Piton by Homer Pfeiffer

This is a watercolor by American artist Homer Pfeiffer. It shows a dramatic mountain peak from a tropical setting (based on palm trees in the foreground) and ocean in the right lower portion of the watercolor. I named this Piton, as the sharp peak reminded me of the volcanoes on St. Lucia. However, Pfeiffer served in the Navy in World War II, so this could be in the South Pacific, perhaps Tahiti. It's a dramatic piece with compressed perspective making the mountain even more striking. It is done in an expressionist style with large blobs of color to create the image. The small village at the lower left is created with just a few brushstrokes and is dominated by the mountain. The piece is labeled with the artist's name and date--1946. This means it was likely exhibited at the Laurel Gallery in New York City. It is not signed in the visible part of the image, but the lower right portion is covered by a mat, so it could be there. Stylistically it looks like other watercolors by Pfeiffer. No information is on the back. It has not been examined out of the frame. The framed size is given above. The visible image is 23.25 x 19 inches. It is in very good condition. The colors are bright and there is no fading, staining, or foxing. No tears or paper loss visible. A wonderful piece by this artist.

Homer Pfeiffer (1908-1981)
Homer Pfeiffer trained at the University of Illinois in architecture, then received a Master of Fine Arts from Yale in 1926. His talent was recognized in 1927 when he won the Prix du Rome scholarship prize sponsored by the Grand Central Galleries in New York and a Fellowship to continue his studies at Yale. He subsequently taught at Yale and, with his wife, noted American architect Alberta Raffle Pfeiffer opened an architectural firm. He joined the Navy in 1940 and served during World War II. Details of his service are not known. After the way he exhibited at the Laurel Gallery in New York, a gallery that specialized in contemporary American artists. The gallery had a very brief run from 1946-1950. Little else is known about his career. Only a handful of his watercolors have been offered for sale.

Size: 1946
Price: $400
Size: 23.25 x 19 inches
Framed Size: 32 x 28.75 inches
Condition: Very Good
Medium: Watercolor
Subject: Landscape

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