William Franklin Draper (American, 1912-2003), oil on canvas painting depicting Coney Island, 1947, signed and dated by the artist on the lower right. A lively depiction of Coney Island (the Second Steeplechase Park which originated in 1908) - one of the most beloved amusement parks and attractions of the first half of the 20th century. Coney Island was famous for its beaches, Luna Park, the legendary Cyclone roller coaster, street performers, the eccentric Circus Sideshow and events like the Mermaid Parade in June and the July 4th hot-dog eating contest at Nathan's Famous. This composition features the park's family friendly ride called Noah's Ark beneath a roller coaster (probably the coaster called The Limit) with fun signage daring spectators with the messages, "Try a Real Ride" and "Thriller". To the right is an arcade with a shooting gallery and another game with a sign that reads, "Play Ball!" Above these is the Racing Derby Carousel, brought to the park in 1920 from Venice, California since horse racing rides were very popular. Size: painting measures 17" L x 35.875" W (43.2 cm x 91.1 cm); 18" L x 37" W (45.7 cm x 94 cm) framed

According to Jeffrey Stanton, The Racing Derby Carousel "was innovative in that 16 groups of horses racing four abreast on a 315 foot circumference platform at speeds of nearly 25 MPH. The horses, which were set in six foot long tracks, would move back and forth as the ride rotated, sometimes nosing ahead to gain the lead, other times suddenly falling back. It was impossible to determine ahead of time which of the four horses would win since the cables that moved the horses back and forth criss-crossed beneath the platform. It was an exciting one mile race and winners of each race would be given a free ride. The ride was located in from of the Chanticleer, within easy viewing of the curious public watching on Surf Avenue." (https://www.westland.net/coneyisland/articles/steeplechase2.htm)

William Draper's career spanned five decades and his subjects included a portrait of John F. Kennedy that hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. based upon an oil sketch for which the president sat in 1962. Draper was actually the only artist who painted JFK from life. Draper showed at Knoedler, the Graham Gallery, Portraits, Inc., the Far Gallery, The Findlay Galleries (New York, NY) and the Robert C. Vose Galleries (Boston, MA). His work has been included in shows at the National Portrait Gallery and the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.), The National Academy of Design (New York, NY), The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, (Boston, MA) the Fogg Art Museum, (one of the Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, MA), the National Gallery, (London), Salon de la Marine (Paris) and in museums in Australia. He also taught at the Art Students League of New York, and received a lifetime achievement award from the Portrait Society of America in 1999.

More on the artist's background: William Franklin Draper was born in Hopedale, Massachusetts on December 24, 1912. A child prodigy, he studied classical piano at Harvard University. He later changed his focus to fine art and studied with Charles Webster Hawthorne and Henry Hensche in Provincetown, Rhode Island. Draper also attended the National Academy of Design in New York and the Cape Cod School of Art in Massachusetts. Then he traveled to Spain and studied with Harry Zimmerman, moved on to France and attended the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere. In 1937, he moved to Boston to study sculpture with George Demetrius and also studied with Jon Corbino in beautiful Rockport, Massachusetts. In 1942, Draper joined the Navy and served as a combat artist when stationed on the Aleutian Islands and in the South Pacific. He observed and painted battle scenes on Bougainville, Guam, Saipan, and other locations, as well as genre scenes of soldiers who were not engaged in combat but rather at work and at play. National Geographic magazine reproduced 25 of his war images in four issues in 1944. In 1945, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. organized a group exhibition of works by five official war artists, including Draper. That same year the Metropolitan Museum of Art included Draper in an exhibition entitled, ''The War Against Japan.'' Draper was also featured in a PBS television show about combat artists entitled, "They Drew Fire" in May of 2000. After the war, Draper opened a studio on Park Avenue in New York City and continued to not only paint, but also play classical and jazz piano.

Provenance: private Andrade collection New York, NY, USA acquired 1960's; ex-Knoedler & Company

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#131526

Painting has some areas of craquelure. There is a tiny tear to canvas at upper left corner. Image is otherwise well preserved and vivid. Signed and dated by the artist on the lower right. Original stretchers. Reinforced at one time with gallery tape. Verso of canvas has darkened with age. Wired for suspension.