Robert Wright Folk Art Acrylic Portrait, Late 20th Century

Item Details

Robert Wright (Pennsylvania, 1943 – 2006)
Untitled (portrait), late 20th century
Acrylic painting on paperboard
Signed to lower margin

Provenance
From the collection of P.J. McArdle

Born the seventh son of a seventh son, Robert Wright was deeply influenced by his Roman Catholic faith and local Pittsburgh neighborhoods. His paintings often highlight the South Side Pittsburgh slopes, religious motifs, faces, and birds. He was a self-taught artist who exhibited at a few local Pittsburgh galleries and the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Wright never finished high school and eventually worked as a landscaper and a janitor at a daycare center. His mother, Catherine, fostered his artistic interests and he eventually found success with his work at a social service agency in Oakland. Wright’s work was championed by collector of folk and outsider art Pat McArdle.

Condition

- minor discoloration throughout; significant cracking throughout the composition; minor wear to verso; paint staining to verso.

Dimensions

Item #

ITMGA16425