‘Chi Chicago’ Oil-on-Canvas Cityscape by Normand Roy (1967)

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An imaginative, nighttime Chicago cityscape with towering buildings. Strong, dark, linear elements denote the skyline, while the foreground presents a … Read more An imaginative, nighttime Chicago cityscape with towering buildings. Strong, dark, linear elements denote the skyline, while the foreground presents a creative interpretation of the prominent lakefront landmark, Navy Pier. Intricate cross-hatchings recall the city’s Art Deco architecture, and Atomic Age “sparkle-stars” on the building peaks add a touch of whimsy, evoking an urban Xanadu. This fantasia—in the sense of an unrestrained invention—is signed (quite eccentrically) “Roi des Losiers [sic].” Having been separated from its original frame at some point, the painting is presented simply in its cloth-covered, gold-tone liner.

NORMAND J. ROY either served as the agent for, or was himself in actuality, the Mid-Century American artist, known for his abstracted cityscapes, who painted under the nom de brosse Schevaune Roi des Losiers [sic]. A business card stapled to the stretcher bar of the latter’s 1967 work, CHI CHICAGO, doubles down on the apparent misspelling of the alias.

Schevaune is perhaps a playful French take on the Irish name Siobhan, while Roi des Losiers is likely a misspelling of Roi des Loisirs, which translates to King of Leisure. The card lists a phone number and a San Diego, Calif., address for Roy. See less