Mediterranean Street Scene Painting by Charles Brady (1926-1997)

Details

Description

On the face of it, on offer is an ordinary street scene ostensibly painted in Greece. But you might be … Read more On the face of it, on offer is an ordinary street scene ostensibly painted in Greece. But you might be wrong. This is a work of mystery, memories, lost stories and a forceful use of paint by Irish-American artist Charles Brady (1926–1997).
To begin with, this weathered Mediterranean streetscape is centered on the Greek word "ΜΕΛΙΣΣΑ." Translated as Melissa meaning "honeybee," the name is prominently painted on a white wall warmed by the afternoon sun. However, rather poignantly written on the stretcher is “Fading Memories, Melissa.” Was a woman by that name lingering in the artist’s mind? A mystery.
The sticker at the bottom of the stretcher indicates that it was framed at Lee’s Art Shop, situated directly across the street from the Art Students League of New York. Brady studied there from 1948-49 under abstract expressionists like De Kooning and Pollock. Taking his own direction, he resisted pure abstraction, instead opting for a minimalist, figurative approach, and perhaps painting this Mediterranean scene at that time.
The early 1950s were lean for the New York native, making it unlikely international travel was achievable other than during 1956-58, when he was painting landscapes in Ireland. According to a provided biography (photo #10), he returned to New York, but only for a brief time. Then Brady reversed the course of his immigrant ancestors, emigrating to Dublin in 1959, remaining in Ireland for the rest of his life.
Intriguingly, in this piece the artist used thick, impasto brushstrokes and a muted color palette to give texture to the sun-bleached architecture. It speaks of the place as if he had been there. There is a record of his traveling to Spain in 1960-61, but this was after he had left New York for Ireland permanently, so why frame it back in the U.S. where he apparently no longer had gallery showings? Another mystery.
Instead, Brady was then becoming a leading figure in the Irish art world. A founding member of the Independent Artists group in Ireland, he received numerous honors, including the Douglas Hyde Gold Medal.
Brady is best known for his "painterly touch" and his ability to find beauty in the banal, frequently painting items like bus tickets, envelopes, and matchboxes. His works are in the collections of the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) and Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane.
Signature/Maker’s mark: Unseen. Because of Charles Brady’s heavy, textured impasto technique, his signatures can sometimes be "indistinct" or partially obscured by the thick paint.
Unframed dimensions: 19.5”w x 23.5”h See less