Guy Pène Du Bois Painter of Modern Life

Guy Pene du Bois (1884 - 1958) was one of America's most stylish painters, a keen observer of the social scene around him who deftly captured the sophisticated spirit of his era with a subtle and effective wit. It was during the 1920s that he achieved the style for which he is best known. The 1930s marked an impressive monumentality in his compositions and he received commissions to do two Post Office murals which stand today. By the end of the 1940s, the artist was part of the old guard, dismissing the rise of the New York School. Yet he remains one of the most articulate interpreters of the tradition of urban realism. Betsy Fahlman traces the life of the artist who, like his contemporary Edward Hopper, did his early work under Robert Henri. Like Hopper he spent time in Paris - well documented here with reproductions. But it is the more stylised and haunting works, particularly portraits, of his later years for which he is best known and they are here in abundance.