Showrooms

Lantern in the Snow

Creator: Stan Masters
Offered by: Robert Morrissey Antiques & Fine Art

Description
Stan Masters (1922-2005) American
"Lantern in the Snow",
Watercolor on paper, signed lower right.
Image: 12.5" x 18.5"
Frame: 20" x 25.5"
Modern Larson Juhl coffee colored frame. Archival mat, regular glass.

Lantern in the Snow is from a group of still lifes of a single disused kerosene lantern, always depicted outdoors. Here, the dented light with a broken handle and missing cap stands in the snow near the end of a stockade fence. The gorgeous, restrained palate unifies the various elements. Despite its dilapidated condition, the lantern’s vertical stance and intact glass convey a strength and dignity more often seen in portraiture than still life.

In 1978 a critic wrote, “A Stan Masters watercolor is realism at its best… What he sees is so direct and the way he sees it is so logical that his intent and his achievement are timeless and universal. One thing that is always fascinating in a Masters scene is the very real feeling you get of what is going on outside of the picture.” Here, the three blades of grass subtly point beyond the fence and draw our attention to what might be around the corner.

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Stan Masters (1922-2005)
In 1971, after 20 years in commercial art, Stan Masters began his career as a watercolor artist. Following a brief period of experimentation, he adopted the American Realist tradition of Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth. “I believe that art is, or should be, a form of communication”, he wrote in his artist’s statement. “It ought to be understandable. For that reason, I choose to work in a realistic manner. My subject matter deals with things I know about or places I’ve been”.

Humble beginnings inform his gorgeous watercolors: he grew up in a one room railroad shanty with neither water nor electricity where the tracks passed within six feet of the front porch. Thus, his subject matter depicts small town and rural America. And, of course, the railroad.

In a review of a 1978 solo exhibit a critic proclaimed, “A Stan Masters watercolor is realism at its best. What [Masters] sees is so direct and the way he sees it is so logical that his intent and his achievement are timeless and universal. We find in his paintings unsuspected technical brilliance, always purposely hidden so as not to intrude on the overall effect he wants to create.”

Despite participation in numerous competitions and exhibitions with similar rave reviews, sales throughout his career remained minimal. He died in 2005, all but forgotten. Today, Masters is finally receiving the attention he deserves, and his paintings now hang in two museums and numerous private and corporate collections.

More Information

Documentation:	Signed
Origin:	United States, Missouri
Period:	1950-1979
Materials:	Watercolor on paper
Condition:	Good. Excellent condition
Styles / Movements:	Realism
Dealer Reference #:	SM133
Incollect Reference #:	378010

Dimensions

W.	18.5 in;	H.	12.5 in;
W.	46.99 cm;	H.	31.75 cm;

Message from Seller:

Robert Morrissey Antiques & Fine Art, established in 1948, specializes in period European furniture, modern design, and an extensive selection of paintings and sculpture. Contact us at 314.644.7066 or robert@robertmorrissey.com to explore our curated collection.