Charles Gruppe (1860–1940) American, Large Signed Abstract Street Scene with Birds Pastels on Canvas

Lot description

Charles Gruppe (1860–1940) American, Large Signed Abstract Street Scene with Birds Pastels on Canvas. The play of sharp lines on the piece creates a sense of early day with heavy shadows and bright sun beginning to move overhead. Signed bottom left. Condition: Commensurate with age. Overall Size: 34 1/2 x 50 1/2 in. Sight Size: 31 1/2 x 47 1/2 in. Charles C. Gruppe (1928–2019) was an American painter celebrated for his atmospheric marine, landscape, and portrait works, continuing the legacy of a distinguished artistic family. The grandson of Charles Paul Gruppe and nephew of Emile Gruppe, Charles C. was born in New York City and carried forward the family’s focus on expressive realism rooted in American and European traditions. He studied at Yale University and earned his MFA from Columbia, later receiving a Fulbright Fellowship and training in Italy. His work often depicts harbors, fishing boats, and coastal villages, blending traditional realism with subtle abstraction and a refined impressionistic technique. Frequently signing his work “C. Gruppe,” he garnered recognition from institutions such as the Salmagundi Club and the Hudson Valley Art Association, and his paintings are held in thousands of private collections worldwide.