Donald Roy Purdy Still-life Paintings

A Fabulous, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Still Life Painting of a Colorful Bouquet of Spring Flowers by Notable Chicago Artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Completed in the vibrant,...

A strong modernist oil painting depicted in Circa 1960 by Russian painter Michael Baxte. Mostly known for his abstracted figures on canvas or street scenes, this piece is a wonderful representation of his bold still life paintings, with expressive use of color, shape, and form. Later in his career, Baxte explores Expressionism, infusing both European and North American stylistic trends. This piece is from later in his career, but we can feel this underlying style throughout. Art measures 21.75 x 18 inches Michael Posner Baxte was born in 1890 in the small town of Staroselje Belarus, Russia. For the first half of the 19th century it was a center of the Chabad movement of Hasidic Jews, but this group was gone by the middle of the 19th century. By the time the Baxte family immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, the Jewish population numbered only on the hundreds. The native language of the Baxte family was Yiddish. It is likely that the death of Michael Baxte’s father triggered the family’s immigration. Three older brothers arrived in New York between 1903 and 1905. Michael and his mother, Rebecca, arrived in 1907. By 1910 Michael, his mother, and brother, Joseph, were living in New Orleans and may have spent some time on a Louisiana plantation. Around 1912, Michael Baxte returned to Europe to study the violin. In 1914 he, his mother, and Joseph moved to New York City. Meanwhile, in Algeria, a talented young woman painter, Violette Mege, was making history. Since for the first time, a woman won the prestigious Beaux Art competition in Algeria. At first, the awards committee denied her the prize but, with French government intervention, Mege eventually prevailed. She won again 3 years later and, in 1916, used the scholarship to visit the United States of America. When Violette came to New York, she met Baxte, who was, by then, an accomplished violinist, teacher, and composer. Baxte’s compositions were performed at the Tokyo Imperial Theater, and in 1922 he was listed in the American Jewish Yearbook as one of the prominent members of the American Jewish community. As a music teacher he encouraged individual expression. Baxte stated, “No pupil should ever be forced into imitation of the teacher. Art is a personal experience, and the teacher’s truest aim must be to awaken this light of personality through the patient light of science.” By 1920 Michael Baxte and Violette Mege were living together in Manhattan. Although they claimed to be living as husband and wife, it seems that their marriage did not become official until 1928. On their “unofficial” honeymoon around 1917, in Algiers, Baxte confided to her his ambition to paint. There and later in New Mexico where the wonderful steeped sunlight approximates the coloring of Algiers, she taught him his heart’s desire. He never had any other teacher. She never had any other pupil. For ten years she devoted all her time, energy, and ambition to teaching, encouraging, inspiring him. Then in 1928, their mutual strivings were rewarded, as his works were being chosen as one of the two winners in the Dudensing National Competition for American Painters. Out of 150 artists from across the country participated in the Dudensing, and Michael Posner Baxte and, Robert Fawcett...

This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. In Apples and Copper Kettle, Laura Critchlow invites us into t...

French Still Life With Flowers Bouquet Oil on masonite, signed, original vintage frame. Edith Faucon was born on May 24 in 1919 in Carentan France. She owes her artistic training f...

Charles Blum (New York, 1925-1998), Windowsill Garden, Oil on Masonite Panel, 1966, signed and dated lower right, wood frame. Image: 48" H x 23.75" W; frame: 53" H x 29" W. Provenanc...

Mid-Century Modern Abstracted Cubist Table Still-Life in Acrylic on Masonite Vibrant mid-century modern still life with abstracted synthetic cubist elements in warm colors, highligh...

Still Life by Liudmila Shabazova from Spain. A magnificent flower is surrounded by green leaves. The composition is simple but brightly colored. The...

Beautiful still life of a vase of bearded irises, begonias, and daffodils by Helen Gleiforst (American, 1903-1997). Signed "Gleiforst" lower right. Unframed. Image size: 14"H x 10"W. Helen Gleiforst was born in Crete, Nebraska and soon moved to Oregon where she studied at the University of Oregon. Gleiforst then settled in Beverly Hills where she began to paint. Her teachers included Nicolai Fechin, George Melcher, and John Hubbard Rich...

Ameryllis Study 2 - Miniature Abstract Floral Canvas Art by Contemporary British Artist, Angela Wakefield Art measures 12 x 9 inches Frame measures 16 x 13 inches A vibrant and emo...

Field of Sunflowers in the Summertime in France II by Contemporary British Artist, Angela Wakefield Art measures 30 x 20 inches Frame measures 35 x 25 inches This painting depic...

Sylvia Rutkoff (1919-2011) 26-1 "The Schoolgirl" c.1950s Oil paint, sand on Masonite 36x48 wood period frame Unsigned Collection acquired from family estate Sylvia Weinreb Rutkoff (...

This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. Plums II by Laura Critchlow is a stunning example of hyperreal...