Hughie Lee-Smith

Summit Art Gallery, New York

Marjorie Lewis, New York (acquired from the above in 1983)

Acquired by descent from the estate of the above in 2020 by the present owner

As if a snapshot from a film, Hughie Lee-Smith’s The Watcher exemplifies the artist’s recurring surreal landscapes executed in striking detail. A simple white building capped with a blue dome and gold finial rises at the center of the composition, behind which extends an expansive seascape. A figure faces out over the scene atop a cracking stone wall in the foreground, clothed in dynamic drapery that covers nearly all of their body. Though the water is calm and the sky is clear, the tension within the painting is palpable through the isolated figure and the cracking foreground. Lee-Smith leaves the story behind the painting intentionally opaque, adding a mysterious quality to the work.

One of the most notable aspects about Lee-Smith’s paintings is his use of linear perspective to create convincing depth within the picture plane, evidenced by the concrete structures in The Watcher. Lee-Smith’s use of perspective coupled with the dramatic lighting within the present painting give the illusion that the canvas is a window into an unreachable world, as if the viewer could walk through it and join the subject on the ledge. 

As one of the artists who worked for the Federal Arts Project under the Works Progress Administration, Lee-Smith firmly believed in the role of art as a vehicle for change, particularly in relation to social justice. Lee-Smith is best known for his landscapes that evoke a sense of loneliness, often depicting an isolated figure in empty surroundings. However, the figure in the present painting stands proud and confident. Despite facing away from the viewer, they powerfully preside over the landscape that extends in front of them. However, their identity is obscured by their clothing, adding to the mystery within the composition. In many of Lee-Smith’s paintings, he leaves a figure’s race or gender intentionally unclear to allow people of all identities to resonate with the image. A remarkable example of Lee-Smith’s exceptionally realistic landscapes and technical prowess, The Watcher demonstrates the artist’s mastery of not only painting as a medium but also evoking emotion through his mysterious compositions.