Stuart Davis 1892 - 1964

Private Collection, New York, circa 1934 (gift from the artist)
By descent in the family to the present owner

The following condition report has been prepared by Simon Parkes: This painting on board is clean but the white painted surround for the central image has become slightly stained and “grubby” in places. There are a few retouches in a diagonal line from the lower right of this white background to the right side. There is also a retouch in the upper left and in the lower right quadrant. The retouches are conservative at present. One could retouch more to eliminate this slight staining, but for a rapid sketch, the condition of this work is very fresh and good.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In December 1933 Stuart Davis enrolled at the Public Works Art Project (PWAP), a New Deal program designed to employ artists during the Great Depression. The PWAP folded in June 1934, but by August 1935 the Depression-era visual arts program had evolved, and Davis found work as an artist for the Federal Art Project, under the organizational control of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). While employed by the PWAP and WPA, Davis executed murals and large paintings for notable institutions and public areas in and around New York City, until his resignation in 1939. Karen Wilkin writes, "Unlike the rather didactic, socially relevant efforts by the majority of his colleagues, Davis's murals are faithful reflections of his aesthetic concerns. Neither uplifting narratives nor heroic allegories, they are light-hearted declarations of his preoccupations with form and color" (Stuart Davis, New York, 1987, p. 147). Ambitious and inventive, the oils from this period had been limited to a select group of 16 works until the recent discovery of Study for "American Waterfront, Analogical Emblem."

Painted in 1934, Study for "American Waterfront, Analogical Emblem" is likely the first oil painting Davis produced while working at the PWAP. Gifted to the present owner's father, who worked as an artist for the PWAP and later the WPA, this study contains many of the elements found in a related, large-scale version, American Waterfront, Analogical Emblem (Fig.1, Private Collection, San Francisco). In both works, the objective world is symbolized with overlapping blocks of color, forming Cubist collages that unify the compositions. While subtle differences distinguish the two paintings, the most noticeable variation is to the left of the central female figure. In Study for "American Waterfront, Analogical Emblem," Davis depicts a figure lying on the ground with an arrow, possibly from the bow of Cupid, in his chest. In the larger version, Davis replaces the figure with a piece of machinery. As the large, mural-like painting was designed for a public space and its location was recorded as "James Monroe High School, 172^nd Street, New York City, R[oom] #224, June 21, 1934," it is possible that the original figure was deemed too graphic for public viewing, especially for students (Ani Boyajian and Mark Rutkoski, Stuart Davis: A Catalogue Raisonné, vol. III, 2007, p. 280).