get Change Here" 20 x 25 inches Oil on canvas, c. 1930s Signed lower le...

Mural Study for "History of Water" American Scene Modernism Social Realism WPA Thomas Hart Benton (American, 1889-1975) "Water Story" (Study for The History of Water) Tempera and o...

Martin Mull is a singular artist whose iconography directly translate the American culture.

An exceptional, large, early work by American artist Dorothy Eisner (1906-1984). This painting was recently exhibited at Gracie Mansion in 2019 as part of “She Persists” - a show de...

An ink drawing Judaic painting by modern artist Ben-Zion Weinman. It depicts a portrait of an old Jewish man. Coming over from Europe on a ship crossing. The work is signed "Ben-Zion...

A Large, Colorful, Modernist Art Deco Cubist Painting, "The Dancers" by Famed Chicago Painter and Printmaker, Charles Turzak (Am. 1899 - 1986). A large, vertical composition relating to the artist's notable 1930s woodcut of the same title. The painting is completed in a vividly textured Cubist style, with striking hues of rich greens and yellows, deep blues and rose pinks. The painting is oiI on canvas mounted to Masonite (artist's original mount), and offers a superb visual appeal. A perfect complement to any Mid-Century Modern home or collection. Artwork size: 38 x 24 inches (Framed size: 38 1/4 x 24 1/4 inches). Signed "Turzak" lower right. Provenance: Estate of the artist. Charles Turzak was one of Chicago’s greatest printmakers of the Art Deco-era. Son of a coal miner, Turzak was born in Streeter, IL in 1899. In 1920, Turzak won the first prize a cartoon contest sponsored by the Purina company and he used his prize money to enroll in the Art Institute of Chicago. Best known as a print maker, in the 1920s & 30s, he created woodcuts of many of Chicago’s most notable buildings, including the Merchandise Mart, Palmolive Building and the Old Water Tower, among others. In 1933, he was commissioned to create woodcuts of many of Chicago’s most iconic buildings to illustrate a guidebook called “All About Chicago” by John and Ruth Ashenhurst” that featured the upcoming Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago. During the 1933 World’s Fair...

On Bass Ink and watercolor on paper, c. 1965 Signed in ink lower right (see photo) Titled in pencil (see photo) Condition: Excellent. minor handling issues Image/sheet size: 27 1/4 x...

Acrylic painting on paper One of a kind artwork Size: 42 × 60 × 0,1 cm It is original painting on 160gsm acid-free paper The artwork is titled and signed on the front and also come...

A Vibrant, Colorful 1950s Mid-Century Modern Painting of Martha's Vineyard by Famed Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Titled "Breakfast on the Porch at the Vineyard Ho...

A whimsical modern figurative piece depicting a reclining woman with a black cat on a bright blue background by California artist Richard "Don" Klopfer (1920-2009). Signed on verso a...

Dagmar C. Thompson (American, 20th century, Dates Unknown) The Pigeon, 1965 Oil on board 30 x 24 in. Framed: 35 1/2 x 23 1/4 x 1 1/2 in. Signed lower right: Dagmar Thompson Artist la...

An engaging original gouache painting by American artist Frederick Shane (1906–1992), Artists Sketching (California) depicts three artists working outdoors in a California ghost town...