Philip Howard Francis Dixon Evergood Original Vintage American New York Social Realism Philip Evergood Still Life Fruit WPA Oil Painting
Original vintage still life impressionist oil painting, by noted American artist, Philip Howard Francis Dixon Evergood, (1901-1973).
Philip Howard Francis Dixon Evergood, originally named Howard Blashki, left an indelible mark on American art as a versatile painter, etcher, lithographer, sculptor, illustrator, and writer. Born in New York City in 1901, Evergood's artistic journey unfolded against the backdrop of the Depression and World War II era, where he emerged as a prominent figure.
Evergood's early life was marked by a fusion of cultural influences.
Embarking on a trajectory that intertwined education and artistic pursuits, Evergood attended various English boarding schools from 1909 onward, with a significant chapter at Eton and Cambridge University. However, in 1921, he redirected his path toward art, leaving Cambridge to study under Henry Tonks at the Slade School in London.
After returning to New York in 1923, Evergood's artistic journey traversed both continents. He studied at the Art Students League of New York and explored Europe, honing his skills in Paris and immersing himself in various artistic endeavors, including studying engraving under Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17.
The year 1926 marked Evergood's return to New York, initiating a career fraught with challenges. Relief came when collector Joseph H. Hirshhorn acquired several of his paintings, providing a financial respite. Evergood contributed to WPA art projects from 1934 to 1937, creating notable murals like "The Story of Richmond Hill" and "Cotton from Field to Mill."
Balancing roles as both a music and art instructor until 1943, Evergood finally settled in Southbury, Connecticut, in 1952. A member of the Art Students League of New York and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, Evergood's life took a tragic turn in 1947 when a police officer was killed at his Greenwich Village home.
Evergood's artistic influences encompassed a wide array of masters, including El Greco, Bosch, Goya, and Toulouse-Lautrec. His distinctive style was characterized by deliberate awkward drawing, spontaneous bold lines, and a sophisticated yet humorous approach. While he experimented with etching and lithography in the 1920s, his focus on original printmaking intensified after 1945.
Despite fluctuations in his art style, Evergood's work consistently reflected a blend of reality and fantasy, marked by vitality, imagination, and incisive social commentary. His paintings, known for their cartoonish quality and paradoxical elements, navigated the contradictions of sophisticated intent matched with intentionally crude technique.
Evergood's legacy extends beyond his lifetime through numerous exhibitions and a presence in esteemed museum collections worldwide.
A list of museum collections housing Philip Evergood's artwork includes:
Vatican Museum
Smithsonian
Tate Gallery, London
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Dallas Museum of Art
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Art Institute of Chicago
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Georgia Museum of Art
Hunter Museum of American Art
Brooklyn Museum of Art
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Montclair Art Museum
Orange County Museum of Art
Tweed Museum of Art at the University of Minnesota, Duluth
University of Kentucky Art Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art
Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University
Baltimore Museum of Art
Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA
Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA
Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH
Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC
Philip Howard Francis Dixon Evergood
(1901-1973)
Oil on Canvas
Circa 1936
Still Life, Fruit, and Pitcher Vase
Approximately 25" X 32 1/4"; without frame.
Verso, there remains the label from
Falcor Framing
Frames of Distinction
Gramercy 5-9574
51 East 9th St.
New York
Carving and building specialty frames
From the "Marxist Internet Archive" of WPA artists, there is an old magazine from 1937 with articles by artist contributors, (there is also an article/question and answers written by Philip Evergood), and artist subject articles, as well as an ad from Falcor Framing, (matching the label, verso on the painting).
Link:
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/parties/cpusa/art-front/v3n01-feb-1937-Art-Front.pdf
"Art Front - The Artists’ Union Magazine
(Official organ of the Artists’ Unions)
(WPA)
Vol. 3, No. 1
10c
Feb 1937
Very good condition. There is a small flaw in the upper right corner. No overpaints. Light clean to remove darkened orange tan varnish, within the last two years. Remnants of darkened varnish remain overall/throughout indicating the painting may need another professional cleaning.
The signature is lower left; (only the beginning of the signature is still clearly visible).
Original vintage antique hand-carved silver gilded frame, by Falcor framing is also in very good condition, with no obvious flaws.
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