This vibrant watercolor on canvas by acclaimed American artist Emil John Hess immerses viewers in the lively atmosphere of a bustling circus scene. Painted in Hess’s signature impressionistic style, the painting bursts with energy through its loose brushstrokes, expansive colour washes, and dynamic, sketch-like lines. The artwork vividly captures the excitement and spectacle of the circus.
Renowned for his depictions of circus life and working class, industrial landscapes, Hess masterfully blends these themes to evoke a sense of nostalgia in his paintings .
In this particular particular painting the central ring teems with activity—acrobats soar overhead, performers engage with animals, and a captivated audience fills the tiers, all portrayed with a fluid quality that emphasises motion and emotion.
This rare piece is elegantly presented in an ornate wooden frame enhancing its visual impact and historical charm.
Dimensions:
Framed: 49 cm Height x 34 cm Width x 3 cm Depth
Unframed: 43 cm Height x 28 cm Width
Birth place: Willock, PA
Profession: Painter, sculptor
Studied: Duquesne Univ., 1938-39; Art Inst. Pittsburgh, 1946-49; Brooklyn Mus. Art Sch., 1950-51; NY Univ., 1959.
Exhibited: NAD, 1950; solos: Betty Parsons Gal., 1951, 1952, 1968 & 1970s; MMA, 1953; Stable Gal., NYC, 1953 & 1955; MoMA Traveling Exhibs., 1959
Member: ASL (life mem.); AFA; Int. Platform Assn.
Work: Smithsonian Inst.; Penn. State Mus., Harrisburg, PA; Earle Ludgins College, Chicago; Eliah Root College, NY; Phillip Johnson Coll., NY.
Comments: Preferred media: watercolour , oils, metal.
Sources: WW73; New Means for Moderns,'' Life (1954); Emily Genauer, ''Beatnik Sculptor in Big Museum Show,'' New York Herald Tribune (1959); ''Sounds of Hess Sculpture,'' WBAI (New York, 1970)''
More pictures available upon request. Worldwide delivery available, please enquire for an estimate.
Antique Number: SA1138480
Dateline of this antique is 1940
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