Community Corner
Historic Paintings Return to Peekskill! May 3rd Opening at Field Library.
Return To Peekskill: 1930s Paintings by Arthur Frischke
May 3 – May 31, 2014
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 3 from 3-6 pm
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The Field Gallery is honored to bring home the works of Arthur Frischke (1893-1970), a New York City artist whose informative paintings richly illustrate scenes of Peekskill life in the 1930s. Originally shown at The Field Library in 1982, these vibrant and important works are now on display once again.
Known for his 1930s realism and Ashcan School influence, Frischke’s careful brushstrokes depict the River Town streets of Peekskill bustling with proud townsfolk, horse drawn carts and early cars; the mighty Hudson River, with its heavy commerce of steamboats, often sets the backdrop. In other scenes, Uptown’s gracious houses and wide, open lanes are likewise carefully depicted. Local landmarks such as Annsville Creek, Depew Homestead, Lower Main Street, Route 9, and the construction of the Bear Mountain Bridge are portrayed in their infancy.
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Arthur Frischke was born in New York City in 1853 and studied at Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design, and was also a member of the American Artists Professional League. He left the Academy of Design at the age of 24 and in the ‘30s became enamored of Peekskill and the Hudson Highlands. He soon became a familiar sight in the area, where he was seen riding about town on a motorcycle with his art supplies strapped across the back.
Frischke continued a successful career, exhibiting in New York City and the East Coast throughout his 70s where he maintained a studio in the Bronx. He died in 1970, leaving a rich legacy still highly sought after by collectors today.
In 2013, Arthur Frischke’s paintings were rediscovered and shown at the Flat Iron Gallery in Peekskill, where they were purchased and donated to the Field Library via a generous gift by Peekskill native and philanthropist Dr. Bernard S. Yudowitz. Dr. Yudowitz is instrumental in restoring and preserving many of Peekskill’s treasures, including B. James Thornley’s historic 1934 WPA mural “Technology Advancement.”
The Field Gallery is located in the Field Library at 4 Nelson Avenue, Peekskill, New York. For further information please call 914-737-1212, email Alicia Morgan, Gallery Curator at amorgan@wlsmail.org, or visit the library's website at www.peekskill.org