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Grapefruit Moon Gallery

Original Art from the Grand Age of American Illustration

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Illustration & Advertising Art

Before the Altar

Artist:Charles Edward Chambers
Date:1932
Medium:Oil on Canvas
Dimensions:Sight Size 24" x 34" Framed 32" x 42"
Condition:Excellent
Original Use:Interior Story Illustration for Pearl S. Buck novel Sons
Price: $8,500.00
Full view of oil on canvas painting
Full view of oil on canvas painting
The artist's signature lower right
The artist’s signature lower right
Detail
Detail

A haunting and epic large scale finely detailed and tonally impacting oil on canvas painting by Charles E. Chambers. An orientalist Black Market alter scene that utilizes ocher and umber tones in a dark and menacing suspense filled manner. This was an interior illustration for “Sons” the second book in the Good Earth trilogy by Pulitzer Prize winning author Pearl S. Buck. This eerie and emotionally powerful image illustrates a pivotal scene in which the Wang family, having lost their fortune through opium promiscuity, is forced to sell their village estate and its contents, in a black market auction of sorts.

Framed view in wide profile plein air Arts & Crafts aesthetic frame
Framed view in wide profile plein air Arts & Crafts aesthetic frame
Verso view of back canvas on original pine stretchers
Verso view of back canvas on original pine stretchers

Work is in a fine state of conservation and framed in a lovely wide profile American Arts & Crafts – Plein air aesthetic gallery frame.

Frame corner profile
Frame corner profile

CHARLES EDWARD CHAMBERS (1883-1941) was born in Ottawa, Iowa, studied at the Chicago Art Institute and later at the Art Student League in New York with George Bridgman.

His illustrations were extremely competent, marked by subtlety of value and color. He learned early to adapt his method of painting for the best possible reproduction and to insure fidelity of printing; he often followed the assignments through to the hands of the platemaker.

Chambers divided his time almost equally between editorial and advertising assignments. Among his advertising commissions was an outstanding series of portraits of musicians for Steinway & Sons. He also did a great number of distinctive illustrations for twenty- four- sheet outdoor posters, notably for Chesterfield and Palmolive Soap which set high standards for that field.

He illustrated stories in most of the major magazines, for such authors as Pearl Buck, Louis Bromfield, Faith Baldwin, and W. Somerset Maugham; worked under exclusive contract for Cosmopolitan magazine for many years.

Among his numerous awards was the second Altman Prize at the National Academy of Design Exhibition in 1931, for his portrait of watercolorist and fellow-illustrator, John Alonzo Williams.

Before the Altar

Artist: Charles Edward Chambers
Price:  $8,500.00

Filed Under: Illustration & Advertising Art
Tagged With: 1930s, american, art deco, arts & crafts, black magic, Charles Edward Chambers, exoticism, orientalist, original interior illustration, Pearl S. Buck, suspenseful
Added to Gallery: November 17, 2017

 

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    About Grapefruit Moon Gallery

    Grapefruit Moon Gallery, based in Minneapolis MN, specializes in vintage pin up and original illustration art.  We are the proud home of the Bunny Yeager archives.

    Since 2003, Grapefruit Moon Gallery has been a leading dealer of exclusive original paintings by Gil Elvgren, Alberto Vargas, Earl Moran, Rolf Armstrong and Henry Clive, as well as vintage photographs, prints, and period decorative arts in ceramic and metal.

    All artworks featured are original, accurately represented, and guaranteed to be the work of the named artist.

    Interested buyers may view pieces by appointment and we are happy to answer any questions you may have. [Contact Us]

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