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"Mums" William S. Schwartz, Yellow Flowers, Cubist, Modern Still Life
"Mums" William S. Schwartz, Yellow Flowers, Cubist, Modern Still Life

"Mums" William S. Schwartz, Yellow Flowers, Cubist, Modern Still Life

By William S. Schwartz

Located in New York, NY

William S. Schwartz Still Life with Yellow Mums, circa 1950 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 20 x 16 inches Provenance: Private Collection, Massachusetts William Schwartz was born ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Cubist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Elements, Surrealism, Chicago Artist, Planets
Elements, Surrealism, Chicago Artist, Planets

Elements, Surrealism, Chicago Artist, Planets

Located in Grand Rapids, MI

William Samuel Schwartz (Russian/American, 1896-1977) Signed: William S Schwartz (Lower, Left) " Elements ", c. 1928-29 (Date based Upon 8 Planets being pictured) (Titled on Canva...

Category

Early 20th Century Surrealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Fine 1930's, Depiction of a Boxing Match by Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin
A Fine 1930's, Depiction of a Boxing Match by Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin

A Fine 1930's, Depiction of a Boxing Match by Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pastel

A Charming 1930s Modern American Scene Drawing, Woman Seated at a Lunch Counter
A Charming 1930s Modern American Scene Drawing, Woman Seated at a Lunch Counter

A Charming 1930s Modern American Scene Drawing, Woman Seated at a Lunch Counter

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1930s American Modern Interior Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Colorful, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pool Hall Scene
A Colorful, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pool Hall Scene

A Colorful, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pool Hall Scene

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Abstract Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A Cheerful 1950s Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Francis Chapin
A Cheerful 1950s Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Francis Chapin

A Cheerful 1950s Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A Charming 1950s Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Francis Chapin
A Charming 1950s Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Francis Chapin

A Charming 1950s Modern Portrait of a Young Woman by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

An Elegant 1940s Modernist Portrait of a Young Woman in Red Dress
An Elegant 1940s Modernist Portrait of a Young Woman in Red Dress

An Elegant 1940s Modernist Portrait of a Young Woman in Red Dress

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A Cheerful 1950s Mid-Century Modern, Portrait of a Young Woman Seated at a Table
A Cheerful 1950s Mid-Century Modern, Portrait of a Young Woman Seated at a Table

A Cheerful 1950s Mid-Century Modern, Portrait of a Young Woman Seated at a Table

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Charming Mid-Century Modern Painting, Children in a Soda Shop
A Charming Mid-Century Modern Painting, Children in a Soda Shop

A Charming Mid-Century Modern Painting, Children in a Soda Shop

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Modern, 1930s American Scene Drawing, Woman Seated at a Chicago Lunch Counter
A Modern, 1930s American Scene Drawing, Woman Seated at a Chicago Lunch Counter

A Modern, 1930s American Scene Drawing, Woman Seated at a Chicago Lunch Counter

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

A Vintage 1950s Pastel and Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin
A Vintage 1950s Pastel and Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

A Vintage 1950s Pastel and Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pastel

A Vintage 1950s Pastel & Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin
A Vintage 1950s Pastel & Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

A Vintage 1950s Pastel & Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pastel

An Introspective, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pastel Drawing of a Young Boy
An Introspective, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pastel Drawing of a Young Boy

An Introspective, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Pastel Drawing of a Young Boy

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Pastel, Board

A Charming, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait, "Young Girl in Blue"
A Charming, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait, "Young Girl in Blue"

A Charming, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait, "Young Girl in Blue"

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

An Introspective, Modern Female Nude Pastel by Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin
An Introspective, Modern Female Nude Pastel by Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin

An Introspective, Modern Female Nude Pastel by Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel

A Dynamic Mid-Century Modern Manhattan Scene, New York City by Francis Chapin
A Dynamic Mid-Century Modern Manhattan Scene, New York City by Francis Chapin

A Dynamic Mid-Century Modern Manhattan Scene, New York City by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Archival Paper, Charcoal, Pastel

A Fabulous 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Seated Woman, "Southern Belle"
A Fabulous 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Seated Woman, "Southern Belle"

A Fabulous 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Seated Woman, "Southern Belle"

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A 1940s Painting of a Seated Female Nude in Summer Landscape, Ox-Bow School
A 1940s Painting of a Seated Female Nude in Summer Landscape, Ox-Bow School

A 1940s Painting of a Seated Female Nude in Summer Landscape, Ox-Bow School

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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Recent Sales

A Song Without Words

A Song Without Words

By William S. Schwartz

Located in Hudson, NY

Inscribed verso "A Song Without Words" by William S. Schwartz, Chicago 1927.

Category

Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mr, W
Mr, W

William S. SchwartzMr, W, 1930

Sold

H 26.6 in W 23.5 in D 3 in

Mr, W

By William S. Schwartz

Located in Los Angeles, CA

William S. Schwartz (1896–1977) Born on February 23, 1896, in Smorgon, Russia, William S.

Category

1930s Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chicago Modernist Line Drawing Reclining Nude WPA Artist. Exhibited Work
Chicago Modernist Line Drawing Reclining Nude WPA Artist. Exhibited Work

Chicago Modernist Line Drawing Reclining Nude WPA Artist. Exhibited Work

By William S. Schwartz

Located in Surfside, FL

Reclining Nude.Early modernist line drawing, by American artist William S. Schwartz, c. 1940, gouache painting, signed with initials, framed.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

"Sonia"

William S. Schwartz"Sonia", 1930

Sold

H 15.5 in W 11.5 in

"Sonia"

By William S. Schwartz

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Fine painting by important Russian American artist.

Category

Modern Nude Paintings

Materials

Canvas

Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Quadriptych WPA Chicago Jewish Artist
Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Quadriptych WPA Chicago Jewish Artist

Abstract Expressionist Oil Painting Quadriptych WPA Chicago Jewish Artist

By Harry Mintz

Located in Surfside, FL

Florsheim, Todros Geller, June Ives, Max Kahn, László Moholy-Nagy, Harry Mintz, William S. Schwartz, Kenneth Shopen, Frank Vavruska, Nicola Ziroli, Rudolph Weisenborn, Laszlo Moholy-...

Category

Mid-20th Century Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gesso, Oil, Board

3 Jewish Men Judaica Woodblock Woodcut Engraving Print Chicago 1930s WPA Artist
3 Jewish Men Judaica Woodblock Woodcut Engraving Print Chicago 1930s WPA Artist

3 Jewish Men Judaica Woodblock Woodcut Engraving Print Chicago 1930s WPA Artist

By Todros Geller

Located in Surfside, FL

Other founding members included Emil Armin, David Bekker, Aaron Bohrod, Fritzi Brod, Samuel Greenburg, William S. Schwartz, Maurice Yochim and Louise Dunn Yochim.

Category

Early 20th Century Modern Figurative Prints

Materials

Paper, Woodcut

3 Jewish Men Judaica Woodblock Woodcut Engraving Print Chicago 1930s WPA Artist
3 Jewish Men Judaica Woodblock Woodcut Engraving Print Chicago 1930s WPA Artist

3 Jewish Men Judaica Woodblock Woodcut Engraving Print Chicago 1930s WPA Artist

By Todros Geller

Located in Surfside, FL

Other founding members included Emil Armin, David Bekker, Aaron Bohrod, Fritzi Brod, Samuel Greenburg, William S. Schwartz, Maurice Yochim and Louise Dunn Yochim.

Category

Early 20th Century Modern Figurative Prints

Materials

Paper, Woodcut

A Fine 1930's, Study of a Boxing Match
A Fine 1930's, Study of a Boxing Match

A Fine 1930's, Study of a Boxing Match

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1930s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Charcoal

A ca 1954 Watercolor & Ink Image of a Notre Dame Football Game by Francis Chapin
A ca 1954 Watercolor & Ink Image of a Notre Dame Football Game by Francis Chapin

A ca 1954 Watercolor & Ink Image of a Notre Dame Football Game by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink, Watercolor

Large Watercolor & Pastel Dock Scene of Martha's Vineyard by Francis Chapin
Large Watercolor & Pastel Dock Scene of Martha's Vineyard by Francis Chapin

Large Watercolor & Pastel Dock Scene of Martha's Vineyard by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel, Watercolor

A Striking Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Young Woman, Red Dress, Green Scarf
A Striking Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Young Woman, Red Dress, Green Scarf

A Striking Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Young Woman, Red Dress, Green Scarf

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Portrait Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A ca. 1928 Drawing of a Dapper Man with a Pint Glass by Artist Francis Chapin
A ca. 1928 Drawing of a Dapper Man with a Pint Glass by Artist Francis Chapin

A ca. 1928 Drawing of a Dapper Man with a Pint Glass by Artist Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1920s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal

Watercolor on Paper Study of a Notre Dame Football Game by Artist Francis Chapin
Watercolor on Paper Study of a Notre Dame Football Game by Artist Francis Chapin

Watercolor on Paper Study of a Notre Dame Football Game by Artist Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

A Charming 1950s Still Life Painting with Gloves & Pink Roses by Francis Chapin
A Charming 1950s Still Life Painting with Gloves & Pink Roses by Francis Chapin

A Charming 1950s Still Life Painting with Gloves & Pink Roses by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s Modern Still-life Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A Large, 1950s, Oil on Masonite Painting of a Michigan Harbor by Francis Chapin
A Large, 1950s, Oil on Masonite Painting of a Michigan Harbor by Francis Chapin

A Large, 1950s, Oil on Masonite Painting of a Michigan Harbor by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A Vintage 1950s Pastel on Paper Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin
A Vintage 1950s Pastel on Paper Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

A Vintage 1950s Pastel on Paper Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Pastel

A Vintage 1950s Pastel & Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin
A Vintage 1950s Pastel & Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

A Vintage 1950s Pastel & Charcoal Drawing of a Hockey Game by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Pastel

A Captivating Modern Seated Female Nude in a Studio Interior by Francis Chapin
A Captivating Modern Seated Female Nude in a Studio Interior by Francis Chapin

A Captivating Modern Seated Female Nude in a Studio Interior by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1940s American Modern Nude Paintings

Materials

Oil, Masonite

A Vibrant 1940s Modern Painting of a Young Woman Reading, Summer Patio Garden
A Vibrant 1940s Modern Painting of a Young Woman Reading, Summer Patio Garden

A Vibrant 1940s Modern Painting of a Young Woman Reading, Summer Patio Garden

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

An Fashionable, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Woman by Francis Chapin
An Fashionable, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Woman by Francis Chapin

An Fashionable, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Woman by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

A Fashionable 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait, "Young Woman in Yellow Sweater"
A Fashionable 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait, "Young Woman in Yellow Sweater"

A Fashionable 1950s Mid-Century Modern Portrait, "Young Woman in Yellow Sweater"

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

Chapin’s contemporaries among Chicago’s artists included such luminaries as Ivan Le Lorraine Albright, Edgar Miller, William S. Schwartz and Aaron Bohrod among others.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

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William S Schwartz For Sale on 1stDibs

Surely you’ll find the exact william s schwartz you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. If you’re looking for a william s schwartz from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 20th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. On 1stDibs, the right william s schwartz is waiting for you and the choices span a range of colors that includes black, beige, gray and white. A william s schwartz from William S. Schwartz, Joni Sternbach, Diana Thorne and Todros Geller — each of whom created distinctive versions of this kind of work — is worth considering. These artworks were handmade with extraordinary care, with artists most often working in paint, canvas and fabric. If space is limited, you can find a small william s schwartz measuring 8.88 high and 6.88 wide, while our inventory also includes works up to 42 across to better suit those in the market for a large william s schwartz.

How Much is a William S Schwartz?

The price for a william s schwartz in our collection starts at $375 and tops out at $70,000 with the average selling for $1,800.

Francis Chapin for sale on 1stDibs

Francis Chapin, affectionately called the “Dean of Chicago Painters” by his colleagues, was one of the city’s most popular and celebrated painters in his day. Born at the dawn of the 20th Century in Bristolville, Ohio, Chapin graduated from Washington & Jefferson College near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before enrolling at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1922. He would set down deep roots at the Art Institute of Chicago, exhibiting there over 31 times between 1926 and 1951. In 1927 Chapin won the prestigious Bryan Lathrop Fellowship from the Art Institute – a prize that funded the artist’s yearlong study trip to Europe. Upon his return to the United States, Chapin decided to remain in Chicago, noting the freedom Chicago artists have in developing independently of the pressure to conform to pre-existing molds (as was experienced by artists in New York, for example). Chapin became a popular instructor at the Art Institute, teaching there from 1929 to 1947 and at the Art Institute’s summer art school in Saugatuck, Michigan (now called Oxbow) between 1934 – 1938 (he was the director of the school from 1941-1945). A prolific painter, Chapin produced numerous works while traveling in Mexico, France, Spain, Saugatuck and Martha’s Vineyard, where he frequently spent summers and taught at the Old Sculpin Gallery there. Chapin was best recognized for his dynamic and vibrant images of Chicago during the 1930s and 40s. Chapin was a resident of the Old Town neighborhood where he lived and kept his studio on Menomonee Street for many years. Described as a “colorful figure, nearly 6 feet 6 inches tall, and thin, and usually wearing tweeds”, it is easy to imagine Chapin at work observing the busy street life of the city. In addition to his many exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chapin’s work was shown during his lifetime at such institutions as the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia; the Corcoran Gallery, Washington, D.C.; the National Academy of Design, New York; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, among others. Francis Chapin’s paintings are represented in the collections the Art Institute of Chicago; the Friedman Collection, Chicago; the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown; the Denver Art Museum; the Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse; the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach; the Telfair Museum of Art, Savannah and the Brooklyn Museum of Art, among others.

A Close Look at Modern Art

The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.

Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.

The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.

Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.

Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.