Mid-20th Century Paintings

The Last Flowering of the Middle Ages by Baron Joseph Van Der Elst. Published by Doubleday, Doran and Company Inc., 1944. Stated 1st Ed hardcover. An in-depth look into art of the Middle Ages. Contents: 1. The Times and the Men who Made Them: Men of Flanders; The Flemish Parade; The Good Black Earth; The Rise of the Towns; The Medieval Guilds; Of Love, the Dream; The Upward Glance; Pt. 2. The Flemish Masters: Jan van Eyck; Petrus Christus...

Large oil on canvas painting by Danish artist Hans Øllgaard (b. 1911, d. 1969) depicting a summer landscape ca. 1950s or 60s at the time of harvesting ha...

a farmhouse and outbuildings as viewed through winter trees, signed lower left M. Guillet

This Spanish still life knife oil painting captures a scene of a large bouquet of ancient rose flowers? purple, pink, white j'hece and Bordeaux in a green tinted glass jug. It is l...

Big oil on canvas from the 1960s. Signed V. Busa abstract colored Italian design, very reminiscent of the city of Manhattan.

Amazing surrealist painting of birds over an abyss by Haucke (1908-1960). Born in S Africa died USA. Artist published and exhibited in the USA in the 1940-50s and is in numerous art ...

Very Large Impasto on Canvas by A. Victor. Vibrant colors and design to this classic 1960's composition. This is a listed artist and his style is so distinct with its heavy impasto v...

Full of color and life, this group of six small vignettes on one sheet depicts pairs and trios of female figures dancing and frolicking in various idyllic landscapes -- rolling hills...

Mid 20th Century still life flowers in a jug. Signed bottom right by the artist Stella Lane. Oil On Board. Framed. Provenance: Private London Collection In very good condition...

A hole lot is going on in this vintage Danish abstract painting. Both oil and acrylic paint were used to create texture, dept and drama. A mentionable feature is the double framing c...

Surrealist weathered painting signed "Robert Duncan 1973", lower right. An ethereal image of a leaf floating through space as if upon a beam of light. We love the soft weathered su...

An oil painting of a French cafe and people walking on the busy streets of France.

Final costume design drawing by Jose Varona for the New York City Opera's 1967 production of Le Coq d'Or (The Golden Cockerel). This design is for the title character. The drawing is ink, watercolor and gouache. Two other designs for this opera are in the collection of the McNay Museum in San Antonio, TX. Sight measurement is 19 1/4 x 14 1/8 inches. Jose Varona American was born 1930 in Argentina. He began his art career in the 1950's and later became a renowned international costume designer mostly with opera and dance productions. He moved the the United States in 1962. He designed costumes for Beverly Sills, Joan Sutherland...

Maria Scarcella painting "The Redhead" 1967 Measures: Height 64cm Largeur 54cm Oil on canvas In good conservative condition, present signs of time due to use and age. (Please see...

Dagny Cassel (1908-1988), Sweden. Oil on canvas. Modernist interior with flowers. Mid-20th century. The canvas measures: 63 x 52 cm. The frame measures: 8 cm. In excellent condi...

Oil abstract painting Materic on canvas sack 1950 Italian design multicolor.

A period Mid-Century Modern abstract oil painting on canvas with earth tone colors. Signed lower right. Original wood frame. 36.25 inched High. 26.13 inches Wide. 1.13. inched Deep. Randall Morgan was born in Knightstown, Indiana in 1920. He held the director position at the Positano Art...

NANCY HERFST - Untitled - Expressionist watercolor painting with ink highlights on paper - signed lower right - contained in a vintage matte - unframed - Canada - circa 1977. Excel...

Walt Killam, large oil on Masonite, 1955 (1907-1979), Abstract Landscape, signed and dated lower right, 44"h x 37"w 52"h x 44"w (framed) Walt Killam was born in Providence, Rhode...

1960s Abstract painting Oil on Masonite board artist signed Worthington 29.5 h x 25.5 w x 1.13 d Art 23.75 h x 19.75 Original patinated wood frame. Original vintage unrestored condit...

This is a stunning oil on canvas by Gaston Sébire entitled, "Le Bouquet de Paquerettes", Pitcher With Flowers. Depicted is a pitcher with a handle holding what appears to be daisies and grasses.The pitcher and flowers stand out against the black and brown background. His thoughtful attention to detail can be seen in the fallen flowers...

This cheerful and bright coloured kitchen still life has been painted in the mid-20th century. It was painted with oil paints on to canvas. We see a petroleum lamp, a wine bottle, a ...

Painted in soft, dreamlike colors and depicting a magical landscape of attenuated nude figures dominated by a painter and his muse, this extremely fine Surrealist work was painted by Arthur Ames in 1939. Here he used egg tempera on gesso-finished board -- a favorite medium among painters such as Paul Cadmus, Jared French and others in the 1930s, 40s and 50s -- to create a highly detailed view of an imagined landscape. Behind the central couple and the painting on its easel, there is a retreating woman in a flowing, Classical robe, and in the far distance a couple embracing on a mountain top. Ames was born in the Midwest but studied on the West Coast and became a California artist through and through; he participated in the Federal Art Project, and worked with his fiancée, Jean Goodwin...

Charming Art Deco Wire Haired Terrier Illustration from the 1930's. Wonderfully vibrant oil portrait of a wire haired terrier with immense personality. Possibly made as an illustrati...

Mid-Century Modern oil on canvas by listed artist George Barrel depicting a ballerina in several overlayed poses. In original frame with paperwork still taped to back. Measures 37.25...

William Preston (1930-2015) - Architectural watercolor over graphite rendering on T.H. Saunders watercolor paper - wonderful use of strong color and co...

Oil on canvas 1969 depicting Jewish Priest, with signature in the back.

Small watercolor of French interior scene “Lady’s Parlor” by David Connell, matted in giltwood frame.

Original watercolor on board painting of Water Buffaloes by renowned Filipino artist Romeo Villalva Tabuena, circa 1960. The painting is very bright and colorful and measures 26" x 19.25" x 1.5" overall (the image is 20" x 14"). It is presented in its original wood frame; signed and dated in the lower left of the painting. Gorgeous focal point piece of one of Tabuena's most sought after subjects! #3072 Romeo Villalva Tabuena Filipino postwar Neo-realist painter and printmaker Romeo Tabuena...

Wonderful abstract landscape. Fabulous muted colors, almost pastel like. Acrylic on canvas laid on board. Antique ebonized oak frame. Unsigned. Free shipping  

A very decorative work of art, circa 1965. Title unknown by Johnny Friedlaender German (1912–1992) Aquatint, signed in pencil on the lower right. Edition E.A. "Eppreuve d'Artist" A...

Beautiful original oil painting done by Venezuelan artist José Alberto Mora. Neutral colors create a moody depiction of a Venezuelan town. Beiges and dark browns create a depth of em...

Beautiful limited edition lithograph on paper by Bernard Buffet done in the 1950's. The piece is in excellent condition signed and dated. 29 1/2" high x 24 1/2" wide If you are ...

Emil Betzler German expressionist tempera on paper on ingrain 'Harlequins 2', the 1960s Outstanding piece of expressionist art. Signed. Similar work is shown in 'Emil Betzler' - mon...

I enjoy looking at this unfinished painting by California artist William Norris Dakin. Interesting contrast between finished colorful portions and pencil sketched figures. Unique. Ve...

A large French painting, featuring motifs from the Kabbalah, the dualism of yin and yang, as well as themes of seasons and the cycles of life. Dating back to the 1950s, it is a work ...

930s Watercolour of Ludlow Castle and Dinham Bridge, Shropshire A fine and atmospheric original watercolour dating to the 1930s, this expertly rendered landscape captures the histori...

Orazio Orazi (1906-1979) Tempera on canvas "The bullfight at Cheval" 1949 signature and date on the front Italian painter very active abroad, recognized by the name of Orazì and m...

Oil on Board Signed 1966 titled "The Snowstorm", illegible signature. The back of the painting is signed with the artists name, dated 1966. Vivid colors depicting a rainbow of colors...

Large hybrid Abstract Expressionist and Pop Art composition with representational and non-representational elements. On verso, top stretcher bar bears a printed gallery label dated "...

5-3310 Colorful blue and white cubic abstract Set in a thin black frame Image size 13.5x19.5"

A vibrant and expressive oil painting by Belgian artist Roland De Baere, this work captures a serene moment of natural beauty and human form. Rendered in richly textured brushwork, t...

Nice and traditional work for the well known artist Marian Warzecha , in this Mix Media collage on canvas , signed and dated 63/9 in the back , also has stamp in blue ink and import...

A dark-blue, black abstract interior with chairs and window surround, oil on wood in canvas on a blue frame by Daniel Clesse, painted in France, signed and dated circa in 1970. Dani...

A bright yet serene mid century modern oil painting on canvas titled “Crystal.” Signed bottom right and dated 1958. The painting depicts a red and orange abstracted landscape with sl...

A Flower Market in Dordrecht (Netherlands, Dutch Holland) depicts a busy market day along the river in stunning detail with brightly colored flowers and busy towns people on the cobb...

Artist: Orval Hempler Untitled (dress) Watercolor on paper Signed to the lower right Measurements: 19.50 inches wide x 26 inches high x 0.1 inches...

Great Italian painting from the mid-20th century. Oil on board artwork depicting a mountain landscape with river and impressionist-style houses. Painting of exceptional size adorned ...

Purchased directly from the estate of Franz Grosz in Mamaroneck, New York. Franz Grosz was a bit of a 20th Century Renaissance man; he designed and built t...

Midcentury American Dorothy Draper-esque Hollywood Regency bedroom design painting, in oil or acrylic on paper. Gilt wood frame. Dimensions: width 77.5cm, height 58.5cm

Mid Century Surrealist Hand Painted Art Panel Folk or Fairground Art, Europe, 1960s. This is a very unique and strange piece of folk / fairground art from mid 20th century. Hand pai...

French mid-century (1940s) oak framed horizontal wall mirror with reverse glass painted Neoclassic scenes. (attributed to Pierre Lardin).  

Executed in gorgeous shades of coral, dove gray and olive, this scene of two nude women perched on folding chairs was painted by Dorothy Van Loan, a c...

A watercolor on paper painted by Paul Daxhelet (Belgium) signed richt below Vibrant colors Original framed and protected by glass 48 x 64 cm framed, watercolor 34.5 x 51 cm

Tempera, a painting made by blending colored pigments with a water-soluble binder medium like egg yolk, has been used since antiquity and was especially popular in Italian art during...

Italian painting dated 1942 on the back. Oil on masonite framework signed lower left Laustino, referable to Emanuele Laustino (1916-1988) depicting a pleasant still life with primros...

A very interesting and unusual Pfoutz Original Farm Scene Oil Painting by artist J. Earle Pfoutz. The painting is produced on artist and comes complete with what appears to be an original artist decorated/painted frame. The Pfoutz Original Farm Scene Oil Painting is signed on the front by the artist and appears to be dated 1948 on the rear. Known for his unusual subjects Pfoutz outdid himself with this effort, capturing the essence of a Lancaster County farm but with the startling twist of portraying a large turkey vulture in the foreground. Definitely unique. Overall frame Size approximately 33″ wide x 3″ deep x 26″ high J. Earle Pfoutz had a long and distinguished career as a self trained artist. More can be learned about him from reading this article produced by Gary Hawbaker at askART Earle Pfoutz Born: 1891 – Lancaster, Pennsylvania Died: 1957 Known for: Landscape, figure, still life painting An image of J Earle Pfoutz Biography from the Archives of askART J. Earle Pfoutz (John Earle Pfoutz) – (Oct 23, 1891-Nov 9, 1957) “A seventh generation descendant of a Swiss family which arrived in America early in the 17th Century, J. Earle Pfoutz was born in Lancaster, PA, son of John Bachman and Susan Allison Pfoutz. He painted houses for a living and pictures for a life. A self-taught artist, described as a primitive, he was distinctive for his vivid imagination and bold color application. He painted hundreds of Lancaster County scenes. Pfoutz traveled through the hills near his home and along the Susquehanna River in search of scenes. He began painting with a brush when he was fourteen, but added a palette knife after suffering an eye injury. He completed eighth grade in the Lancaster Public Schools and there his formal education ended. However, the Department of Public Instruction of the State of Pennsylvania thought so highly of his work as an artist that officials certified him as an art instructor and he taught for a year in the York (PA) public schools. He also was an art instructor under the program for disabled veterans, sponsored by the Veterans Administration, when he gave private instruction to veterans in their homes. In 1947, J. Earle Pfoutz finally earned national recognition as an artist. His painting, Opalescent October, was chosen by the Museum of Art of Dayton Ohio, to travel all over the country for a year with its Group Exhibition. Described as a “very colorful, calm scene, iridescent in color, sweeping in design,” the painting started on its journey around the country early in 1948. In an interview with the Sunday News (Lancaster, PA – Nov 2, 1947), Pfoutz stated that he didn’t know whether he was a “primitive” or an “impressionist.” No master taught him, no school channeled his style. “Sometimes I didn’t eat, but I always managed to paint,” he recalled. Many of his hundreds of canvases -most of them not sold, but given away to friends – found their way to other parts of the country. “I never remember the day when I did not love color,” Pfoutz said. “I was about 12 years old when I saw my first palette – a string of different colored paint paddles that graced the stores of that day. As a boy I had two great desires. One was to be able to eat all the strawberry jam I could, and the other to possess a string of those beautiful paint paddles. Well, I’ve got my fill of jelly, but I’ve never yet got my fill of beautiful colors.” In 1950, Pfoutz’s one man show of paintings made front page headlines in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal: “Most of the twenty oil paintings on exhibition are landscapes, although there are several interesting figure studies. Colors again, as in all Pfoutziana are rich and full-bodied, but for the most part not as startlingly as in some of the earlier work. Most of the paintings were done during the past year, and also reveal the painter’s characteristic heavy impasto technique, in which the rich swirls of paint carry their own message. Among the figures, The Banjo Picker, and The Magician, are the most provocative. Both are character studies; the first being of a tramp musician whose drab clothing is set-off by a luminous aqua blue background. Modern in feeling and treatment is The Magician, a clown-faced wizard whose spinning ball in the air suggests the fourth dimension – space. The use of the primary colors in this picture serves to emphasize the theme effectively. A large colorful landscape, Opalescent October, depicting rolling hills against a late afternoon sky is new to Lancastrians, as it has just returned from Dayton, Ohio, where it hung in the Dayton Art Institute. Another landscape with soft dreamy colors is Fantasie D’Autumne, and one of the loveliest pictures in the show. Pennsylvania Dutch Country is another with eye appeal, and was one of the works which was hung in the Old Customs House in Philadelphia during Pennsylvania Week, and before that in a collection of Pfoutz work in the same place. In deep contrast to the sunny skies and brilliant foliage of many of the pictures, is the somewhat morbid Worry, in which the center of interest is a tremendous rat. This, the painter explains, was symbolic of 1948 in China, which was ‘The Year of The Rat’ in the Chinese calendar. Background material for the picture was furnished to Pfoutz by author Pearl Buck. Other pictures include Autumn Prelude, Miners Village, painted at Cornwall, PA; Humid Day, Saint Peters Kierch, at Middletown, PA; Lady Pfoutz, inspired by the painter’s wife; Sun Flowers, Sentimental Journey, Gyne, Luzon Woman, Old Bridge, The Cow Path. Lemures, based on Roman mythology, and Ethiopian, painted from an ebony wood carving from Kenya Province, S. Africa.” In 1953, Pfoutz was installed as President of the Lancaster County Art Association. A. Z. Kruse, New York City artist, writer and member of the faculty of the Brooklyn College and the Cartoonists and Illustrators School, Manhattan, was the guest speaker. In January of 1953, thirty-five Pfoutz oils were exhibited at the Old Custom House in Philadelphia, PA under the sponsorship of the Carl Schurz Memorial Foundation. Several Lancaster County landscapes and covered bridges were included as well as Katy, a Pennsylvania Dutch scene. Symbolic paintings included End of the Second Day, the artist’s visualization of the second coming of Christ, and Twilight, typifying the grief of mothers of all lands for sons lost in battle. In June of 1953, a Pfoutz oil made history in Lancaster. From the Lancaster New Era: “For the first in local art history, a painting has been withdrawn from an exhibition because of objections from viewers and hostesses serving at the show. The painting, Jeune Fille, a standing nude done by Pfoutz, was one of the paintings in the annual spring exhibition of the Art Association and had become the center of the controversy. Pfoutz said he took the painting down… ‘graciously but reluctantly.’ ‘From an artistic standpoint, there is nothing offensive about the painting,’ Pfoutz said. ‘This community just wants its nudes with clothes on.’ “It is most brilliant in color, and because it is so brilliant I thought it would make a nice lively spot for the show. This is the first time I’ve had to take a picture off the walls. I substituted a seascape for it.’ Pfoutz said he felt the painting brought a lot of viewers to the show because it was so controversial. It had never been exhibited before. ‘If this had been shown in a metropolitan city,’ he commented, ‘people wouldn’t have given it a second glance. But the viewpoint here is more conservative, even though I don’t think moderns would have minded.’ He said he felt the painting was neither ‘objectionable nor pornographic,’ but had complied with the wishes of fellow members of the Art Association who telephoned him to relay the protests they had received. The art controversy was the first to arise here publicly since the showing of Amish Grandmother, an oil by William Gropper which was part of the Gimbel Pennsylvania exhibit at the Griest Building several years ago. — Numerous viewers of Amish Grandmother, [a painting showing an Amish woman holding a white goose], expressed themselves quite vocally, calling it an affront to the Plain Folk. But it stayed on exhibit throughout the length of the Gimbel show. Pfoutz expressed no rancor, implying that if Gropper could take it so could he.” After his death, there were several shows of Pfoutz’ work organized by his son J. Earle, Jr. J. Earle, Jr. also saw to it that President Eisenhower would receive an oil called The Cow’s Path. The president first saw the painting in 1950 when, as president of Columbia University, he visited Lancaster to address a student assembly at Franklin and Marshall College. After his address was over, the then Gen. Eisenhower stopped at the Fackenthal Library on the campus to view an exhibition of Pfoutz’s paintings. The Cow’s Path intrigued him. For some time, as his aides fumed to get him back on his time schedule, Eisenhower and Pfoutz talked, as artist to artist. Prior to his death, Pfoutz requested that The Cow’s Path be given to the President if he wanted it. The painting was presented to Ike at the White House in November of 1959. Mrs. Eisenhower owned a Pfoutz painting titled, In the Manor. Though house painting was his livelihood, he worked for Millersville State Teachers College (now a university) for a time during World War II, and called himself “the Chimney Sweep of MSTC.” During that period he knocked out a dizzying canvas in the surrealist style (he thought it was terrible) and got into the campus newspaper when one of the students spotted it. Earle Pfoutz was not the humble, downtrodden artist, not the Douanier Rousseau type at all. As he developed his skill and style through the years, he also fashioned a resilient confidence in himself as an artist. Whether he was building his own home (he built two) or painting one for somebody else, he never lost faith in his ultimate recognition—though he was never sure he would live to see it. Whether he was working as a rigger for a hoisting company, in the Stehli Silk Mill of Lancaster, carving Cloister-style chairs, decorating old chests, cementing bricks from the old Safe...

1960s Vibrant Pink Phoenix Bird Art Abstract Oil Painting signed artist Jane Griffith 37.5 h x 31.5 w x 1.75. Canvas 29.25 h x 23.5 w Original preowne...