Art, Gold & Silver, Primitives & Rare Books
Lot 335:
Description
Original oil on canvas painting by Jackson, Michigan artist Keith Shafer depicting a narrow European street scene dominated by a large cathedral or church structure with gothic arches rising above surrounding buildings. The composition shows a quiet passageway and architectural forms rendered in warm ochre and sienna tones against a cool blue sky, capturing the atmospheric light and aged masonry of an old Italian town. Executed with loose painterly brushwork and sketch-like underdrawing, the work conveys both architectural structure and memory-like softness. This scene likely reflects Schafer’s experiences and impressions from his time serving in Italy during World War II with the 13th Armored Division, where the historic streets and churches of Italian cities left a lasting visual influence on his artwork. Canvas measures approximately 16 x 20 inches and is mounted on a Grumbacher New York stretcher. From the estate of Jackson, Michigan artist Keith Shafer, a WWII veteran who later studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and displayed and sold his works for decades through Shafer’s Cleaners in downtown Jackson, a family business operating since 1898, with additional works handled through the Detroit auction house DuMouchelles.
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