"Centrifugal"d. 1947Egg tempera on canvaslaid down on wood panelArtwork: 14¾" x 19¼"Framed: 22¾" x 27¼"Signed McCray and dated 47ExhibitedM.H. de Young Museum,Art Dept. U.C.Additional Paintings"Stretta" d. 1946

California Modernism Project (CMP)

Centrifugal

7/23/53

Bransten

Portrait of a Horse

Visualization

Twig Alphabet

Double Bubble

Geese #2

Exploring the human form amid modernism's figurative revival, this show highlights portraits and figures that capture identity, labor, and personal stories in the Bay Area scene. From Joan Brown's monumental enamel horse as a symbol of introspection to Jean Halpert-Ryden's casein worker evoking social realism, these works foreground women artists and diverse narratives—such as Gerrie Gutmann's surreal explorations of loss and Mary Curtis Richardson's prize-winning florals. Bios reveal intimate connections, like Victor Duena's Beat-era ties via Henry Lenoir, offering collectors a window into the emotional and cultural undercurrents of 1950s–1970s California art.

Human Narratives: Figures and Portraits

3 white walls

Centrifugal

Artist

Gallery

Size

Description

Try it!

You may also like

Bransten

Light Studio

Alternative Currents

abstract-energies2

Lenten Lilies

Figure of a Worker

Funambulist

In the Studio