This outstanding painting of a glaringly hot abstract “landscape” composition is by American artist Keith Morrow Martin (1911-1983). Martin has been classified as an abstract artist, Magic Realist, and Surrealist although he occasionally painted or drew portraits. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Martin attended the Art Institute of Chicago then traveled and studied through pre-war Europe, settling for long periods of time in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna. During WWII he was stationed in Iceland. After the war he returned to Paris and was one of the first American artists to exhibit in that recovering city. He traveled back to New York in the late 40s, then moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he continued to reside for 35 years. “Vista” is a stunningly beautiful painting with areas of red and yellow balance with neutral color shapes and forms possibly influenced by the artist’s trips to the American Southwest.  Martin’s works are  in numerous collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in D.C., the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Baltimore Museum of Art.

Monogrammed KM in upper right

Medium: oil on canvas 

 Size of support: 46” x 40” Size of outside frame: 48” x 42”

 Year of creation: 1962

Condition: The painting has received a light surface cleaning and is visually stunning. The linen is taut, there are no losses nor inpaint. The stretcher, support, ground, and paint layers are all in excellent condition. It’s housed in the brightly burnished 22 karat gold leaf frame which is original to the piece.