Collections record Beta

Sketch - No. 3, Mosaic for the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial

1953-17-18

Watercolor, oil and pencil sketch on paper of a proposed mosaic for the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial in Draguignan, France. There is a central figure in gray an white which appears to be holding a smaller figure of the same color in its arms. The figures are set against an abstract background of white, blue, black, green, pink and yellow. On the back in blue pencil with the date in black ink is written "DRAGUIGNAN/SKETCH/NO 3/A PURVES - 1950/LITCHFIELD CT."

See: 1953-17-14 to 1953-17-20.

Born in Philadelphia, Austin M. Purves Jr. (1900-1977) lived in the East Litchfield section of Litchfield for the last 40 years of his life. Purves studied art at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts and the Académie Julian in Paris, France, before opening a studio in New York, where he was director of the day and night schools at the Cooper Union. After moving to Litchfield, Purves taught art at Bennington College and at Yale Art School and was a member of the Architectural League of New York, the National Society of Mural Painters, and the (then newly-formed) Hartford Art School. Over the course of his career Purves did commission work for R. H. Macy & Co., the Folger Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., the American Battle Monument in Draguignan, France, the 1939 World’s Fair, various churches, ship lines and private clients, among others. In addition to commission work, Purves drew primarily from people and nature for his own personal sketches and paintings.

• Purves, Austin, 1900-1977

1950

Overall Width 11.25"; Length 1'1.625"

• watercolor
• pencil
• oil
• paper
• ink