Julian Ritter Signed Print Of Oil Painting Male Clown, Leo, 28" × 15" Vintage

Description: Th exquisite museum quality print of painting signed by Julian Ritter on matte paper featuring a beautiful male clown, Joe. The print measures 28 inches in height and 15 inches in length. Never framed or displayed this print looks as colorful and crisp as the day it was printed. Stored flat for 60 years. Created in the post-war period of 1940 to 1970, this contemporary and figurative art piece showcases Ritter's unique style in a beautiful museum quality print of his technique of oil painting on Masonite for smooth dreamlike brushstrokes reminiscent of the old masters. JULIAN RITTER Born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1909, Julian Ritter grew up a solitary youth, the only child of an aspiring Polish actress. He never knew his father. Although his mother claimed the man was a Count, she refused to reveal his identity. As a young boy, Julian entertained himself, wandering the docks of Hamburg and dreaming of far-off places. He discovered an early passion for art while sketching ships in the harbor. Julian’s interest in drawing was encouraged by his teacher at school and by Schnars-Alquist, a recognized German seascape and ship painter living nearby. The severe depravation in Germany that followed World War I led Julian and his mother to emigrate to America in 1924. Crossing the Atlantic by ship, they landed in New York with no money and barely a word of English between them. Julian quickly adapted to the new country. Julian traveled from New York to Philadelphia to Chicago before finally settling in Los Angeles. He worked as a dishwasher, errand boy, order clerk, lamp shade painter, and freelance artist. He frequented vaudeville and burlesque theaters on his days off, where the strippers and slapstick comedians taught him the kind of humor that satirizes the human condition. An appreciation for the dignity of the common man, developed during this time, influenced Julian’s work as much as any schooling he ever received. While in Chicago, Julian began to take a serious interest in art. He audited night classes at the Chicago Art Institute with Dr. Schroeder. He later won a scholarship to Art Center School in Los Angeles. Under the tutelage of Stanley Reckless, who studied at the Philadelphia Academy of Art and taught in the tradition of Frank Duveneck and the Munich School, Julian was introduced to figure painting and the classical study of human anatomy and the use of live models was the rule. After graduation, in 1932, Julian found work at the film studios, doing portraits for movie sets for Warner Brothers, MGM, Paramount, and Universal. On a visit to San Francisco, he was hired to produce murals for the Golden Gate International Exhibition of 1939. He continued to freelance and painted portraits of prominent California people. In 1941, Julian exhibited at the Gallery of Modern Art and at the Newhouse Galleries in New York City. Both exhibitions were highly acclaimed. The Art News (March 15, 1941) wrote: “His style shows fluency and ease” and Arts Digest (November 15, 1941): “Ritter is more than versatile, he is complex, exceptionally talented.” Enlisting in the US Army, Julian married Hilde Meyer-Radon just before shipping overseas. In the Service, he served as a photographer and combat artist with the 40th Combat Engineering Division under General George Patton. Honorably discharged from the Army in 1945, Julian returned to Los Angeles to paint and raise a family. This began his most prolific period. Regularly working ten to twelve hours a day, Julian became known for the fine craftsmanship of his nude studies and clowns. Collectors acquired Julian's artwork throughout the West, particularly in Southern California, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. After the death of his wife in 1966, Julian fulfilled his boyhood dream; sailing his own boat, the Galilee, on a long Pacific cruise, sketching and painting along the way. His three year voyage was climaxed by a nearly fatal ninety days adrift at sea, forty-nine without food. This experience gave him profound, new insights into himself and his life. “Your mind becomes keener as you become hungrier,” he wrote. “It gets sharper than ever before. You cleanse yourself of past mistakes, and you realize that nature gave you facilities that you have misused.” Upon his return to California, Julian set to work on an entire new series of paintings. Many were mystical in nature. Others were the story of his voyage, and some were the experiences he and his companions suffered. He lived in Santa Barbara, California, until 1985 when he moved to Maui, Hawaii. In December 1985, Julian suffered a debilitating stroke. However, he continued to paint, write, and teach. Julian passed away on March 4, 2000, at the age of ninety years old.

Price: 75 USD

Location: Laguna Hills, California

End Time: 2024-12-03T07:09:22.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD