East 14th Street, New York
by Alfred S. Mira (1900–1980)Oil on canvas
30 1/16 x 24¼ inches
Signed lower right: Mira
Read more about Alfred S. Mira
Information
Provenance
Private collection, New York
Private collection, (likely) acquired from above
Private collection, Florida, by descent from above
Sale, Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas, December 3, 2020, lot 68123, from above
Note: This view looks east from the north side of 14th Street in Manhattan between 5th Avenue and University Place. In the center of the composition is the flagship department store of Orbach’s, across from the south end of Union Square. The store, located there from 1923 until 1954, when it moved to a new site on West 34th Street, had the slogan “A Business in Millions, a Profit in Pennies.”
Artist Biography
Painting during the mid-twentieth century, Alfred S. Mira created intimate views of New York City’s most beloved landmarks. Perhaps inspired by the Realism and urban subject matter of earlier American art movements, Mira captured the atmosphere and scenery associated with particular sites, transporting viewers to Federal Hall, the Plaza Hotel, and the New York Public Library. In his more daring compositions, Mira painted angled, bird’s eye viewpoints, thereby creating what one critic categorized as “moving camera eye impressions.” Mira was noted as a gifted Realist; his paintings were exhibited at both Corcoran Gallery biennials and the Pennsylvania
Painting during the mid-twentieth century, Alfred S. Mira created intimate views of New York City’s most beloved landmarks. Perhaps inspired by the Realism and urban subject matter of earlier American art movements, Mira captured the atmosphere and scenery associated with particular sites, transporting viewers to Federal Hall, the Plaza Hotel, and the New York Public Library. In his more daring compositions, Mira painted angled, bird’s eye viewpoints, thereby creating what one critic categorized as “moving camera eye impressions.” Mira was noted as a gifted Realist; his paintings were exhibited at both Corcoran Gallery biennials and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts annuals.
