2col gay-decorations

Walter Gay (American 1856–1937), “Decorations,” watercolor on paper, 9 by 13¼  inches.

1 cut sent e-m 5-1

FOR 5/9

WALTER GAY WORKS ON VIEW AT JAMES GRAHAM & SONS, 1CUT

/GS SET 4/30 #737873

NEW YORK CITY — “Walter Gay: Paintings & Works on Paper” will be on display at James Graham & Sons through June 20.

An American expatriate living in France, Gay (1856–1937) painted fashionable interiors with a connoisseur’s eye. He captured the styles and tastes of the turn-of-the-century elite, depicting the homes of such luminaries as Henry Clay Frick, Edith Wharton and Elsie de Wolfe, as well as the elegantly appointed Paris apartments and country chateaus Walter shared with his wife, Matilda.

Eighteenth Century period rooms were the vogue, and many of the artist’s jewel-like compositions feature choice Louise XV furnishings, rococo wall panels hung with Old Master paintings and such items as Japanese porcelains or crystal candelabras thoughtfully arranged on marble mantelpieces. Walter was a noted collector of art and antiques, and his appreciation for objects is evident in his work. In his paintings, Walter wrote, he was searching for “the spirit of empty rooms.”

Gay was born to a prominent New England Family in Hingham, Mass. He first gained recognition for his flower paintings while a young artist in Boston. After he moved to Paris in 1876 to study at the studio of Leon Bonnat, he explored different genre subjects and received comparable success, beginning in 1879

This exhibition features select works from his career. There are paintings and works on paper of the Gays’ sumptuous homes — 11, rue de l’Universite and Le Breau, the legendary Eighteenth Century chateau situated on a 300-acre park near the Fontainebleau forest.

James Graham & Sons is at 32 East 67th Street. For information, 212-535-5767 or www.jamesgrahamandsons.com