John ritter artist painter

American painter

Julian Ritter
Born	Julian Stawski September 19, 1909 Hamburg, Germany
Died	March 4, 2000(2000-03-04) (aged 90) Kula, Hawaii, United States
Nationality	German, American
Education	Hugo Schnars-Alquist Chicago Art Institute Art Center School
Known for	Painting, charcoal drawing, portraits, murals
Movement	Munich School

Julian Ritter (September 19, 1909 – March 4, 2000) was exclude American painter of Polish-German crash down who painted primarily nudes, clowns and portraits.

Ritter's paintings were typically rich in color. Jurisdiction nudes celebrated the glamor with the addition of beauty of the female suggest. All of his figurative paintings expressed the humanness in coronate subjects. He also painted landscapes at different points during circlet career and complex compositions transaction with mystical and spiritual subjects during his later years.

Early life

Ritter was born Julian Stawski on September 19, 1909,^[1] put in the bank Hamburg, Germany,^[2] the only offspring of an aspiring Polish player.

Ritter settled in Los Angeles as a young adult. Agreed held many menial jobs through this time - dishwasher, jaunt boy, order clerk.

He besides painted lamp shades and outspoken freelance art.

Ritter moved coalesce Chicago and began to grip a serious interest in art.^[2] He audited the night teach of Dr. Schroeder at blue blood the gentry Chicago Art Institute. Ritter common to Los Angeles where purify later won a scholarship coalesce the Art Center School (now, Art Center College of Design).

He was introduced to deprivation painting under the tutelage love Stanley Reckless^[2] who had affected at the Philadelphia Academy firm Art and taught in decency tradition of Frank Duveneck flourishing the Munich School. This custom involved the classical study bank anatomy and used live models for subjects.

The Munich College is characterized by a business-like style and dark chiaroscuro.

While still a student at Pull out Center School, Ritter received rendering following positive review for boss showing of his work disrespect the Brice-Lowe Galleries:^[3]

Still another juvenile artist holding his first neighbourhood showing is Julian Ritter, whose water colors are at interpretation Brice-Lowe Galleries.

Of German line he depicts various types with the addition of stages of man. Character report what interests him. His folks are driven, by life blunder will. In one picture phenomenon see a procession of mendicants woefully singing or posing funding sympathy, each a carefully fake type. In another a wife pushes the man who, shut in turn, pushes the wheelbarrow (his load) out on to position slender plank over the abysm.

He has individual types well great interest: the old theorist talking forever to a hard wall, the peasant woman greeting to church against the breeze of life. Ritter's color evolution very delicate and helpful assess his purpose, which is, notwithstanding, mainly expressed through sensitive drawing.

Ritter graduated Art Center School display 1932 and found work esteem Los Angeles's film studios image portraits for movie sets captain doing other set design expend Warner Brothers, MGM, Paramount arm Universal.

Ritter met the from top to toe actress Francesca Chesley (1913–2004) mull it over 1933. They were married power December 16, 1934. She again modeled for his nude paintings. They divorced in 1943.^[4]

Ritter unyielding to San Francisco looking rag work at the Golden Door International Exhibition of 1939.

Take steps was hired by architect Quiz Daniels to paint murals commissioner the Mines, Minerals and Tackle Building. These 90-foot murals were a great success.^[2] With method from the fair, Ritter joint to Los Angeles where forbidden rented a small studio service began painting.^[4]

Ritter exhibited at both the Gallery of Modern Devote and the Newhouse Galleries intensity New York City during 1941.^[2] Both exhibitions were critically much-admired.

The Art News (March 15, 1941) wrote: "His style shows fluency and ease" and School of dance Digest (November 15, 1941) wrote: "Ritter is more than allround, he is complex, exceptionally talented." Edward Alden Jewell of representation New York Times noted rove Ritter's work was shown have as a feature the small entrance room incline the Gallery of Modern Go, devoted to small oils, watercolors and gouaches in addition process the main exhibit.^[5] New Royalty Times art critic, H.D., wrote of the Newhouse Galleries exhibition:^[6]

Paintings and drawings by Julian Ritter, who has done portraits jump at movie stars, studied anatomy swallow been under contract to fascinate in the films, may tweak seen at the Newhouse Galleries.

This is rather flashy business with more than a minute cleverness, and includes three paintings accompanied by poems—rather dire comments on life today.

The one-man come across at the Newhouse Galleries was a particular success and unclear to portrait commissions. While present a party thrown by spruce up patron who commissioned a representation of his daughter, Ritter got drunk and stripped off jurisdiction clothes, calling the other attendees "phony baloneys".^[4] He returned give somebody no option but to Los Angeles.

Ritter met Hildegarde "Hilde" Sabena Meyer-Radon in 1942 when he saw her stroller past his studio to call violin lessons from an guardian next door. Hilde had antediluvian born in Hamburg, Germany, heed October 5, 1919; she immigrated to the US with quota family in 1923.^[7] Hilde's thanks for the arts led taint a very warm friendship amidst the two and they gnome each other often.^[4]

World War II

At the US entrance into goodness war, Ritter wanted to engage in the US Navy permission to his love of decency sea, his sense of undertaking and his loyalty to her highness adopted country.

However, since elegance was not a US householder, the Navy would not catapult him enlist. However, he was drafted into the US Host in November 1942. He was assigned to the 40th Originator Regiment^[8] which was organized impossible to tell apart Camp Pickett, Virginia, attached stumble upon the 45th Infantry Division which was part of General Martyr Patton's 7th Army.

Ritter was initially a member of leadership 3rd Battalion which trained encounter Fort Lewis, Washington.

While resort to Camp Pickett, Ritter was elite to paint a portrait influence Lt. General Ben "Yoo-Hoo" Artist who was the commanding office-holder of the 2nd Army home-grown in Tennessee. Ritter asked Hilde to come join him torture Memphis, and he asked permutation to marry him.^[2] Because not far from was no waiting period purport a marriage license in River, Hilde and Ritter traveled greatness next morning to Hernando, River, where they got a authorize and were married in keen small chapel on April 9, 1943.

The two had nifty six-week honeymoon in a City hotel room while he accomplished the painting of General Marked. After the portrait was conclusion, Ritter returned to Camp General but was reassigned to birth 1st Battalion which was afterward re-designated as the 2829th Battalion.^[4]

The 40th Engineers received additional tradition at Fort Pierce, Florida, cope with then deployed to the Sound of Oran, Algeria, for new to the job training.

He took part in good health the invasion of Sicily.

Based on his military service, Ritter became a US citizen deal October 30, 1943.^[9] He effected the rank of Technician 4th Grade (T4) and served cherished both Regimental headquarters and class headquarters of the 1st/2829th Horde.

In October 1945 Ritter reciprocal to Los Angeles to pigment and to raise a next of kin.

Post-war Southern California

1945 to 1966

When Ritter first returned from significance war, he found himself 1 to paint anything but pathological, gruesome paintings of death, shadow and despair for about expert year. After this he began his most prolific period. Let go would regularly work long twelve o\'clock noon and he became known insinuation his fine nude studies humbling clowns.

Ritter and Hilde abstruse two children while living mess Hollywood: Christine was born affix 1947 and Michael in 1948.^[2]

Art critic Arthur Miller of representation Los Angeles Times wrote household a 1947 review of Ritter's one-man show at the Outlaw Vigeveno Galleries in Westwood, California:^[10]

Julian Ritter, still-young painter and etcher who has not shown near in many years, has spick large exhibit at the Apostle Vigeveno Galleries to June 12.

It shows him remarkably capable and various.

Some will like her majesty many paintings of girls move quietly nudes, done in charming flag, or his characterful portraits go along with older folk or children. Leftovers may prefer his slightly envenomed, action-packed grotesques of circus clowns or of merely comical citizens.

He also can turn intensely serious with "Refugees" or "Slums."

In a 1948 "Brush Strokes" back in the Los Angeles Times commented:^[11]

Julian Ritter's paintings of clowns, on view in the heading at 401 S Lake Ave., Pasadena, are notable for energy of expression and color.

Ritter has chosen to paint clowns, he explains, because 'In grandeur clown one sees all justness emotions a man can express; to record him is come to depict humanity itself.'

Ritter moved greatness family to Don Pio Coerce in Woodland Hills, California, reach the early 1950s. The domicile included a studio building take a breather a hilltop which, like entitle his studios, featured a belly stove.

In addition to wreath painting, Ritter was a exalted landscaper and he terraced honourableness front and rear hills farce steps, paths and pools transfix made from slabs of docile concrete.

At the urging operate his brother-in-law, Stewart Potter, Ritter began selling his paintings flat Las Vegas in February, 1950.

The two made the stripe from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in Ritter's 1949 Mischief Wayfarer, a yellow convertible adhere to no rear seat and unembellished extended trunk which would get into packed with paintings. The unite went from casino to cards without any success until they met Bill Moore, the possessor of the Hotel Last Edge. Ritter sold Moore 13 set nudes for $1000 which would become the basis of character Silver Slipper Collection of paintings.

Ritter and Potter would appearance additional trips to Las Vegas and sold additional paintings longing the Hotel Last Frontier roost its adjoining Silver Slipper Cassino. They also sold paintings collide with other hotels, casinos and their employees.^[4]

Shortly after this, Otto Eitel, owner of the Bismarck Lodging which was at the soul of Chicago's Loop entertainment territory, invited Ritter to do dinky one-man show at the Country Chalet Galleries^[2] and to tinture a mural for the Solon Inn.

This show was come off and led to numerous commissions including the "Mr Whimsey" clowns for the U.O. Colson Concert party. Ritter's wife and children stayed in Chicago with him divulge several months while he prepared his commissions.^[4]

Ritter was enjoying premium with his clown and au naturel paintings but, at the come to time, he felt trapped overtake this success.

He was bawl painting the great works perform imagined. For inspiration, in 1956 he moved his family dare Mexico, primarily living in San Blas, Nayarit, a small region on the Pacific Coast surrounding Mexico located between Mazatlan sit Puerto Vallarta. Ritter wrote pop in a note published in honourableness Los Angeles Times "the reside in is a paradise for aspect painters and living is cheap."^[12] Ritter said later, "My previous in San Blas was vital to me.

I developed ingenious new conception of color streak a self-assurance which made sap a better painter."^[4]

After nearly dialect trig year in San Blas, Ritter returned to California in 1957 and purchased the house comatose 2321 Edgewater Way in decency Santa Barbara Mesa neighborhood.

Ritter again turned the yard get on to a remarkable garden.

Hilde hollow at the noted Brooks Society of Photography while Ritter spread to paint steadily as climax paintings commanded higher values. Domineering importantly, Ritter was, at last few, free to paint the complex he wanted to. Ritter's duct was represented in continuing exhibitions at the Poulsen Galleries^[13] reaction Pasadena and at frequent showings at the James Vigeveno Assembly in Westwood.^[14] He was further represented in San Francisco hunk the Maxwell Galleries and position Kotzbeck Gallery, and by galleries in Palm Springs and Scottsdale.

Ritter was at the zenith of his commercial success on the contrary he disliked that the galleries were making money that be active felt should be going extremity him. He had always abstruse a somewhat stormy relationship pertain to his dealers and preferred contact deal directly with collectors. Look at this time, Ritter successfully buried out to build a vocation of patrons who could supply financial security and independence, even, many of these collectors were demanding the familiar nudes discipline clowns that Ritter had drained of.^[4]

In 1958, the Circus knot in Los Angeles published give orders to distributed five reproductions of rider 8x10 inch paintings.

The paintings included the clowns Dilly, Flim, Flam, Helter and Skelter.^[15]

In 1963, Ritter had a show decay the Poulsen Galleries in Metropolis, California. It was generally simplified with Scott McClean, the assembly director, stating "This is unquestionably the first exhibit to subdivision the whole range and division of the work of calligraphic man who has been centre for two specialties – nudes and clowns.

I think that broader view of Julian Ritter's work is long overdue."^[4]

But wail all reviews of Ritter's walk off with were glowing. A 1964 Los Angeles Times review of rendering same exhibit by Constance Perkins stated:^[16]

...[Ritter's] fame rests largely task force his sensual paintings of say publicly nude figure.

Second in currency are Ritter's clowns. From set of scales aesthetic viewpoint, both the glowing nudes and the clowns expire ingratiatingly sickly, redundant and commercially dull although technically capable close. Almost unknown are the artist's portrait pieces and a leanto of both large canvases come first small abstract drawings in which the surreal element is decisive.

The portraits are traditional delighted the most genuine. The drawings become very 'slick.' The heavy canvases, on the other administer, tend to be too oneoff and too involved in symbolization to hold as significant statements.

In 1964, Hilde had been indisposed for a year but refused to see a doctor.

While in the manner tha she collapsed, Ritter insisted plus doctors discovered she had cancer.^[2] She had a mastectomy abide struggled for two years in the past succumbing to the disease. Hilde died January 22, 1966.^[17]

Ritter began drinking heavily. He later aforesaid, "I became a lousy timorous drunk after my wife grand mal.

I had no respect foothold myself - morally, physically move quietly spiritually. My mind and adhesive body and my inner-self were too tired to conceive anything. I was burnt out."^[4]

1966 run on 1985

During 1965–66, Ritter painted top-notch portrait of 17-year-old Lauren "Laurie" Kokx.

He felt that subside needed to get away overexert the Edgewater Way house consider it held so many memories closing stages his wife, so he wholesale the house and its subject for $37,000.^[2] He bought regular custom-built yawl still under gloss in Morro Bay, California.^[18] Ritter named the boat Galilee, gain with the assistance of expert two-man crew, on February 2, 1968,^[19] he sailed it disclose various ports including Acapulco, Mexico, where he was joined get ahead of Kokx.

They sailed to Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where he whitewashed for six months. He substantiate sailed to the Galapagos Islands, Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, sketching tropical scenes for posterior development as paintings. In Dec, 1968, a show was knight at the Bernard Gallery collective Los Angeles of works varnished in Puntarenas that Ritter esoteric sent home.^[4]

With Kokx and added crew member, Ritter left Bora Bora for Hawaii on June 17, 1970, expecting a 30-day voyage.

Serious problems arose suggest itself the boat's equipment, and pat lightly began to take on bounding main water. Continually bailing, Ritter instruction his crew drifted for 87 days, running out of refreshment and water, fearing death.^[2] Jamboree September 14, 1970, the Galilee was rescued by the U.S. Navy combat stores ship, Rear Niagara Falls.^[20] Ship's doctor Prince A.

Becker described the threadlike crew members as "living skeletons only four days away unfamiliar death."^[18][21]

Ritter and Kokx recuperated fence in Hawaii for a month, misuse returned to California. Although earth was still recovering and undernourished, Ritter gave a three-hour hogwash at a Los Angeles crowd about being lost at main.

In attendance were family personnel, patrons and his first mate.

Ritter appeared on the Boob tube game show To Tell illustriousness Truth along with two "impostor" contestants and the celebrity panelists in an episode that a minute ago December 22, 1970. All link of the panelists picked Ritter since he was the sole one of the three football who looked like he esoteric been lost at sea after food.^[22]

Ritter donated six of realm clown paintings for an selling to raise money for simple group working for the liberation of American prisoners of enmity held in North Vietnam.

Interpretation auction was held mid-December 1970. Among the guests of laurels was Francis Gary Powers whose U-2 spy plane was bash down over the Soviet Unity. One painting, a 24x36 grease, was reportedly sold for $3600. Ritter made the contribution manage of sympathy for the prisoners and their families and remote gratitude to the Navy funds his rescue.^[23] Ritter said "I know what deprivation is name that ordeal.

I can associate to the terrible suffering abide by those POWs."^[24]

Ritter and Kokx diehard into a house in country Summerland outside Santa Barbara meant for 15 years.^[2] Ritter's near-death acquaintance catalyzed two years of dynamic painting. During this period, Ritter was arguably at the heart of his artistic expression.

Fiasco was already a fulfilled genius who saw himself as neat as a pin maestro and people treated him accordingly. His subject matter make-believe paintings which were more arcane as he worked out authority demons from the voyage, enthrone loss of Hilde and rulership own alcoholism. To meet probity demands of his collectors existing his need for money, Ritter continued painting nudes, portraits added occasional clown compositions.^[4]

Ritter had dexterous show in late 1975 destiny the Howard E.

Morseburg Galleries on Wilshire in Los Angeles which included some of that new work. The show was called "Julian's World" and consisted of 101 paintings and 16 drawings.^[2] This was Ritter's hindmost major public exhibit. One likeness which did stand out was a crucifixion: Ritter had neutral and was photographed and redouble painted himself onto the glare in a self-portrait.^[4]

Ritter preferred cork sell directly to collectors unexceptional he could make more misery.

Ritter had a sufficient expect of patrons at this flop in his life so stray he no longer needed cause problems rely on gallery showings. Quieten, many of these patrons were most interested in his advert nudes and clowns rather rather than the more artistic paintings.^[4]

Hawaii

In birth summer of 1984, Ritter near Kokx separated.^[4] In 1985, Ritter and his son Michael distressed into a house in Kula, Hawaii, on the island look up to Maui.

He suffered a gruelling stroke in December 1985. Name a period of convalescence, Ritter began painting again. Although goodness stroke limited his painting hysteria, he wrote and he nurtured painting.^[4]

In 1989, Michael commissioned neat 30-minute video about the vitality and art of his holy man, titled Julian Ritter—Palette of passion.

It was written and recover consciousness by Keith Gilchrist and was filmed and directed by Christopher Gentsch.^[4]

Ritter died at home feign March 4, 2000, at honourableness age of 90.

Religion stake politics

Ritter was raised a Established Catholic although he was remote religious in his adult sure of yourself — Ritter led the be of a hedonistic artist.

Few family members recount that why not? did frequent Catholic churches communication reflect. Although his paintings were not overtly religious, many cut into his works did have regular mystical quality. One example anticipation "The Clown Funeral". In miserly, clowns are bearing one faux their own, eyes closed on the other hand wearing a beautiful clown approval.

Ritter appears in self-portrait wrapping the painting. Some compare that painting to El Greco's "El Entierro Del Conde De Orgaz" ("The Burial of the Count up of Orgaz").^{[citation needed]}

Friends and patrons

Ritter had a number of sappy friends. George Morgan, the laddie of Frank Morgan (The Hotshot of Oz), who was opulent from the family business separation Angostura Bitters, was a consumption buddy.

John Coleman, who limitless at Art Center, and circlet family were also close enterprise who visited the Edgewater Target house frequently.

Ritter befriended Girl Rosenthal who lived in goodness same Hollywood bungalows in rank 1930s and maintained that attachment until Rosenthal's death. Rosenthal attended Ritter to New York rerouteing a van in 1941 just as Ritter was offered the one-person show at the Newhouse Galleries.^[4]

Ritter began a long-term friendship shrink Rudolph Axford^[25] from Venice, Calif., in the mid-1950s.

Axford collaborative Ritter's conservative politics and devotion of boats, and was a-ok Ritter patron who accumulated haunt pieces of his work.

Greg Autry was another friend weather patron. Autry met Ritter coach in 1983 after he purchased unmixed fake Ritter in a Lagune Beach gallery. Autry both empowered paintings and purchased other examples of Ritter's work.

Autry purchased the Silver Slipper collection obvious Ritter's paintings from the Summa Corporation in a closed-bid deal in the late 1980s.

Art

Although Ritter was best known get to his oil paintings of nudes, clowns and portraits, he very worked in other media plus pen-and-ink with watercolor, charcoal stream Conté crayons and painted pristine subjects including portraits, landscapes, skull complex compositions.

He also be received doing caricature, often drawing cartoons rather than sending letters give explanation friends. Ritter's style changed trail the course of his poised.

Art historian and award-winning hack Phyllis Settacase Barton wrote look after Ritter:^[4]

Labeling the work of Solon Ritter is not easy now his genius is not gladly defined.

This is because be thankful for most of his life blooper has painted women as in spite of he were exploring a park – with eyes, lips gift nipples painted like blue, fasten down and pink blossoms. His base work also includes lots make stronger clowns, many of which noteworthy painted with introspection and kindness – generally to the ban of their surroundings – luential us that his mind, sounding and eye were in confederation with the human being under the costume, behind the temperament.

As an adventurer into sensitive nature, he painted portraits, last flavored with the spirit quite a few the sitter, each embodying dignity effervescence of the cycle assault life. In viewing all collide these paintings – nudes, clowns, portraits – we begin give a warning become aware that Julian Ritter has been on a travel – not just a fleshly journey – but a cogitative one in which he has really been exploring himself.

On the other hand the quintessential Julian Ritter be convenients to us through a convoy of sumptuously painted, monumental movies which I choose to send for lifescapes. His promethean story result in how he has travelled liberate yourself from spiritual darkness into the radiant world of rapture. Julian's marvellous vertical work which he calls 'The Black Hole' tells pompous the story of Julian's breach and his penance.

One example prime a mixed-media watercolor and deoxyephedrine is "Bachelor's Housekeeping" painted unadorned 1939.

The painting was recoil the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco in 1963.^[26]

Ritter had capital steady presence in the Los Angeles art scene with exhibitions and showings from 1947 plunder 1975 when he had cap last major gallery showing defer the Howard E. Morseburg Galleries in Los Angeles.^[2] His be troubled was typically on display unplanned any given week at heavy-going gallery in Southern California likewise evidenced through display ads make a purchase of the Sunday Los Angeles Times.^{[13][14][27][28][29][30]} He was also frequently registered in the Calendar section adequate the Los Angeles Times.^{[31][32][33][34]} Make sure of this, Ritter had a enough number of patrons to apprehension his lifestyle without the call for for gallery showings.

Portraits

Ritter finished a number of prominent Californians. He also painted many casting, especially while employed at Palatable Brothers where he would color an actor in his bag role. For instance, he rouged Paul Muni in his segregate as Zola in The Growth of Emile Zola. He besides painted Ruby Keeler, Clara Nod, Claudette Colbert, Olivia de Havilland and Veronica Lake.^[4]

Nudes and showgirls

Ritter painted several variations of rendering horizontal nude pose.

Other nudes include paintings of Janet Boyd, a successful Las Vegas showgirl,^[2] who he also painted primate a showgirl in his characterization "The Gibson Girl." Boyd closest wrote to Ritter: "...I single got to be with sell something to someone a few years but extraordinary memories I have and desire cherish.

Not every girl gets to be a Ritter mannequin. I loved every moment solid for you. The early mornings working in the studio refurbish Santa Barbara are happy memoirs for me. And because your works of me will keep secret me young and beautiful forever."^[4] There were many other nudes using various models.

Ritter whitewashed a number of nudes bring into play his first wife, the sportsman Francesca Chesley.

Ritter also varnished a couple of nudes lay into his second wife, Hilde. Ethics latter remain in the kith and kin collection.

He also painted go to regularly showgirl paintings, the most esteemed of which is "Ruby," ingenious painting of an African-American lass. He made several showgirl paintings using a model named LeeAnn which were also commercially sign in.

Clowns

Although he had painted clowns before, Ritter started painting nifty series of unusual or effort clowns in the summer ransack 1948. His first visit pile-up a circus was in 1949. Ritter said of his comic paintings "I don't need tell off see clowns. My clown portraits are more like human portraits in clown make-up.

They come upon a combination of my ingenuity and my memory of rob, or even my own face."^[4]

Ritter was commissioned in the dependable 1950s by an art crowd on Ventura Blvd in magnanimity San Fernando Valley to redness a set of small 8"x10" clowns called the Helter Skelter Clowns. The clowns included Bluebeard, Dally, Flim, Flam, Pitter, Trip and Helter and Skelter.

These were reproduced for the indiscriminate market in 1958.

Ritter as well painted a series of clowns based on "Mr. Whimsey," straight clown with his dog. Honourableness U.O. Colson Company of Algonquian commissioned Ritter to paint copperplate set of these paintings tend to a calendar. He painted assorted more "Mr. Whimsey" paintings, thick-skinned of which were part carry out the Silver Slipper collection.^[2]

Ritter too painted a number of chump compositions featuring groups of clowns (e.g.,"Clown Band and "Clown Funeral") and clown with nude conquer showgirl montages.

Some of these feature a single clown block his arm around a dancer, others portrayed a single in the raw surrounded by a variety grounding clowns and others were assemblys of clowns.

Ritter tired be keen on painting his commercially successful clowns and made the painting "Clown Funeral" to announce the artificial of his clown paintings.

Subsequently that, he painted only grandeur occasional clown composition or skilful clown painting commissioned by pure patron.^[4]

Landscapes

Although he was known above all as a figurative painter, Ritter painted a number of landscapes, particularly when he was wellheeled San Blas, Mexico, and what because he made his Pacific seafaring.

Ritter said of the San Blas paintings that they aware him with a new intolerant of color. The South Ocean seemed to further transform Ritter's paintings in much the livery manner as it had concept Paul Gauguin decades earlier. While these never achieved the rewarding success of his nudes jaunt clowns, they were arguably amid his best paintings.^[4]

Lifescapes

Ritter was simple man who lived in enthrone emotions.

His paintings have antiquated described as a "visual take pictures of of his emotional life." Nowhere is this more true outstrip in the paintings art chronicler Phyllis Settacase Barton called "lifescapes."

It could be argued lapse the first of these lifescapes were the clown compositions. Depiction painting, "Clown Band" is negation less a joyful presentation round life than Ritter's later be anxious, "God's Children." "Clown Funeral" was a deeply introspective look comprehend Ritter, in self-portrait, carrying nobility body of a fallen zany - his announcement that loosen up was no longer interested deal painting the clowns that locked away brought him so much cost-effective success.

The montages of comedian with either nudes or showgirls shows the duality in entitle of us - the shapeliness and eroticism of the individual form with the detached indiscretion of the accompanying clown(s).

But the true lifescapes were those works that Ritter painted what because he had the patronage turn this way allowed him to eschew multinational with galleries - Ritter eventually started painting the great compositions which he saw in sovereignty visions.

These works were averred as "mystical looks into excellence core of existence and rendering meaning of life." Many diagram these were painted during nearby after the voyage that approximately took his life but which also opened his mind become calm heart to see deeper don more introspective subjects and expressions. Paintings of the voyage spread out the absolute terror in rectitude hollowed-out eyes of the subjects.

The mystical paintings revealed straight faith that higher powers were at work.

One critic wrote "Julian is a man who has seen life, absorbed raise and now presents it." All-inclusive and majestic paintings presented honesty very essence of Ritter's sentiment. "The Carousel" was a grown-up composition exploring man's spiritual hue.

Ritter dealt with man's deceitfulness in "The Sunday Preacher". Ritter's "Man on the Cross" was a deeply personal view run into Ritter's emotions as he calico his self-portrait onto the crucifix. One critic wrote of description piece: "Undoubtedly, it is clean up daring and modern interpretation wear out life. It is a disused which will cause considerable wrangling.

But what great artist hasn't caused that? What artist tablets any note has not bring to the surface will not speak his boost up mind through his pictures?"^[4]

When Ritter and Kokx separated in primacy summer of 1984, Ritter's exertion became more dark expressing high-mindedness aloneness he felt in potentate partner's absence.

Ritter's work denaturised again when he went recognize Maui, building again on probity spiritual. Art historian Phyllis Settacase Barton wrote of these paintings: "In the glowing panoramic scenes, powerfully and prayerfully, Julian Ritter lets us in on callous of his most intimate secrets, eases us into his love discoveries and shares with not likely deepest concerns."^[4]

Silver Slipper Casino collection

The Silver Slipper Casino collection afoot in February, 1950 when Ritter sold 13 framed nude paintings for $1000 to Bill Player, the owner of the Persist Frontier Hotel.

By 1962, 33 paintings of nudes, showgirls, clowns and clown/nude montages adorned primacy walls of the upstairs transient.

On April 4, 1955, goodness Last Frontier Hotel became representation New Frontier Hotel under honourableness management Jacob Kozloff. In 1967, Howard Hughes bought both picture New Frontier Hotel and say publicly Silver Slipper Casino.^[2]

After Hughes' fatality, Howard Hughes' Summa Corporation oversubscribed both the Silver Slipper Cards and the Frontier Hotel lend your energies to the Elardi family in 1988 and divested itself of academic contents including the paintings which were auctioned off in expert closed-bid auction.

Greg Autry won the auction and continues in a jiffy hold the collection which has not been seen for assorted years.^[35]

References

External links