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Metadata
Artist |
Schachter, Elsa |
Object Name |
Painting |
Title |
Untitled |
Date |
ca. 1960s |
Place of Origin |
United States |
Medium |
Oil on canvas |
Dimensions |
20 x 16 in. (50.8 x 40.6 cm) |
Accession Number |
2471.0.0 |
Credit line |
Gift of Milton Schachter |
About This Work |
Elsa Schachter is one of the most obscure artists in the exhibition despite her prolific output as an artist. Her oil paintings appear frequently on auction sites. Her most notable connection is with the Provincetown Art Association and Museum where she was a member. Schachter was born Elsa Meyrson in New Jersey where she later resided with her two children and husband, Milton. She was an avid painter and collage artist who kept a studio in her suburban home and showed in group exhibitions. Her paintings were mostly abstract, focused on the emotive power of color and abstract composition. The work on view, probably from the 1960s, is untitled and incorporates a peaceful, aqua-green palette underpinned by vibrant oranges and reds. The softly layered colors produce a dream-like atmosphere and a sense of being suspended between the clouds and the earth. Tragically, Schachter died unexpectedly of a brain hemorrhage in 1971. The limited information that can be found about Schachter's life and career comes from a short passage written by the artist Lily Harmon (also included in this exhibition), who married Milton Schachter after Elsa's death. Harmon had known Elsa and admired her work, which she mentions in her 1981 memoir, Freehand. Unlisted: Underappreciated Women Artists from the Permanent Collection, May 28-October 2, 2022, exhibition label. |
Legal Status |
The artist or artist's estate retains all copyrights to their work. |