David Cook Galleries

Simka Simkhovitch (Russian/American 1893 - 1949) This came with a small grouping from the artist's family, some were hand signed some were not. These were studies for larger paintings. This is a miniature watercolor and gouache vibrant, colorful bouquet of flowers in a vase. Simka Simkhovitch (Симха Файбусович Симхович) (aka Simka Faibusovich Simkhovich) (Novozybkov, Russia May 21, 1885 O.S./June 2, 1885 N.S.—Greenwich, Connecticut February 25, 1949) was a Ukrainian-Russian Jewish artist and immigrant to the United States. He painted theater scenery in his early career and then had several showings in galleries in New York City. Winning Works Progress Administration (WPA) commissions in the 1930s, he completed murals for the post offices in Jackson, Mississippi and Beaufort, North Carolina. His works are in the permanent collections of the Dallas Museum of Art, the National Museum of American Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Born outside Kyiv (Petrograd Ukraine) into a Jewish family who owned a small department store. During a severe case of measles when he was seven, Simcha Simchovitch sketched the views outside his window and decided to become an artist, over his father's objections. Beginning in 1905, he studied at the Grekov Odessa Art School and upon completion of his studies in 1911 received a recommendation to be admitted to the Imperial Academy of Arts. Though he enrolled to begin classes in architecture, painting, and sculpture at the Imperial Academy, he was dropped from the school roster in December because of the quota on the number of Jewish students and drafted into the army. Simchovitch served as a private in the 175th Infantry Regiment Baturyn [ru] until his demobilization in 1912. Re-enrolling in the Imperial Academy, he audited classes. Simka Simkhovitch exhibited paintings and sculptures in 1918 as part of an exhibition of Jewish artists and in 1919 placed 1st in the competition "The Great Russian Revolution" with a painting called "Russian Revolution" which was hung in the State Museum of Revolution. In 1922, Simkha Simkhovitch exhibited at the International Book Fair in Florence (Italian: Fiera Internazionale del Libro di Firenze). In 1924, Simkhovitch came to the United States to make illustrations for Soviet textbooks and decided to immigrate instead. Initially he supported himself by doing commercial art and a few portrait commissions. In 1927, he was hired to paint a screen for a scene in the play "The Command to Love" by Fritz Gottwald and Rudolph Lothar which was playing at the Longacre Theatre on Broadway. Art dealers began clamoring for the screen and Simkhovitch began a career as a screen painter for the theater. Catching the attention of the screenwriter, Ernest Pascal, he worked as an illustrator for Pascal, who then introduced him to gallery owner, Marie Sterner. Simkhovitch's works appeared at the Marie Sterner Gallery beginning with a 1927 exhibit and were repeated the following year. Simkhovitch had an exhibit in 1929 at Sterner's on circus paintings. In 1931, he held a showing of works at the Helen Hackett Gallery, in New York City and later that same year he was one of the featured artists of a special exhibit in San Francisco at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. The exhibit was coordinated by Marie Sterner and included four watercolors, including one titled "Nudes". He is of the generation of Russian Soviet artists such as Isaac Pailes, Serge Charchoune, Marc Chagall, Chana Orloff, Isaac Ilyich Levitan, and Ossip Zadkine. In 1936, Simkhovitch was selected to complete the mural for the WPA Post office project in Jackson, Mississippi. The mural was hung in the post office and courthouse in 1938 depicted a plantation theme. Painted on the wall behind the judge’s bench, “Pursuits of Life in Mississippi”, a depiction of black workers engaged in manual labor amid scenes of white professionals and socialites, was eventually covered over in later years during renovations due to its stereotypical African American imagery. Simka painted what he thought was typical of Jackson. His impression of pre-civil rights Mississippi was evidently Greek Revival column houses, weeping willow trees, working class families, and the oppression of African Americans. He painted African American men picking cotton, while a white man took account of the harvest and a white judge advised a white family, calling it Pursuits of Life in Mississippi. Though clearly endorsed by the government and initially generally well-received, the mural soon raised concerns with locals as the climate toward racial segregation began to change. The main concern was whether depictions that show African Americans in subjugated societal roles should be featured in a courtroom. The following year, his painting "Holiday" won praise at an exhibition in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1940, Simkhovitch's second WPA post office project was completed when four murals, "The Cape Lookout Lighthouse and the Orville W. Mail Boat", "The Wreck of the Crissie Wright", "Sand Ponies" and "Canada Geese" were installed in Beaufort, North Carolina. The works were commissioned in 1938 and did not generate the controversy that the Jackson mural had. The main mural is "The Wreck of the Crissie Wright" and depicts a shipwreck which had occurred in Beaufort in 1866. "The Cape Lookout Lighthouse and the Orville W. Mail Boat" depicted the lighthouse built in 1859 and the mail boat that was running mail during the time which Simkhovitch was there. The boat ran mail for the area until 1957. "Sand Ponies" shows the wild horses common to the North Carolina barrier islands and "Canada Geese" showed the importance of hunting and fishing in the area. All four murals were restored in the 1990s by Elisabeth Speight, daughter of two other WPA muralists, Francis Speight...

This handcrafted sculpture was made in Northern Canada by an Inuit artisan in circa 1970. This sculpture is a series of two stylized human figures intermixed with two representations of presumably Spirits, which has several carved faces in them. The entire sculpture is composed of hand carved and handcrafted antler, likely Caribou. This sculpture may symbolize a blessing of good fortune for an upcoming hunt. The series of four figures are each pegged on the bottom and fit into holes drilled into the base. The base is numbered on the bottom which identifies that it was registered, and also has a paper label. Due to the composition of this sculpture it may only be shipped within Canada...

By Toby Henderson, Dine-Navajo, American, circa 1980s. This spectacular sterling figure of a Navajo spirit dancer by renowned Navajo silversmith Toby Henderson is highly detailed. Heavily worked and excessively concha stamped, it is the perfect way to connect with the spiritual world through Dine art! Excellent condition. Remarks: "Bring the balance of self and universe into your home." Size: 5 5/8 inches high by 2 inches wide Weight: 91.5 grams Hallmarks: TH below a partial sun, maker's mark for Tobey Henderson...

This spectacular sterling figure of a Navajo spirit dancer by renowned Navajo silversmith Toby Henderson is highly detailed, circa 1980s, by Toby Henderson, Dine-Navajo, American. Heavily worked and excessively concha stamped, it is the perfect way to connect with the spiritual world through Dine art! Excellent condition. Remarks: "Bring the balance of self and universe into your home." Size: 5 1/2 inches high by 2 inches wide Weight: 88.7 grams Hallmarks: TH below a partial sun, maker's mark for Tobey...

A charming vintage hand carved wooden black horse, richly decorated and enhanced with gold accents. Used condition, some cracks and fading to the paint, otherwise good. Dimensions:...

Bright and beautiful reds, creams, blues, greens, orange and browns with geometric patterns. Very little wear except to the fringes. Origin: Southwest USA Period: Circa 1920 - 30s D...

This large hand-crafted basket is unsigned, but presumed to have originated from Canada and date to approximately 1970 and done in the period indigenous Canadian...

Vintage 1970s Hopi Katsina Figure - Kachina Doll, circa 1970s Measures: 7" wide x 6" deep x 14" high The doll shows a few minor losses and cracks - Please review all images ...

Pre-Columbian, Hispaniola, Arawak Peoples, Taino Native Indians, early 20th century or older This is an ancestor sculpture from the Arawak Peoples of the Greater Antilles Islands. Sometimes described to a broader category of Taino art...

Mid-Century oil on board by 20th century artist Ahlan Achoy, signed bottom left. Ahlan Achoy was known for his figurative art and portraiture often in the cubist style. This colourf...

Beautiful coloring and geometric patterns for which the Navajo tribe is famed. In fantastic vintage condition. Originally acquired some 50-60 years ago and placed in storage for good keeping. Ingeniously clever design. The pattern changes when viewed horizontally and then vertically. From a large collection of Native American artifacts...

A nicely woven wool mat/rug in a geometric pattern which the Navajo tribe is famed for. In fantastic vintage condition. Originally acquired some years ago and placed in storage for good keeping. From a large collection of Native American artifacts...