artist
Ernest Briggs was born in 1923 in San Francisco and began his career as an artist in the 1940s. His work was deeply influenced by the landscape of his home state of California, as well as by the Abstract Expressionist movement that was taking shape in New York City during the same period. In the 1950s, Briggs' work began to receive critical acclaim, and he was included in several important exhibitions, including the Whitney Annual and the Carnegie International. Today, his work can be found in the collections of major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Description
Though Ernest Briggs is perhaps best known for his large-scale oil paintings, characterized by bold, gestural impastoed brushstrokes, he also created a significant body of watercolor work throughout his career. Inspired by the light and landscape of his home state of California, Briggs was particularly interested in capturing the effects of sunlight and shadow on trees, hills, and other natural forms. Notably loose and spontaneous, Briggs’ watercolors capture the essence of the natural world in delicate, translucent effects of light and, unlike the heavy impasto of his oils, he relies on subtle chromatic shifts to suggest form and depth.
provenance
Howard Wise Gallery, New York, NY
David Wise and Audry Taylor, Los Angeles, CA, by descent from the above
