Boris B Major oil board, beautiful river landscape. 13 x 11 inches. Provenance: private owner.
Biography: 1876 - 1951. Boris Major was born Berko Mesherowsky in Elisabethgrad, Russia, (now Kirovograd, Ukraine) May 31, 1876. His parents were Joseph and Ethel (Linetsky) Mesherowsky. He studied art in Russia and at the Academy of Art in Munich, Germany. He was married to Maria (Mary) Erdman before immigrating to the United States in 1906. He and Mary were living in Jaroslaw, Poland, when they departed for America.Boris arrived in New York aboard the SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse on May 9, 1906. Boris’ profession is listed in the ship’s manifest as painter. Boris declared his intent to become a citizen of the United States in February, 1907. Boris is listed in the 1910 U. S. Census, living in the Bronx, New York.Boris was granted citizenship and officially changed his name to Boris Major in November, 1911. Boris’ profession is listed on his naturalization papers as artist.The New Rochelle, New York, 1919 City Directory lists Boris' studio address as 4 North Avenue and his home address as 38 Cliff Street. Norman Rockwell's studio address was just a few blocks from Boris' at 78 North Avenue. In 1929, Boris and his wife Anna Major began a two year journey that took them to Europe and North Africa. During this trip, Boris completed nearly fifty oil paintings and more than sixty watercolors, all done pleine aire. The cities the couple visited included Venice, Jerusalem, Algiers, Fez, and Cairo. Boris died in the Bronx, New York, on December 5, 1951, aged 75. He is buried at Mt. Sinai Cemetery, Lakewood, New Jersey.

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American, 19th century: This work was executed by an unknown hand, and can only be identified by origin (i.e., region, period).

Mint