Andrew (Andy) Skaff

Spring Flow (Lake Tahoe)

2016

This artwork titled "Along the Shore, Staten Island, New York" 1937, is an oil painting on canvas board by Italian/American artist Xavier Barile, 1891-1981. It is signed and dated at the lower right corner by the artist. Also signed, dated, and titled on the back. The canvas board size is 12 x 16 inches, framed size is 16.25 x 20.25 inches. Framed in a wooden gold frame, with gold bevel and fabric liner. It is in excellent condition, especially considering the age. About the artist: Xavier J Barile was a Social Realist painter, teacher, lecturer, graphic artist, and writer. He was born March 18, 1891, in Tufo, Italy. His love of beauty manifested itself at a very early age. During his early teens, he used to design monograms for the young girls of his home town, Tufo, Italy, to embroider on their most precious possession, their hope chest and trousseau. In 1907, his mother brought him, his two younger brothers and two sisters to New York, to join their father who had been in New York for several years, preparing the way. He quickly learned English and spent some time helping his father, who was earning a living for the family as a tailor. Having learned English well, Barile then enrolled in the Evening Art Classes at Cooper Union Institute in New York. In due course he enrolled in the Art Students League, New York City. Here he came under the influence of John Sloan, Reginald Marsh and Victor Perard as teachers and George Luks, Robert Henri and Everett Shinn of "the Eight" as friends and colleagues. In 1939 John Sloan dedicated his book, Gist of Art as follows, "To my old friend, first monitor of my first class at the Art Students League 1914." This friendship and mutual regard lasted until Sloan's death in 1951. Of course, it was only natural that Barile should be a part of the "Ashcan School," painting the New York Scene. During this time that he was on his own he worked with all mediums - oil, watercolor, pastel, casein, charcoal, etc. - and he did some fine work with monotypes. It was during these years, the 20's and 30's, that he began to exhibit in such places as the Whitney Studio Club (forerunner of the Whitney Museum of American Art), The Kit Kat Club, The Anderson Gallery, The Cincinnati Museum, The New Mexico Museum, National Society of Painters in Casein, The Salmagundi Club and many other exhibits throughout the United States. He is currently represented in The National Collection of Fine Arts (NCFA) Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. In the mid 30's, like many another struggling artist, XJB worked on the WPA Art Project. One of the murals he worked on is in the U.S. Customs House, Bowling Green, N.Y.C. In this project he collaborated with Reginald Marsh who was the supervisor of this phase of the work. The years until 1939 were spent working in all parts of the United States and in conducting his own classes for aspiring artists. In 1939, on the recommendation of John Sloan, he became the founder, first teacher and Chairman of The Department of Fine Arts, Pueblo Junior College, Pueblo Colorado...

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