Late 20th Century r.j. Hohimer “Savory Club” Original Oil Painting, Berman Family Estate, 36 × 30

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Description

Original oil painting titled Savory Club by American artist Ricky Jewell “R.J.” Hohimer (1946–2021), known for his colorful narrative paintings … Read more Original oil painting titled Savory Club by American artist Ricky Jewell “R.J.” Hohimer (1946–2021), known for his colorful narrative paintings depicting nightlife, jazz culture, fashionable figures and the social atmosphere surrounding the Jazz Age.

Savory Club presents an intimate, theatrical scene of glamorous women preparing themselves within a club or dressing-room environment. One figure reclines while studying her reflection in a hand mirror, another adjusts her appearance before a vanity, and a third dramatically applies eye makeup in the foreground.

The composition is unmistakably Hohimer: stylized elongated figures, expressive dark contour lines and a vibrant palette of salmon pink, turquoise, white, ochre and deep crimson. Thickly applied passages of oil create substantial surface texture throughout the women's hair, clothing and surrounding interior, contrasting with Hohimer's energetic drawn lines.

Hohimer was formally trained in painting and earned a BFA from the University of Evansville and MFA from Southern Illinois University. His work draws on influences including Van Gogh, Gauguin and Expressionism while developing a distinctive narrative style centered on human interaction and atmosphere. Hohimer described his paintings as providing a basic storyline that viewers could enter and complete themselves.

The artist became particularly associated with Jazz Age narrative art, capturing not simply musicians but the entire world surrounding nightlife—the clubs, patrons, lights and personalities. Savory Club is an especially appealing example of this aspect of his work because the subject focuses on the glamorous social world surrounding the club rather than simply the performance itself.

Signed R.J. Hohimer at lower right.

Title: Savory Club
Artist: R.J. Hohimer / Ricky Jewell Hohimer (American, 1946–2021)
Medium: Oil painting
Dimensions: 36 × 30 in.
Style: Figurative / Expressionist / Jazz Age narrative
Period: Late 20th century
Country: United States
R.J. Hohimer (American, 1946–2021)
Ex-Collection: Malcolm Berman / Berman Family, Baltimore, Maryland

The reverse retains an original R.J. Hohimer artist biography sheet, documenting his education, artistic philosophy and career—an excellent piece of provenance to retain with the painting.


Provenance:
Acquired from the auction dispersal of artwork from the estate/collection of the late Malcolm Berman and Berman family of Baltimore, Maryland, noted Baltimore-area business and philanthropic family.

Malcolm and Sandra Berman were prominent supporters of healthcare and charitable initiatives throughout the Baltimore region. Their philanthropic legacy at Greater Baltimore Medical Center includes the Sandra & Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute, Sandra & Malcolm Berman Comprehensive Breast Care Center, Sandra & Malcolm Berman Medical Office Building, and Sandra R. Berman Pavilion. GBMC has characterized Malcolm Berman's legacy as one of enduring philanthropic impact on Greater Baltimore.

The painting additionally retains an R.J. Hohimer artist biography sheet on the reverse, providing further period documentation associated with the work. See less