Esther Phillips Gouache and Graphite on Paper Street Scene

Item Details

Esther Phillips
Untitled
graphite, gouache
Unsigned

Esther Phillips (Pittsburgh/New York; 1902-1983)
Untitled, n.d.
Gouache and graphite on paper
Unsigned
4.75’ W x 11.5’ H

A gouache and graphite painting on paper of a street scene by artist Esther Phillips (1902-1983). Portrayed with loose brushwork and black outlines, this work features a narrow street lined with towering architecture. Unsigned, the work is not mounted and remains unframed.

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

- horizontal crease mark near lower edge of paper; general wear to paper edges including small tears.

Dimensions

Item #

18DCC450-070