Esther Phillips Gouache Painting of Greenwich Village Street Scene

Item Details

Esther Phillips (Pittsburgh/New York; 1902-1983)
Untitled, 1940s
Gouache painting on paperboard
Signed ‘Phillips’ to lower right
Dated ‘1940s’ to verso; inscribed to verso
13.75’ W x 13.75’ H

A gouache painting on paperboard of a Greenwich Village street scene. Rendered with vibrant colors, simplified forms, and gestural brushstrokes, this work features a view of urban storefronts. It is signed ‘Phillips’ to the lower right and dated ‘1940s’ to the verso, along with additional inscriptions. The work is presented under glass with white matting, and housed in a beige painted wood frame.

Esther Phillips left Pittsburgh in the late 1930s to pursue a bohemian lifestyle in Greenwich Village. A member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, she immersed herself into local artistic circles, and among her artist friends were modernists Milton Weiss (American; 1912-1995) and Franz Kline (American; 1910-1962). Phillips’ work was often executed in watercolors at a quick pace, exhibiting the influence of Fauvism, Cubism, and artists such as Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, and Georgia O’Keeffe. Frequent subjects include abstracted cityscapes, townscapes, and asylum scenes that feature vibrant colors, simple shapes, and overall flatness. Her work has been exhibited posthumously at multiple galleries such as the Carson Street Gallery, the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and the Borelli-Edwards Gallery, among others.

Condition

- some residue scattered throughout glass; minor wear in frame includes stains and scratches scattered throughout.

Dimensions

- measurement of frame; visible image measures approximately 13.75" W x 13.75" H.

Item #

18DCC238-579