G. Maurice Cloud Paintings

Women with Oranges, 1949, oil on canvas, 32" x 25". Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts

Guitar Player, 1948, gouache, 21" x 14". Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts

Le Port du Pouliguen, 1948, gouache on paper. via G. Maurice Cloud

Peace, 1951, gouache on paper, 25" x 19". Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts

Woman and Child, c. 1946-55, gouache on paper. via G. Maurice Cloud

The Catch of the Day, 1941, gouache on paper. via G. Maurice Cloud

The Fortune in Waiting, c. 1946-55, gouache on paper. via G. Maurice Cloud

Woman with Fish, 1949, oil on canvas, 36" x 29". Jeffrey Winters Fine Arts

The Dancer, c. 1948, gouache on paper, 25.5" x 19.5". Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts

Fishing Boats, 1950, oil on canvas, 20" x 23". Jeffrey Winter Fine Arts

Joy & Pleasure, c. 1956-65, acrylic on canvas. via G. Maurice Cloud

Thesaurus, c. 1966-73, acrylic on canvas. via G. Maurice Cloud

The multi-talented Georges Maurice Cloud was born in Escoublac, Brittany, France on October 13, 1909. He studied at the Municipal Art School of Saint Nazaire and the Beaux-Arts Academy in Paris. Besides being an accomplished fine artist and muralist, Cloud also worked as a draughtsman, architecture designer, interior designer, furniture designer and graphic artist. 

Cloud loved modern art and was inspired by artists such as Picasso, Léger, Matisse and members of the Puteaux Group. His work has been shown at several group and solo exhibitions and is currently represented by galleries and private dealers around the country. He pursued the arts throughout his life until his accidental death in Paris in 1973. For more on G. Maurice Cloud see his website.

If you are interested in purchasing works from G. Maurice Cloud head over to Jeffrey Winters Fine Arts.

Dorr Bothwell Serigraphs

American artist Dorr Bothwell (1902-2000) produced some amazing serigraphs during the 1940's and 50's.

The Juggler, 1949, serigraph, edition 5/45, 19 1/16" x 14". Annex Galleries ($1,200 at time of post)

Antibes, 1950, serigraph, edition 15/25, 14 3/4" x 10 3/8". Annex Galleries ($650 at time of post)

Comment on Fashion, 1947, serigraph, edition 1/35, 11 3/16" x 9 1/4". Freeman's Auctioneers (sold)

Exhibition, 1947, serigraph, edition size: 30, 11 1/8" x 8 7/8". Tobey C. Moss Gallery

Promenade, 1947, serigraph, 8" x 14". de Young Fine Arts Museum

 Ideograph, 1946, serigraph, edition size: 35, 8" x 11".  Tobey C. Moss Gallery

Signs and Portents, 1947, serigraph, edition 2 /35, 8 3/8" x 14". Quinn's Auction Galleries (sold 2005)

City Summer, 1947, serigraph, edition 33/40, 9 1/4" x 12 5/16". Annex Galleries ($600 at time of post)

End of Summer, 1957, serigraph, epreuve 1, 18 3/8" x 11 15/16". Annex Galleries ($600 at time of post)

Winds of Chance 2nd State, 1947, serigraph, edition 1/20, 11 5/16" x 9 1/16". Annex Galleries ($450)

Dorr (Doris) Hodgson Bothwell was born in San Francisco on May 3, 1902, but spent much of her childhood in San Diego. Her interest in art was piqued at a young age by family friends and noted Arts and Crafts movement artists Anna and Albert Valentien. She delighted in watching Albert paint and attended Anna's craft classes at the Evening High School. She studied at the California School of Fine Art and the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design in San Francisco (see photo below) from 1921-1925. She was a member of the San Francisco Art Association and upon her return to San Diego, she joined the San Diego Art Guild and San Diego Moderns.

Left: Dorr Bothwell in her studio, 1967. photo: Bill Foote, via Smithsonian Archives of American Art

Right: Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design, ca. 1940. via Smithsonian Archives of American Art

Dorr was an innovator in the use of serigraphy as a fine art medium and was best known for her Surrealist inspired prints (though she rejected "Surrealism" as a description of her art).  During her career she worked in various styles from figurative to abstraction and created oil paintings, watercolors, sculptures and assemblages. In addition to her professional art career, Dorr was an author and a gifted teacher who taught serigraphy, color theory and design at institutions such as the California School of Fine Art, Parsons School of Design and the San Francisco Art Institute.  She passed away at the age of 98 on September 24, 2000.

If  you want to see more of Dorr Bothwell's work or purchase a print have a look at Annex Galleries or Tobey C. Moss Gallery.  For more info about her life check here and here.

Knoll Furniture: Life 1953

An article about Knoll Furniture titled "Drum Beaters for Modern" appeared in Life Magazine's March 2, 1953 issue. In it the writer states, "Knoll was stubborn. He decided he would make nothing but modern furniture and fabrics even if he went broke"; I for one, am glad he was resolute in his decision and "marched to the beat of a different drummer"!  The images below appeared in the article.

Italian-American designer Harry Bertoia (1915-1978) designed the wire chair group for Knoll in 1952. In describing the collection Bertoia stated, "If you look at the chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture...space passes through them." Pictured from far left to right are; the Side Chair, the Bird Chair and Ottoman with full cover, the Diamond Chair and Large Diamond Chair. The wire sculpture on the wall also appears to be a Bertoia piece.

Above is the Bertoia family pictured in front of Harry's famous barn studio in eastern Pennsylvania. In the center of the photo is part of the brass sculpture Bertoia was completing for the GM Technical Center.

Pictured above are both the single and two-seater versions of the Womb Chair designed in 1946 by Finnish-American architect and designer Eero Saarinen (1910-1961). When asked to explain his design, Saarinen stated, "People sit differently today than they did in the Victorian era. They sit lower and like to slouch...The Womb Chair...also attempts to achieve a psychological comfort by providing a great big cupcake like shell into which you can curl up." On the wall above the chairs is a Harry Bertoia birdcage sculpture. 

Pictured above are the Barcelona Chair and Stool with sling (not the padded stool) designed in 1929 by German architect and designer, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) and Lilly Reich (1885-1947). Though Knoll didn't begin producing the pieces until 1943, they were originally created for the German Pavilion at the 1929 International Exposition in Barcelona.  The original design featured pigskin cushions and a bolted frame; it wasn't until later that they were made with a seamless stainless steel frame and cowhide cushions. Also above is the Barcelona Table, originally called the Dessau Table, designed in 1930  for the Tugendhat House.

And last but certainly NOT least is the curious sculpture seen on the coffee table; it appears to be a Marino Marini piece. I am not positive, but I believe it is a miniature version of Marini's The Angel of the City (1948). Below is the original size statue at the Guggenheim...boy that is quite the appendage.

Marino Marini (1901-1980), The Angel of the City, 1948, bronze, 41.75" x 65.93". via Guggenheim

If you would like to see the original article have a look here.

Picasso's Pierrot and Harlequin

I recently came across a mosaic on eBay that I thought was a knock-off of a painting by Arthur Gladfelter, but after further research I discovered I was mistaken.  They both are in fact copies of Picasso's Pierrot and Harlequin (c. 1920). I also learned that many other artists including, Gris and Cézanne created works based on the Pierrot and Harlequin characters.  For more info on Pierrot and Harlequin check here and here.

Picasso, Pierrot and Harlequin, Standing, c. 1920, stencil print, 10.8" x 8.4". via MOMA

Arthur Gladfelter, The Traveling Actors, 1963, oil on canvas, 20" x 16". E & L Alexandria

signed Beard, untitled, "shell" shards mosaic panel, 46.5" x 34.5". eBay $1,400 at time of post

Mosaic Panel Mystery: Stephenson Home

This fantastic Hispanic-themed mosaic, that previously resided in a Beverly Hills home designed by the late architect William Stephenson (noted for designing the Reagans' Palisades home), was recently acquired by a fellow blogger. Unfortunately, upon examination of the piece, she noticed there were no markings indicating its origins or maker, hence the title "mystery".  She/we would love to learn more about this piece, so if anyone has any additional insight or leads please let us know.  Here are the only facts that we have; it came from a Beverly Hills home designed in 1956 by William Stephenson, it measures 46" x 103" and is constructed of smalti and marble tile. That's it, so if you can shed some additional light on this wonderful mid-century artifact, please don't be shy. Post a comment or send an email to her or me. Here's her blog.

Here is a link to the MLS listing of the home it came from; you can see the mosaic in its original location (see photo below). On a sad note, this home is scheduled for demo...there goes another mid-century jewel!

Popcorn Still Life Wall Plaques

During the 60's the Illinois Moulding Company and Belart Inc. created these still life wall plaques, which were embellished with melted plastic chips, commonly referred to as "popcorn". I know these mass-produced decorative pieces are the furthest thing from fine art, but I have to admit I have a soft spot for them and whenever I come across one I have to look. They often came in sets of two or three and were commonly available with either orange or blue highlights.

Below are examples of still life plaques from the Illinois Moulding Company.

You will notice the Jonero design below was offered on various substrates and produced in multiple mediums. I have seen several Illinois Moulding Co. pieces accredited to this artist, but I have never heard anything about him/her. I get the feeling it may be a fictitious name?  Does anyone know who Jonero is?

Below are examples of still life plaques from Belart Inc. (Belart Co.)

The Illinois Moulding Company of Chicago was founded by Hungarian immigrant Herman Molner (1866-1951) in 1896. Windsor Art Products was the art publishing division of the company, who under license, would mass-produce original artists' works making "fine" art affordable to all. Herman passed away in 1951, but the company continued until about 1970. Here is a link to a passage in a book about the Illinois Moulding Co.

Belart Inc. was located in Mendota, Minnesota and was founded in 1962 by Harold Nielson, as a division of Foldcraft Co., a fast food restaurant seating manufacturer that still exists today. Belart went out of business around 1989 due to increased competition from the foreign market. Nielson still lives in Minnesota where he runs a nonprofit organization called Third World Friends.

Hildegarde Haas Woodcuts and Paintings

The following is a selection of works from American painter and printmaker Hildegarde Haas (1926-2002).

Left: Canyon Walls-Noon, 1953, color woodcut ?/16, 16.75" x 11.75".  M. Lee Stone Fine Prints, $425 at post

Right: NIght, 1948, color woodcut 1/14, 16" x 8".  Annex Galleries, $600 at time of post

Orvieto, 1957, color woodcut ?/4, 7" x 9". M. Lee Stone Fine Prints. $275 at time of post

Rocky Shore, 1950, color woodcut ?/16, 11.25" x 18". M. Lee Stone Fine Prints. $700 at time of post

Trees and Mountains, 1947, color woodcut 2/7, 6.5" x 8". Annex Galleries, $400 at time of post

Wooded Point, 1950, color woodcut 6/14, 11.5" x 16.125". Annex Galleries, $750 at time of post

Red Mesa, ca. 1960's, oil on masonite, 21" x 25.5". Clars Auction Gallery, sold $325 in 2010

Boulders of the Deep, ca. 1960's, oil on masonite, 28" x 36". Clars Auction Gallery, sold $350 in 2010

Mountain Meadow, ca. 1960's, oil on masonite, 16" x 20". Clars Auction Gallery, sold $350 in 2010

untitled, ca. 1970's, watercolor on paper, 18" x 12". Ebay at time of post starting bid $195

untitled, ca. 1970's, watercolor on paper, 12" x 18". Ebay at time of post starting bid $195

The Glass Blower, 1957, acrylic on masonite, 32" x 26". Clars Auction Gallery, sold $475 in 2007

Greek Chorus, 1949, casein on cardboard, 12.5" x 24". Clars Auction Gallery, sold in 2007

Hildegarde Haas (1926-2002) was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1926. Her family immigrated to America when she was a child, settling in Dallas, Texas in 1938. She enrolled in an accelerated study program at the University of Chicago; earning her B.A. and graduating with honors within 2 years. In 1946 she attended the Art Students League in New York City on a scholarship, where she studied under American modernist Vaclav Vytlacil. Hildegarde was a self taught printmaker who began experimenting with the woodcut art form during her time at ASL. Throughout the late 40's and early 50's she continued to hone her woodcutting skills, gaining national recognition for her prints. However, by 1953 the rigor and physical demands of carving became too much and she exchanged her gouges for a set of paint brushes.

Most of her pieces were influenced by her love of the outdoors; when asked to describe what inspires her she replied "I am primarily interested in landscape as a theme in order to discover the underlying patterns and hidden order in the world around me". Hildegarde's work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Library of Congress.

If you are interested in purchasing a Hildegarde Haas print check M. Lee Stone Fine Prints and Annex Galleries.  The other pieces shown above are from Clars Auction Gallery.