Vintage Mid-Century Modern Primitive Animal Marker Drawings on Paper, Signed by NYC Artist Victor Gatto

This piece by primitive New York City artist Victor Gatto (along with the another in the series), was purchased  from the estate of the late Director of the Whitney Museum in NYC -  Thomas Armstrong, who served from 1974-1990. This work is from Armstrong's personal collection.

Victor Joseph Gatto, a self-taught painter, was born in Little Italy in New York City in 1893 (died 1965 in Miami). Gatto, an untrained artist, held various jobs throughout his life, from plumber to professional boxer but was very often living in poverty. During World War I, Gatto entered the Navy, but was dishonorably discharged; he subsequently served time in Dannemora Prison in upstate New York (from 1920 until 1930).

In 1938, Gatto met some exhibitors at a Greenwich Village art show and was told one could earn $600 for a single painting.  Gatto decided to become an artist himself.  At age forty-five, he began to paint with no artistic background except drawing in school.  He liked to tell that Teddy Roosevelt had once visited his classroom and declared him “the best drawer in the school”. By 1940, he had been discovered by collectors of modern primitives and someone declared him New York’s Rousseau, becoming famed for his urban landscapes. In 1943, the Charles Barzansky Gallery gave him a one-man show which was a triumph, propelling him into the art world. Over the years, his work was bought and exhibited by major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of the City of New York, the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

In very good condition for a vintage piece, this marker on paper drawing has held up to time with only natural aging and minor wear

All artwork comes professionally framed in a classic gallery style moulding, with a  4" archival, acid-free mat and Acrylite Conservation Glazing, filtering out 99% of harmful UV light. The frame is available in 4 finishes upon checkout, with additional mat and frame options available upon request.