Esther Phillips Watercolor Painting on Paper Farm Scene

Item Details

Esther Phillips (Pittsburgh/New York; 1902-1983)
Untitled, circa 1940s
Watercolor on paper
18.25’ W x 12.75’ H

A watercolor painting on paper board of a farm scene by American artist Esther Phillips (1902-1983). A subject repeatedly portrayed by the artist, this abstracted farm scene is populated with stylized trees, fences, and a prominent red barn to the right. Rendered with vivid colors, simplified forms, and thick outlines, this work is presented under glass with off-white matting, and housed in a gold-tone 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, farm scenes, 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

- wear in frame includes stains, small chips, scratches, and finish loss throughout.

Dimensions

- measurement of frame; visible image measures approximately 18.25" W x 12.75" H.

Item #

18DCC352-209