Robert Wright Gouache Painting on Guitar Case

Item Details

Robert Wright
Untitled
gouache, guitar case
Signed to the lower right

Robert Wright (Pennsylvania, 1943-2006)
Untitled, n.d.
Gouache painting on guitar case
Signed to underside of case
43.75’ W x 17’ H x 6.5’ D

A gouache painted guitar case by self-taught artist Robert Wright (Pennsylvania, 1943-2006). This case features an allover painted design consisting of abstract cubist style faces, vibrant colors, and simplified shapes rendered in large gestural brushstrokes. The work is signed in paint to the underside of the case, which has a faux fur lined interior.

Influenced by his Roman Catholic faith and local Pittsburgh neighborhoods, Robert Wright’s paintings often highlight the South Side 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

- painting chipping and surface wear throughout; clasps are rusted; handle is wrapped with duct tape; case has musty odor and residue throughout interior; some dents throughout case.

Dimensions

Item #

18DCC450-078