Halpert studied with Robert Henri in 1912 at the progressive Ferrer Center on New York’s Lower East Side (George Bellows was also on the faculty). He became active in various modernist organizations, including the Society of Independent Artists and the Whitney Studio Club. This dynamic painting of New York’s Flatiron neighborhood, on the edge of Madison Square Park, is representative of his more naturalistic work from the late teens. Yet Halpert may be better known for his early marriage to Edith Gregor Fiviosioovitch, who later opened the landmark Downtown Gallery, where she promoted the work of leading American modernists—as well as historical American folk art—from 1926 to 1970.
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Artwork Details
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Title:The Flatiron Building
Artist:Samuel Halpert (American, Bialystok, Russia 1884–1930 Detroit, Michigan)
Date:1919
Medium:Oil on canvas
Dimensions:40 × 34 in. (101.6 × 86.4 cm)
Classification:Paintings
Credit Line:Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Wesley Halpert, 1981
Accession Number:1981.36
Inscription: Signed and dated (lower left): S. Halpert 1919
the artist (1919–d. 1930; his estate, 1930–at least 1935); Lester Baum (in 1949); Dr. and Mrs. Wesley Halpert, New York (by 1969–81; their gift to MMA)
New York. Daniel Gallery. "Recent Paintings by Samuel Halpert," closed November 18, 1919, no. 13 (as "Madison Square").
Venice International Exhibition of Art Pavilion. "Exhibition of Contemporary American Art," May–November 1920.
London. Grafton Galleries. "Exhibition of Contemporary American Art," March–April 1921, no. 28 (as "Madison Square").
Sheffield. Unknown venue. "Exhibition of Contemporary American Art," probably May–June 1921.
Paris. Galerie Georges Petit. "Exposition d'un groupe des peintres américains," July 5–30, 1921.
New York. Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney's Studio. "Overseas Exhibition of American Paintings," November 2–15, 1921, no. 62 (as "Madison Square").
Pittsburgh. Carnegie Institute. "Twenty-Second Annual International Exhibition of Paintings," April 26–June 17, 1923 [possibly this picture].
Rochester, N.Y. Memorial Art Gallery. "Paintings by Allen Tucker and Samuel Halpert," February–March 1924.
New York. Milch Galleries. "Exhibition of Paintings and Watercolors from the Samuel Halpert Estate," January 7–26, 1935, no. 4 (as "Flatiron Building").
New York. Whitney Museum of American Art. "Juliana Force and American Art: A Memorial Exhibition," September 24–October 30, 1949, no. 56 (as "Madison Square," lent by Mr. Lester Baum).
New York. Bernard Black Gallery. "Samuel Halpert 1884–1930: A Pioneer of Modern Art in America," January 7–25, 1969, extended to February 1, 1969, no. 13 (as "Flatiron Building [Madison Square]," lent by Dr. and Mrs. Wesley Halpert).
New York. Davis & Long Company. "Samuel Halpert (1884–1930)," December 7–29, 1977, no. 11 (as "Flatiron Building [Madison Square]," lent by Mrs. Carolyn Halpert).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "30 Painters: Recent Acquisitions (formerly titled ‘Given and Promised’)," January 26–March 14, 1982, brochure no. 14 (as "Flatiron Building").
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Aspects of the City," July 31–September 30, 1984, no catalogue.
Bronx Museum of the Arts. "The Artist Celebrates New York: Selected Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," February 2–March 24, 1985, unnum. brochure.
Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus. "The Artist Celebrates New York: Selected Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," April 17–June 2, 1985, unnum. brochure.
Queens. Jamaica Arts Center. "The Artist Celebrates New York: Selected Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," June 15–July 27, 1985, unnum. brochure.
Staten Island Museum. "The Artist Celebrates New York: Selected Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," September 8–October 20, 1985, unnum. brochure.
New York. City College of New York. "The Artist Celebrates New York: Selected Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art," October 25–December 13, 1985, unnum. brochure.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "New York City," January 12–July 1, 1990, no catalogue.
Washington, D. C. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. "Samuel Halpert: A Conservative Modernist," April 9–May 31, 1991, no. 26.
New York. Berry-Hill Galleries. "The Prowed Tower: Early Images of the Flatiron Building," November 14–December 28, 1991.
Santa Fe. Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. "Views of the City," November 14, 2000–March 14, 2001.
Hamilton Easter Field. "Important Exhibitions of Inness and Whistler; Halpert Exhibits at Daniel Gallery." Brooklyn Daily Eagle (November 16, 1919), ill. p. 7, calls it "Madison Square".
"Embattled Binders and Printers and the Book Output." New York Times (May 22, 1921), ill. p. 45, calls it "Madison Square".
"News and Gossip of Old Country: American Art." Gazette, Montreal (April 5, 1921), p. 15, calls it "Madison Square".
Helen Comstock. "Samuel Halpert: Post-Impressionist." International Studio 75 (April 1922), pp. 147–48, ill. p. 146, calls it "Madison Square".
"The World of Art: American Paintings at the Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh." New York Times (May 6, 1923), p. SM13, calls it "Madison Square" [possibly this picture].
Marion Holden. "Rochester." Art News 22 (March 15, 1924), p. 10, calls it "Madison Square".
M[ichael]. B[enedikt]. "Reviews and Previews: Samuel Halpert." Art News 67 (February 1969), p. 16.
Ann-Sargent Wooster. "New York Reviews: Samuel Halpert." Art News 77 (February 1978), p. 147.
Ida Balboul in "Twentieth Century Art." The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Notable Acquisitions, 1980–1981. New York, 1981, p. 65, ill., calls it "Flatiron Building (Madison Park)".
William S. Lieberman. "Lieberman's Acquisitions." Art/World 6 (February 22/March 22, 1982), p. 10.
Mark Riebling. "'Aspects of the City' Mixes Variety of Artists and Styles." Columbia Daily Spectator (September 7, 1984), p. 5.
Richard F. Shepard. "Going Out Guide: City Lights." New York Times (August 1, 1984), p. C22.
Lowery S. Sims. The Artist Celebrates New York: Selected Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Exh. brochure, Bronx Museum of the Arts. New York, 1985, unpaginated.
Richard F. Shepard. "Discovering Hidden New York: A City Album." New York Times (November 1, 1985), p. C30.
Piri Halasz. "Manhattan Museums: The 1940s vs. the 1980s; Part Two: The Metropolitan Museum of Art." Arts Magazine 59 (March 1985), p. 97.
Richard F. Shepard. "Seeing the Evolution of New York City Through Artists' Eyes." New York Times (March 20, 1987), p. C26, ill. p. C1.
Paul Richard. "Mixing It Up At the Metropolitan: Standards & Surprises at the Museum's New Wallace Wing." Washington Post (February 1, 1987), p. F9.
Helen Kohen. "Metropolitan Goes Modern With New Wing." Miami Herald (February 1, 1987), p. 8K, calls it "Flatiron Building".
Grace Glueck. New York: The Painted City. Salt Lake City, 1992, p. 34, ill. p. 35 (color).
Diane Tepfer. Samuel Halpert: 1884–1930, Art and Life. [New York], 2001, pp. XI, 12–13, 34, 48, 90–91, colorpl. 17, calls it "The Flatiron Building (Madison Square)".
Samuel Halpert (American, Bialystok, Russia 1884–1930 Detroit, Michigan)
ca. 1926
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