Situated only a short walk from his New York apartment, Central Park served as a frequent source of inspiration for Beal and the perpetual crowds around the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain was an especial favorite. In a 1971-1972 catalogue for an exhibition of his late father’s work held at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, William R. Beal recalled their walks through the park: “We didn’t talk much on these jaunts, but I was conscious of the creative forces at work within him…Many times over he painted and drew the Bethesda Fountain at the end of the mall. This was a scene of which he never tired; he found here a serenity and an elegance of another era.”[1]

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Beal was a member of the American Water Color Society, the Century Association and served as President of the Art Students League from 1913 to 1929. He became a full member of the National Academy in 1914 and participated in their annual exhibitions, winning numerous prizes over the years, including the Hallgarten Prize (1910), the Clark Prize (1913), the Altman Prize (1931) and the Saltus Medal (1948).

Provenance:

The artist
By gift to his son and daughter-in-law, William and Telka Beal
By inheritance to their daughter, private collection, Dublin, New Hampshire, 2005 to present

Inscription:

(verso of Masonite in paint) GIFFORD BEAL / CENTRAL PARK / NY

Labels:

Kraushaar Galleries / 32 East 57^th Street, New York 22, N.Y. / Artist: Gifford Beal / Title: Central Park – Fountain from Lake / Price: $600 –  No. K 4274 Size: 18 x 24