Martin J. Murray (American, 1908–1997) "Bell Tower" Oil, 1960

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Martin J. Murray American Bell Tower Oil Painting 1960

Signed and dated Martin J. Murray ’60 at the lower right, … Read more Martin J. Murray American Bell Tower Oil Painting 1960

Signed and dated Martin J. Murray ’60 at the lower right, this compact cityscape presents an elevated view across a tight roofline corridor animated by ecclesiastical architecture. Murray organizes the composition as a dialogue between two vertical accents: at right, a substantial belfry structure with an arched opening and a hanging bell rendered in warm umbers and siennas; at left distance, a slender spire rises through a pale, atmosphere-filled sky. Between these anchors he builds a layered urban field of simplified roof forms, parapets, and chimneys, described with a painterly economy that lets planar shapes and selective detail carry the sense of place. The palette is restrained and sophisticated—stone grays, smoke blues, and muted earth tones—punctuated by small, lively notes of color (flecks of red and turquoise) that read like sunlit masonry and incidental architectural accents. The brushwork alternates between thin, scrubbed passages that suggest weathered surfaces and more opaque, darker strokes that model the belfry’s mass and shadow, producing a strong chiaroscuro against the luminous sky. The accompanying verso photograph shows an inventory label inscribed “Bell Tower” (numbered 11), consistent with an organized body of studio works from which this picture likely originated.

Measurements: 16" h x 20" w See less