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Louis H. Musgrove, New York Artist - Mid-Century Modernist (1893-1963)

Louis H. Musgrove (1893-1963)



Detail of "Flowers on the Window's Ledge"

Today we are going to look at a rare mid-century modernist painter, Louis H. Musgrove.  Musgrove considered himself a “Sunday Painter,” but that was far from the truth.  Born and trained in New York City, Musgrove studied under some art greats of the time:  Douglas Volk, Frederick Cecil Jones and Howard Giles.  Clearly Giles influenced his work, as Giles was an illustrator extraordinaire using watercolor and pastels.  

With the skills Musgrove obtained from his instructors, he went on to be an advertising executive with such companies as Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company and Pepsi Cola.  During his prosperous career, he found time to exhibit and share his work.  He exhibited at the Whitney Studio Club, the Art Director’s Club and Manhattan’s famous Ferragil Galleries (which closed in 1955).  He was a member of Art Director’s Club and the Institute of Graphic Art.  He did well in balancing his 'day job' as an art director and his exhibition schedule as a fine artist.

One interesting element of Musgrove is that he corresponded with another prominent mid-century modernist, Ben Benn.  The Archives of American Art has records of Musgrove’s letters to Benn.    

According to the Spartanburg Herald in 1954, Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove retired to South Carolina  where he continued his artistic interests with an exhibit at Converse University.   Social Security records show he died in 1963 in California.  Musgrove was a listed artist in Who Was Who in American Art (1929 Edition).      



Framed Painting

Musgrove’s painting exhibits a famille noire quadrangular vase with purple gladiolus on an open window ledge.  It is clearly an early summer day with fresh green leaves sprouting on the trees.  His watercolor/pastel provides a view of the surrounding buildings and rooftops, with skylights, pipe vents, architectural elements, and one water-tower left of center in the composition.  This is New York City in 1944!

The watercolor / pastel - approximately 24 X 19.75 inches - Signed in pencil in the lower right corner:  L. Musgrove, 1944.      



Sketch on the reverse 


Signature Example of Louis H. Musgrove 1944






   

Comments

  1. surveyorJuly 21, 2019 at 10:21 PM

    I have an oil on paper by Musgrove … deco looking nude and farmers field. More details if interested.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Waller Yoblonsky BlogspotJuly 22, 2019 at 2:36 PM

      Thanks so much for your comment. Unfortunately, we are mostly an art research collaborative, that works to report on artists who have gotten lost due to style changes, or the lack of research information on the internet. We rarely purchase works of art. Yet, because we do research we would love to see your picture. Thanks so much.

      Delete

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