Vita Merca Art

Not all who weep are sad [2021] original Oil on stretched canvas Image size: H:60 cm x W:80 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:60 cm x W:80 cm x D:2cm Sold Unframed Please note th...

A large, vibrant 1940s American Modernist still life painting of a cast iron pot, squash and ladle by notable Chicago woman artist. Flora Schofield. Oil on canvas, dating circa 1947. Artwork size: 28 1/2 x 20 inches. Framed size: 34 x 26 inches. Signed "Schofield" lower left. A avid painter, print maker and sculptor, Flora Schofield (Schoenfield), was born in Lanark, Illinois in 1871. She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and taught Saturday classes there until 1904. Schoenfield also studied with Charles Hawthorne, B.J.O Nordfeldt and William Zorach in Provincetown, Massachusetts. She studied with Albert Gleizes, Fernand Leger and Natalia Goncharova in Paris, France. In 1923, Schofield’s abstractions caused a split at the venerable Chicago Society of Artists. When her artwork was was accepted by the jury, the notable Impressionist painter Pauline Palmer and the notable Modernist painter Carl Hoeckner got into a row that ended-up splitting the group. The Impressionists then broke away into their own organization called the ”Association of Chicago Painters and Sculptors”. Paintings by Flora Schofield have been exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia; the Salon d’Automne and Salon de Independants, Paris; the Salons of America; the Society of Independent Artists, New York; the Wichita Museum of Art, Wichita; Gallery Carmine, Paris; the National Arts Club Galleries, New York; Marshall Fields Galleries...

“Still Life, 1936” by Katharine "Kitty" Duff Church (British, 1910-1999). This large, early painting by Katherine Church is among her finest canvases of the period. Characterized by its bold color palette, simplified forms, and expressive brushwork, this composition centers around a tabletop adorned with various objects: potted plants, a ceramic dish, bottles, and what appear to be books or papers. The two potted plants provide contrasting elements: on the left, what appears to be a cyclamen with red blossoms and delicate leaves, and on the right, a lush green plant with darker foliage. These plants, painted with loose, textured strokes, add an organic quality to the otherwise structured arrangement. The tabletop is cluttered yet thoughtfully composed, featuring additional objects like a clear, faceted glass bowl, a small bottle, and books or pads in striking red and green. The dynamic use of color blocks and the juxtaposition of shapes (round pots against rectangular books) create a sense of rhythm and harmony. The background is darker and less defined, emphasizing the brightly lit tabletop. Church's brushwork is gestural and modernist, leaning toward abstraction, challenging traditional still life conventions. This painting reflects Church’s interest in balancing everyday objects with bold artistic expression. It conveys both the simplicity and complexity of daily life, transforming an ordinary moment into a vibrant and engaging work of art. This work is oil on canvas and is signed and dated in the lower right. It is housed in its original gessoed frame and retains various labels and inscriptions on the reverse. Size: 28.25 inches tall by 36 inches wide (painting) 34 inches tall by 42 inches wide by 2 inches deep (frame) Provenance: Private collection, NY; Acquired from the above About the artist: Born in Highgate, north London, Katharine Church, known as ‘Kitty’ amongst friends and family, always wanted to paint. She trained at the Royal Academy of Arts between 1930-1933 and at the Slade between 1933 and 1934. In her early years Kitty exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy. Her first solo exhibition was in 1933 at the Wertheim Gallery. Other artists who exhibited there included Christopher Wood, Victor Pasmore and Cedric Morris. Kitty also showed with the New English Art Club, the London Group and between 1937-1947 her work was exhibited at the influential Lefevre Gallery, which supported avant-garde artists such as Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth. In 1954 the artist was invited to take part in the Figures in their setting exhibition held at the Tate Gallery. Henry Tonks and Philip Wilson Steer had a strong influence on Kitty’s early work, but it was her friendship with Ivon Hitchens that liberated her painting technique. In 1936 Kitty married Anthony West, the son of writers Rebecca West and H.G. Wells. The couple initially lived in London before moving to Quarry Farm, Chicksgrove, Tisbury, near Salisbury, where they brought up their children Caroline and Edmund. There they hosted many of their friends, including the New Zealand painter Frances Hodgkins. Other regular visitors before the War included John and Mywafany Piper, Ralph and Frances Partridge, Noel and Catharine Carrington, Julian Trevelyan and Mary Fedden. For many of those who visited Kitty would organise painting expeditions. After the war Kitty and Anthony separated, with Anthony moving to the United States. Anthony West moved to the United States to work as a journalist for The New Yorker. In the early years after their parting Kitty visited most years with the children. In the 1960s Kitty purchased Sutton House and ran the Hambledon Gallery at Blandford Forum. There she promoted the work of her early art-school friends Mary Fedden and Julian Trevelyan, alongside work by the Pipers, John Craxton...

Vintage American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed "Bedell". Measuring: 25 by 20.5 inches overall, and 20 by 16 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to h...

Vintage American modernist flower still life oil painting . Oil on board. Framed. Measuring: 10 by 6 inches overall, and 9.75 by 5.75 painting alone.Excellent condition, ready to han...

Impressive Paris school modernist still life oil painting. Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 36H by 29L and overall 36 by 43 inches.

With a contemporary perspective on landscape painting and inspired by paintings created by old masters, German artist Katharina Husslein paints in a representational manner to captur...

Vintage American modernist framed still life painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed. Image size, 16 by 20 inches.

Impressive Paris school modernist still life oil painting. Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 36H by 29L and overall 36 by 43 inches.

Antique American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 27 by 31 inches overall, and 19 by 22.5 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to h...

Vintage modernist abstract still life oil painting. Oil on board. Nicely framed. Signed. Excellent ready to hang condition.

Antique American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Measuring: 28 by 34 inches overall. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a modern wood ...

Albert Heckman Untitled, circa 1950 Signed lower right Oil on canvas 24 x 30 inches Albert Heckman was born in Meadville, Western Pennsylvania, 1893. He went to New York City to try his hand at the art world in 1915 after graduating from high school and landing a job at the Meadville Post Office. In 1917, at the age of 24, Heckman enrolled part-time in Teachers' College, Columbia University's Fine Arts Department to begin his formal art education. He worked as a freelance ceramic and textile designer and occasionally as a lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the early 1920s, at the age of almost 30, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia Teachers College. He was especially impacted by his instructor at Columbia, Arthur Wesley Dow. After graduating, he was hired by the Teachers' College as a Fine Arts instructor. He stayed with Columbia Teachers' College until 1929, when he left to attend the Leipzig Institute of Graphic Arts in Leipzig, Germany. Isami Doi (1903-1965), who was born in Hawaii, was arguably his most impressive student at Columbia. Doi is now regarded as one of the most prominent artists hailing from Hawaii. Heckman became an active member and officer of the Keramic Society and Design Guild of New York in the 1920s as part of his early commercial art career. The Society's mission was to share knowledge and showcase textile and ceramic design exhibits. In 1922, Heckman married Florence Hardman, a concert violinist. Mrs. Heckman's concert schedule during the 1920s kept Albert and Florence Heckman apart for a significant portion of the time, but they spent what little time they had together designing and building their Woodstock, New York, summer house and grounds. A small house and an acre of surrounding land on Overlook Mountain, just behind the village of Woodstock, were purchased by Albert and Florence Heckman at the time of their marriage. Their Woodstock home, with its connections, friendships, and memories, became a central part of their lives over the years, even though they had an apartment in New York City. Heckman's main artistic focus shifted to the house on Overlook Mountain and the nearby towns and villages, Kingston, Eddyville, and Glasco. After returning from the Leipzig Institute of Graphic Arts in 1930, Mr. Heckman joined Hunter College as an assistant professor of art. He worked there for almost thirty years, retiring in 1956. Throughout his tenure at Hunter, Mr. Heckman and his spouse spent the summers at their Woodstock residence and the winters in New York City. They were regular and well-known guests at the opera and art galleries in New York. Following his retirement in 1956, the Heckmans settled in Woodstock permanently, with occasional trips to Florida or Europe during the fall and winter. Mr. Heckman's close friends and artistic career were always connected to Woodstock or New York City. He joined the Woodstock art group early on and was greatly influenced by artists like Paul and Caroline Rohland, Emil Ganso, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Andre Ruellan, and her husband, Jack...

Vintage realist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 18 by 41 inches overall, and 16 by 39 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.

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,...