With this mysterious composition American artist Keith Morrow Martin (b. 1911 d. 1983) drew upon the ancient Greek myth of how all evils were released into the world by the inquisitive figure of Pandora.  The composition’s menacing dark expanse behind the box, the checkerboard, implying the interactions of people with these ills, and then just a glimpse of sky-blue hopefulness beyond empowers the fatefulness of this timeless tale.  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. “Pandora’s Box” is a prime example of Martin’s use of classical mythology throughout his long career, exploring a new and simplistic retelling in image and composition. 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. 

 Signed “Keith Martin”min lower left, signed and dated on verso

Stretcher size: 28” x 16” Outside frame size: 37 1/2” x 25 3/4”

 Year of Creation: September 1951

Condition: This painting has been cleaned and the older discolored varnish removed, and a fresh dammar varnish applied. There are several small spot of inpaint, but overall in excellent and vibrant condition. It is housed in a contemporary custom linen liner and burnished water gilded frame.