Vestie Edward Davis (American, 1903-1978). Oil on canvas, 1959. Signed and dated on the lower right. A mesmerizing painting of Coney Island by self-taught American artist Vestie Davis. Davis invites the viewer to enter the scene via the boardwalk as visitors relaxing on its benches read the paper and people watch. Beachgoers are swimming and sunbathing, and the famous Coney Island Amusement Park is delineated in all its color and splendor in the distance. Davis' attention to detail is notable; look closely and you will see that he even included the signage for Steeplechase Park and various attractions! Size: 12" L x 24" W (30.5 cm x 61 cm)

Vestie Davis moved from Baltimore, Maryland to New York City in 1928 when he was 25 years old. He lived in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and only began painting in 1947 after peering into a gallery window on 57th Street. He recounted this experience as follows, "One day in 1947 I was walking on 57th Street and came to a big gallery. I looked in, saw some pictures I liked, said to myself, 'I can paint like that.' So I walked into an artist's material store."

As they say, the rest was history. Davis went on to create his signature densely populated scenes of New York landmarks in a vibrant graphic style, and he was represented by Morris Gallery in Greenwich Village. This gallery was named for Morris Weisenthal who first saw Davis' work at a show on Washington Square in the 1950s. His work was well received for its accessible style and subject matter. In Davis' words, "I paint what people want, and they want what is familiar to them." ("Vestie Davis, 75, Primitive Artist; Painted Scenes About New York" New York Times, November 15, 1978)

Today Vestie Davis' artworks are in many important museums such as the American Folk Art Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Milwaukee Art Museum. His work was featured in a solo exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum exhibition entitled "Vestie Davis's New York" which ran for over a year, from October 20, 2009 until November 7, 2010. The opening curatorial description of the exhibition was as follows, "The New York of Vestie Davis (1903–1978) is a bright, sparkling place with impressive and diverse landmark buildings, bridges, parks, and beaches. It is a hub of civic, business, and recreational activity chronicled in meticulously detailed pictures from the 1950s through the 1970s. Davis predicted that some of his favorite sites would not survive the evolving needs of the city, and he faithfully rendered them with this in mind. The exhibition features thirty-six paintings and drawings from the museum’s collection that represent the artist's favorite subjects."

Also included with this painting is a New Yorker cover dated September 6, 1958 that features a similar Coney Island painting by Vestie Davis.

Provenance: Private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection, purchased from Morris Weisenthal, the owner of Morris Gallery in Greenwich Village, New York City during the 1960s or 1970s

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#170925

Painting is signed and dated by the artist on the lower right. It shows minor surface scuffs and abrasions that are only visible upon close inspection. Otherwise, the painting is excellent.