This delightful tinted drawing of a young cheetah’s expressive face was created by 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. “Cheetah at Berlin Zoo” captures that awkward,  clownish expression that a young cheetah can have, showing a pale watercolor wash on the head and in the background along with strong yellow dashes of a more opaque yellow paint.  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. 

Initialed “KM” and dated ‘77 in center right

Medium: Watercolor and graphite on paper

Size of paper: 18 1/2” x 13 3/8” Size of outside frame: 25 3/4” x 21 7/8”

Year of creation: 1977

Condition: The piece is in excellent condition, no damage visible. It is housed in an original mid century frame, acid free cotton mat, and Museum Glass.