Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

American, 1907-1985

Michael Loew was born on May 8, 1907 and was the son of a New York City baker. After high school, he was an apprentice to a stained-glass maker and from 1926–29, he studied at the Art Students League. In 1929, he traveled to Paris, North Africa, Germany and Italy with a group of artists, including Max Schnitzler and Alfred Jensen. When he returned to New York City in 1931, the Great Depression hit Loew unexpectedly and for the next two years, he paid his apartment rent with his paintings. In 1935, he found work with the Works Progress Administration where he painted murals and partnered up with longtime friend Willem de Kooning in 1939 on a mural for the Hall of Pharmacy at the New York World's Fair. Their friendship lasted for the rest of their lives and in fact, Loew met his wife Mildred through a friend of de Kooning's. He traveled to Mexico in the late 1930s. Loew had a strong interest in artists' rights and activism and as president of the Artists Union, he led a protest which involved artists chaining themselves to poles in Union Square. After Pearl Harbor, Loew joined the Navy and served as the battalion artist for the Seabees in the Pacific. When he returned in 1946, his painting moved quickly toward abstraction. From 1947–49, he studied post-cubism at the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Arts. In 1948, he joined the Spiral Group, an organization of artists devoted to the exhibition of experimental art. The Artists Gallery in New York hosted his first one-man show in 1949 and one year later, he enrolled at the Atelier Léger in Paris. In 1956, he began teaching in the United States. By 1985 he had been an instructor at the Portland Museum School, University of California at Berkeley and the School of Visual Arts. His works are in the collections of prominent institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. He died on November 14, 1985, in New York.

Artist: Michael Loew

Michael Loew"Concert" Early 20th Century WPA Modernism American City Landscape Scene Ashcan, 1928

$7,500

"Concert" Early 20th Century WPA Modernism American City Landscape Scene Ashcan

By Michael Loew

Located in New York, NY

"Concert" Early 20th Century WPA Modernism American City Landscape Scene Ashcan The size of the canvas 28 3/4 x 43 1/4 inches. The painting comes directly from the artist's estate. It is signed lower right as well as signed, titled and dated verso. We have available more than two dozen paintings and works on paper from the 1930s - 80s that come directly from the Loew estate. BIO Michael Loew (1907 – 1985) was the son of a New York City baker. After high school, he was an apprentice to a stained-glass maker, and from 1926-1929, he studied at the Art Students League. In 1929, he traveled to Paris, North Africa, Germany, and Italy with a group of artists. When he returned to New York City in 1931, the Great Depression hit Loew unexpectedly, and for the next two years he paid his apartment rent with his paintings. In 1935, he found work with the WPA where he painted murals and partnered up with longtime friend Willem de Kooning in 1939 on a mural for the Hall of Pharmacy at the New York World’s Fair. Their friendship lasted for the rest of their lives. In the mid-30’s he painted in Mexico and the Yucatán documenting the construction of a U.S. Naval airbase on Tinian Island. It was from this airbase that the Enola...

Category

1920s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Michael LoewMural Study 1933 Depression Era Mid-Century WPA Modern American Scene Drawing, 1933

$7,500

Mural Study 1933 Depression Era Mid-Century WPA Modern American Scene Drawing

By Michael Loew

Located in New York, NY

Mural Study 1933 Depression Era Mid-Century WPA Modern American Scene Drawing. Study to Scale Mural Sketch for “Evolution of Textile Production” East. All,...

Category

1930s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Egg Tempera, Board

Michael LoewWPA Mural Study 1940 American Scene Modern Social Realism Figurative Mid Century, 1940

$12,500

WPA Mural Study 1940 American Scene Modern Social Realism Figurative Mid Century

By Michael Loew

Located in New York, NY

WPA Mural Study 1940 American Scene Modern Social Realism Figurative Mid Century Michael Loew (1907-1985) Detail for Mural (Social Security Building Washington D.C.) 24 x 24 inches ...

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1940s American Realist Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Lester J. AmbroseGod Bless Our Home, Social Realist Scene, Figurative Americana Interior Scene, 1930's

$2,300Sale Price|50% Off

H 24 in W 28 in D 2 in

God Bless Our Home, Social Realist Scene, Figurative Americana Interior Scene

Located in Doylestown, PA

"God Bless Our Home" is an interior and figurative scene of a woman sitting on her couch in serious and proper expression. The Americana style paint...

Category

1930s American Realist Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fritz KeckInterior J&L Works, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania American Industrial Scene Painting, Unknown

$4,800

H 22 in W 26 in D 1 in

Interior J&L Works, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania American Industrial Scene Painting

Located in Marco Island, FL

An interior scene of industrial America where workers kept the production of steel going in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This detailed and atmospheric painting shows the hard work and ...

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20th Century American Realist Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Charles TurzakA Colorful, Mid-Century Modern American Scene Painting, "The Farm", circa 1950

$2,500

H 27.5 in W 29.5 in D 1.5 in

A Colorful, Mid-Century Modern American Scene Painting, "The Farm"

By Charles Turzak

Located in Chicago, IL

A Colorful, Mid-Century Modern American Scene Country Landscape Painting, "The Farm" by Famed Chicago Artist and Printmaker, Charles Turzak (Am. 1899 - 1986). The painting depicts a vibrant, sunlit depiction of a Midwestern country farm, including a red barn and silo. The painting is oil on canvas, dating from the 1950s. A painting of a great visual appeal- a perfect complement to any collection. Artwork size: 23 x 25 inches, accompanied with the artist's original, hand-painted frame (Framed size: 27 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches). Signed "Turzak", upper right; 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...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

William Robert Shulgold The Sculptress

$12,500

H 39 in W 29 in

The Sculptress

By William Robert Shulgold

Located in West Hollywood, CA

William Robert Shulgold (1897-1989), studied under Arthur Watson Sparks, head of Carnegie?€™s art department. He specialized in figurative genre subjects, displaying within his paintings a quality and understanding akin to 19th century impressionism...

Category

1930s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Theresa Bernstein"Circus, Madison Square Garden" Theresa Bernstein, Interior Scene, Bright, Crowd, 1936

$32,000

H 36 in W 44 in

"Circus, Madison Square Garden" Theresa Bernstein, Interior Scene, Bright, Crowd

By Theresa Bernstein

Located in New York, NY

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...

Category

1930s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Dorothy Eisner“Washington Square Park, 1938” NYC Social Realism Female American Artist Oil, 1938

$13,500

H 40.5 in W 50.5 in D 3 in

“Washington Square Park, 1938” NYC Social Realism Female American Artist Oil

By Dorothy Eisner

Located in Yardley, PA

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...

Category

1930s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Erle LoranBlacksmith (Untitled), 1936

$5,500

H 28 in W 30 in D 2 in

Blacksmith (Untitled)

By Erle Loran

Located in Los Angeles, CA

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...

Category

1930s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Paul G. Oxborough"Hotel Chelsea" New York interior painting by Paul Oxborough, 2025

$150,000

H 39 in W 61 in

"Hotel Chelsea" New York interior painting by Paul Oxborough

By Paul G. Oxborough

Located in Greenwich, CT

Signed lower right Unframed dimensions: 30 x 52 inches Framed dimensions: 39 x 61 inches Paul G. Oxborough studied at Minneapolis College of Art and Design and Atelier Lesueur, a 4...

Category

2010s American Realist Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Gerrit HondiusA Large, Compelling Mid-Century Modern Figurative Painting- Equestrienne & Clown, circa 1955

$1,200

H 36.5 in W 31 in D 1.5 in

A Large, Compelling Mid-Century Modern Figurative Painting- Equestrienne & Clown

By Gerrit Hondius

Located in Chicago, IL

A Large, Compelling Mid-Century Modern Figurative Painting by New York Artist, Gerrit Hondius, Titled "Equestrienne & Clown". Artwork size: 30 x 24 inches (Oil on Masonite); Frame...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Francis ChapinA Stylish Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Seated Young Woman in a Pink Dress, Circa 1940

$1,600

H 24.5 in W 23.75 in D 2 in

A Stylish Mid-Century Modern Portrait of a Seated Young Woman in a Pink Dress

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

A stylish, colorful Mid-Century Modern portrait of a seated young woman in a pink dress by famed Chicago Modern artist, Francis Chapin. A fashionably dressed, young model is seated ...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Francis ChapinA Colorful, Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Martha's Vineyard Harbor Scene, circa 1950

$2,200

H 22 in W 29 in D 2 in

A Colorful, Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Martha's Vineyard Harbor Scene

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

A vibrant, colorful harbor scene of Martha's Vineyard by notable Chicago Modern artist, Francis Chapin (Am. 1899-1965). Depicting a quiet inlet with sandy shoreline, boat houses and...

Category

1950s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Frances RinaldoThe Artist's Apartment - Mid-Century Fauvist Interior Scene, Oil on Canvas 48x48, 1968

$2,130Sale Price|40% Off

H 48 in W 48 in D 0.75 in

The Artist's Apartment - Mid-Century Fauvist Interior Scene, Oil on Canvas 48x48

Located in Soquel, CA

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...

Category

1960s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

Previously Available Items

Michael Loew"Refugees" Mexican American Oil Painting Depression Era WPA Mid-Century Modern, 1937

Sold

H 28 in W 33 in D 1 in

"Refugees" Mexican American Oil Painting Depression Era WPA Mid-Century Modern

By Michael Loew

Located in New York, NY

"Refugees" Mexican American Oil Painting Depression Era WPA Mid-Century Modern. The Whitney Museum's current exhibition, VIDA AMERICA, prompts us to share this Michael Loew work, which he painted in Mexico in 1937. The 28 x 33 inch oil on canvas is unframed. You may already be familiar with Michael Loew for his abstract expressionist works. But earlier in his career, he worked for the WPA and in the late 1930's he traveled to Mexico. We are currently working with the Loew estate which owns many photographs he took in Mexico and the diaries of his time there. We can share lots of details. This particular painting, Refugees, was in the artist's estate when he died in 1985 and has been in storage since that time. It is in fine vintage condition. There is some paint loss but the colors are vibrant and it will restore beautifully. This painting, and other works by Loew, are available. Michael Loew was born in 1907 and was the son of a New York City baker. After high school, he was an apprentice to a stained-glass maker, and from 1926-1929, he studied at the Art Student's League. In 1929, he traveled to Paris, North Africa, Germany, and Italy with a group of artists, including Max Schnitzler...

Category

1930s American Modern Michael Loew Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Michael Loew figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Michael Loew figurative paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Michael Loew in paint, canvas, fabric and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Michael Loew figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 21 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Mervin Jules, Harold Haydon, and Emanuel Glicenstein Romano. Michael Loew figurative paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $7,500 and tops out at $12,500, while the average work can sell for $7,500.