George Zachary Constant (American, born in Greece, 1892-1978). Watercolor, 1951. Signed and dated at the lower right. A mesmerizing abstract painting of two lovers by George Constant (also known as George Konstantopoulos, George Z. Constant, and G. Constant) who was born in Arachova, Greece but immigrated to the US where he lived and worked in New York. This piece demonstrates Constant's interest in the abstraction of figures. The embracing couple brings to mind other modern artists' depictions of loving couples, especially Constantin Brancusi's proto-Cubist sculpture entitled "The Kiss" (1916) with its similarly stylized blocky human forms. (Note that "The Kiss" is generally regarded as the first modern sculpture of the 20th century, so Constant's homage would not be surprising.) While the exact title of this piece is not known, other George Constant paintings with a similar theme are entitled "The Embrace" and "The Couple". A fabulous George Constant composition, set in a custom museum-quality frame. Size of watercolor (sight view): 19.7" L x 25.625" W (50 cm x 65.1 cm) Size of frame: 28.125" L x 34.25" W (71.4 cm x 87 cm)

Artist Biography from the Long Island Museum: "Born George Constantinopoulos in Arahova, Greece, in 1892, the future artist lost both parents at the age of four, and afterward was sent to live with his uncle, the abbot of the Eleusa Monastery in Aegion, Greece. Here, the young George was drawn to the stern eyes of Byzantine icons. Enamored by the rich colors and bold lines of the figures in them, he later incorporated their compositional elements into his artwork. At age 18 Constant came to the United States, having resolved to become an artist. He first went to St. Louis, where he enrolled in the School of Fine Arts at Washington University. Then two years later, in 1914, he was given a scholarship to attend the Art Institute of Chicago, where he studied with renowned artists and teachers George Bellows and Charles Hawthorne. Later he transferred to the Dayton Art Institute to complete his studies. In 1922, Constant moved with his family to New York where he divided his time between Manhattan and houses in the country, first in Connecticut and later Southampton, Long Island. In the latter part of his life, until his death in 1978, his Southampton studio became his chief workplace. In New York City, Constant was overwhelmed by the vast urban landscape and the people who traveled in his artistic circles. He had his first one-man show in 1927 and maintained relationships with Manhattan galleries for the next fifty years. The work he exhibited early in his career consisted primarily of abstracted figures that showed his admiration for Paul Cezanne and pre-Columbian art. Later his work evolved into complete abstraction of figures and landscapes."

George Constant was a member of the Federation of Modern Painters and Sculptors. In addition, he worked in the WPA and other Federal Art Projects and began exhibiting during the late 1920s in various annuals and invitationals hosted by major institutions across the United States. These were very important venues in the American art scene from the 1920s through 1960s. Constant's art has also been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Victoria and Albert Museum among other major institutions.

Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection

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#171223

Signed and dated by the artist at the lower right. Artwork is set in a custom, museum-quality frame and has not been examined outside the frame but appears to be in generally excellent condition. Frame shows normal age wear with some scuffs, nicks/chips, and areas of staining to the matte. According to current owner, the holes in the wood used for the framing are not actual "wormholes" but rather were intentionally created to achieve an aesthetic effect.