Beautiful original signed painting in oil and watercolor by John Edward Costigan (American, 1888-1972) depicting mothers and children at the beach. Framed in 2-inch wide, hand finished wood frame with gold leaf finish. Matted in 1-1/4 inch silk pearl white mat with gold leaf inner trim under museum glass. Costigan attended the Art Student’s League where he studied for a short period under William Merritt Chase and George Bridgman. By the age of thirty, Costigan had exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery of Washington D.C., in addition to the MacDowell Club, and Babcock Gallery in New York. The year following his showing at the Babcock Gallery Costigan joined the army as a private and served in World War I.Through the twenties, Costigan gained recognition with a number of exhibitions, including showings at the Art Institute of Chicago, Salmagundi Gallery and Corcoran Gallery. An influx of awards for his work in oil and watercolor helped secure his notoriety, beginning in 1920 with an award from the National Academy of Design. In 1928, Costigan was made an Academician to the National Academy of Design, leading him to add the distinction of “N.A.” (National Academy) to his signature.During the 1940s he exhibited at both the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Carnegie Institute. Costigan’s place in the fine art world was reaffirmed in 1968 with the launch of a retrospective exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute. This exhibit was comprised of works in Costigan’s varied mediums, provided by a range of public and private collections across the country. After premiering at the Paine Art Center and Arboretum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the Smithsonian Institute facilitated the national circulation of the works.Family members served as models for his scenes, with wife Ida a primary model for the solitary women and motherly figures. His five children, too, and later grandchildren, were influential in providing a basis for many compositions as is probably the case in this painting.Important Exhibits throughout his career include:1915 MacDowell Club1916 Corcoran Gallery1917 Babcock Gallery1920/23/28/33/36 Salmagundi Club1922-24/27/54 Art Institute1923-42 Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art1924 Frank K. M. Rehn Gallery1925/27/28/30 National Academy of Design1925/36/54/61 National Arts Club1926 Susquehanna-Centennial Expo1928/32/33/36/58 American Watercolor Society1928 Grand Central Art GalleryPalm Beach AA1933/38 Society of American Etchers1942 Library of Congress1944-46 Carnegie InstituteSociety of American Graphic Artists1944 Whitney Museum of American Art1955 Ogunquit AC1967 Group Exhibition, Metropolitan Museum, N. Y.1968 Paine Art Center Wisconsin, and nationwide through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service2010 Mid America Fine Arts.Provenance: Phyllis Lucas Gallery, NYC. [Image size: Height: 27 in (68.58 cm); Width: 33.5 in (85.09 cm). Outside frame size: Height: 27 in; Width: 33.5 in]. In good condition.

In good condition.