Description:

Pierre Bourdelle
(French; 1903 - 1966)
Imagination Arienne
Oil on canvas
c. 1939. Signed and dated. This mural was originally mounted to a curved wall in the bar.  It was professionally removed and is in excellent, pliable condition. It could be remounted to a wall or put on stretchers.  While this is an easy project, it is more practical to do this after it is shipped to the general location where it will remain.

Pierre Van Parys Bourdelle was born in Paris, France, on April 21, 1901, the son of the famous French sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929). He fought in WWI, suffering severe physical trauma which resulted in him becoming deaf. He was embittered by the experiences which he suffered, and it shows in his art. Bourdelle studied under Rodin (who studied with the senior Bourdelle), graduated from Lycée Henrî 1918 and the Sorbonne in 1921. In 1929 he moved to the United States. He was an artist operating out of  New York in the 30's-40's.  Bourdelle tried to make a living with corporate contracts, and he produced large scale paintings, murals and reliefs for many architectural projects in New York and other cities, as well as for a number of ships, including the huge murals in the dining room of the SS America.

He executed an important commission at Cincinnati's Union Terminal in 1933, and in 1939, he executed a spectacular mural/relief for the Food Building at the World's Fair in New York, as seen in the extended catalog images.

In 1936, he contributed a mural to the historic renovation of the Centennial Building at Fair Park (Dallas, TX), titled, "Speed", also as seen in the catalog images.

Working through several different architectural design houses, he also created a number of artworks for the rail industry including the California Zephyr. His CZ works were carved linoleum sculptures that adorned the bar fronts in the dome-buffet and lounge-observation cars, a wall map of the CZ's route in the buffet's coffee shop, and the Steward's podium in the diner.

Pierre Bourdelle died in Geneva, Switzerland on July 5, 1966.
42" x 124"

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