Theresa Ferber Bernstein (American, 1890-2002) Easter Morning, The Polish Church

Description:

Theresa Ferber Bernstein (American, 1890-2002)

Easter Morning, The Polish Church, 1917
Signed "T. Bernstein" u.r., label from the Museum of the City of New York, on
the reverse.
Oil on canvas, 40 x 50 in. (102 x 127.8 cm),in a frame commissioned by the artist from the Albert Milch Galleries.
Condition: Lined, scattered retouch, varnish inconsistencies, craquelure.
Provenance: Purchased from the artist in 1986.

Exhibitions: Ninety-Second Annual Exhibition, National Academy of Design, New York, March 17 - April 22, 1917, number 271; One Hundred Thirteenth Annual Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, February 3-March 24, 1918, number 243; Echoes of New York: Paintings by Theresa Bernstein, Museum of the City of New York, November 13, 1990-March 31, 1991.

Literature: Theresa Bernstein, The Journal, (Cornwall Books: New Jersey, London and Canada),1991, pages 43-45.

N.B. Although she studied art in her native Philadelphia, at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, it was after her move to New York with her parents in 1911 that Theresa Bernstein really blossomed as an artist. She briefly attended classes at the Art Students League under the tutelage of William Merritt Chase and twice went to Europe to explore some of the day's most important modern artists including Robert Henri, Munch, and Kandinsky. When she returned to New York, she began to explore everyday life in the city as translated through color, movement, and line rather than extreme detail. She was a member of the National Association of Women Arts, North Shore Arts Association, Rockport Art Association, and the Philadelphia Ten among others, and was said to have had over fifty solo exhibitions over the course of her career.

In her book The Journal, Ms. Bernstein recalls creating the composition presented here: "My mother's assistant, Mary, set off for the Easter service at the Polish church on 5th Street between Avenues A and B in New York. I went with her and was sketching blissfully while the service was being conducted, knowing that this was going to be one of my paintings. Then one of the parishioners leaned over, grabbed my papers, and threw them on the floor. I sat with the congregation pretending not to be annoyed. The organist above had noticed me working and later came down and retrieved the sketches..."
Estimate $70,000-90,000

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