Art Deco
American, 1931
Reclining Nude Female, Oil on Canvas
by Christopher Lee Clark
DIMENSIONS: 29 3/4"H X 42 3/4"W (Sight)
35 3/4"H X 48 3/4"W (Frame)
Accession # 07-2023-1390.86
A Series of Unfortunate Names
Christopher Lee Clark, Artist, born 1903 Quincy, Florida – died 1973, Tampa, Florida
Turns out, Christopher Clark, had an impressive pedigree as an artist, but, our first efforts to find ANY information about him were exercises in futility, with initial online searches turning up precious little. We could easily find information about several modern day Christopher Clarks, who are able to make sure internet searches readily show their artistic works and bios.
Other authors, who had written about our Christopher Clark in recent times, also mentioned the same trouble gathering information about him, several commenting that they could not even find out when he had died. However our persistent efforts began to pay off bit by bit. Once we added our artists middle name, Lee, to the search we were able to find a little more information. Then adding that new information to the search in different ways, we were able to find even more information, discover more examples of his art, and so on.
Some surmised that part of the reason for this difficulty in finding information about our Christopher Clark is that his name was fairly common compared to many other artists that we are more familiar with, including those that were his contemporaries. Some writers of the time, and later, note that Christopher Clarks works were often better than those doing similar pieces. But, those other artists gained far more fame. So what gives?
Below: “Woman with Deer” by Christopher Lee Clark, 1929 NY
A series of unfortunate names?
It may be, that part of the “equation of fame” is having a more unique name. And also it appears, a bit of luck here and there helps as well. You may be the better artist, but if the other guy gets the big named gig, or lands the big named client…. Instant immortality, while you, with perhaps even with more talent, fade into the footnotes of history.
However, we think that as more of Clarks pieces appear in modern auctions, and thus “appear” in internet searches bearing his name, a larger oeuvre of his works will begin to be observed and appreciated, thus helping to bring this talented, and almost forgotten artist, back into the limelight.
Below: “Working Men” by Christopher Lee Clark, 1931
Speaking of Christopher Lee Clarks artistic pedigree, some items of note include…
Worked with the famous designer Donald Deskey, to paint murals for the Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center in NYC during the early 1930’s.
Works were featured in the Saturday Evening Post.
Worked as an illustrator at Forbes Magazine.
After WWII, Taught at the Ringling School of art in Sarasota Florida
Helped establish, and run, the Island City School of art in Key West 1947
Opened his own studio on Eagle Street in Tampa Florida.
Was touted as being one of Tampa’s favorite artists and was commissioned to paint portraits of numerous, prominent Tampa citizens.
Is acknowledged as being a successful Regionalist Artist and is associated with the WPA’s Federal Artists Program.
Information about Clarks works can be found in Alfred R. Frankel’s, Artists of Old Florida 1840-1950, which compares his work to that of Thomas Hart Benton. https://artistsofoldflorida.com/artist/christopher-clark-tampa-key-west/
Won numerous awards including the S. H. Press award at a Florida Federation of Art exhibit for his work entitled “Crapshooters” which was then chosen to represent the State of Florida in the first National Exhibit of American art in NY in 1938. The piece now resides in the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, in New Orleans.
Below: “Crapshooters” by Christopher Lee Clark, 1936
His works were included in the notable collections of Walter Chrysler, Jr, and John D. Rockefeller
A collection of his works resides in the permanent collection of the Frederick R Weisman Art Museum. Minneapolis Minnesota.
And now, we have one of Christopher Lee Clarks works here, for you to enjoy, at the DECOPOLIS Tulsa Art Deco Museum.
Below: “Study in White” by Christopher Lee Clark, 1930
Below: “Island Scene” by Christopher Lee Clark 1926
Below: La Toilette, By Christopher Lee Clark, Pastel on paper, 1928
Below: Male model in Miami, by Christopher Lee Clark 1938 (With these later paintings you can see how the artist had moved away from the Art Deco stylizations of his earlier works)
Below: Female portrait, pastel, by: Christopher Lee Clark 1944.
