Parisian River View with Notre Dame

Features

Signed, Framed

Size

Medium (up to 36in.)

Color

Multicolor

- Provenance: original artwork signed “O. Foss” upper right This piece was purchased in Europe in the 1960s, was framed at Michelson’s (709 G St. NW, Washington D.C.) and has since been part of the Winter family collection of Accokeek, Maryland. - Media: Acrylic on canvas stretched over masonite panel - Artwork Dimensions: 21 5/8”h x 18"v - Frame Dimensions: 24 3/4"h x 21 5/16"v - Condition: excellent, like new Oliver Foss (1(contact info removed)) was born in Hanover, Germany and studied art in Berlin and later at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He had a varied career that included art instruction, work as a laboratory technologist, and scientific studies in Basel, Switzerland, before he fully dedicated himself to art. He moved to New York, where he continued his artistic training at the Art Students League and also worked as a book illustrator. In a notable deviation from his art career, Foss moved to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to teach fine arts at Elizabethtown University while also studying for a Bachelor of Science degree. He later taught Bacteriology in Philadelphia before enrolling at the University of Basel in Switzerland to study medicine. However, he ultimately chose to return to his first passion, painting. Foss is associated with the Expressionist, Visionist, and Fauvist movements. Some critics described his style as a mix of "constructive realism, architectural abstraction, [and] mystical surrealism". He developed an intense and personal style that is known for its abstract, expressive, and rather moody renditions of urban landscapes and structures, often with a psychological, mythological, and allegorical themes. His work frequently depicted Parisian street scenes, monuments like the Arc de Triomphe, the Seine River, and bustling cafes, which he painted from his secluded Paris studio. His work also included floral still lifes, river scenes, nudes, and figurative works. In the latter part of his career, his paintings grew more surreal and abstract, featuring metaphysical landscapes with structural elements. In the mid-1950s, after a period of seclusion, he created a career-changing exhibition titled "Life's Deaths and Summits," with paintings exploring spiritual, psychological, and allegorical themes exploring humanity's most difficult experiences… Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Foss had successful solo shows and exhibitions in Paris, Venice, Cannes, Geneva, Germany, Switzerland and the United States.

Style

Expressionism

Medium

Acrylic