Francis Quirk Painting at Canton Ohio Museum of Art

The staff at the Canton Ohio Museum of Art graciously pulled out their Francis Quirk painting and forwarded us a picture.  (Thank you Linnda!) It was surprixing to see the nautical subject in a collection so far from the sea. Perhaps it was painted during one of Quirk's visits to Maine.

"Shrimper, Early Morning" 1968 Painting by Francis J. Quirk Canton Museum of Art

Shrimper, Early Morning 1968 Portrait by Francis Quirk 35"x 29 1/4" Oil on Canvas  Canton Museum of Art

 In an odd coincidence, I just was visiting Maritime Gloucester for the first time in 40 years and saw the Fisherman's Memorial.

Framed Quirk Portrait of Mark H. Wakefield.

The Quirk Painting of Reverend Mark H. Wakefield is back from the framers and we are pleased to see the result. If you look closely along the right edge you can see a band of brighter color. This area was covered by the earlier frame, which had been removed earlier.



The Summer Pastor by Francis J. Quirk

High Quality Nautical Watercolor by Francis J. Quirk

We  found that other nautical painting and here it is.

This nice watercolor  entitled "Battleship" was sold in 2013 by Alderfer Auction and Appraisal.



"Battleship" Water Color by Francis Joseph Quirk

In our brief time exploring this master we have found oils, pastels and now watercolors. While this painting does not exhibit the technical draftsmanshiip of his oils, watercolor is by nature a more fluid medium. The work nicely conveys the action of the ocean and the speed of the boat.

The Nautical Side of Francis J. Quirk

We came across this image of a painting "Sailboat" by Francis Quirk. While not a masterpiece it does show his versatility as he captures the activity aboard the "Emma Lynn." We once stumbled upon a watercolor of a Navy Ship, which we will post when we find it again.This painting was sold by Leland Little out of HIillsborough, NC in 2007.

"Sailboat" by Francis J. Quirk

Francis Quirk Charcoal Portrait

This charcoal (pastel?) portrait was purchased in 2014 in Spokane Washington. The owner refers to it as "stunning." It was executed in1957.

It does illustrate Quirk's technical ability to work in multiple forms of media. 

Francis J. Quirk Portrait of a Young Girl

Francis J. Quirk Painting of Edgar Lee Masters in the National Portrait Gallery

This painting of Edgar Lee Masters is in the National Portrait Gallery.  Note how he adds a depth to the painting with objects in the background. Among them are the picture within the painting and figure on the desk that add interesting visual elements. The strong back lighting of the sitter is unusual and makes for a striking image that is softened to a degree by the muted blue tones in the background.

The painting was executed in 1946, but entered the Gallery's collection in 1967.

The September 1967 edition of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal published the following blurb about it.

The Smithsonian Institution has honored

Francis J. Quirk, Lehigh faculty adviser to

Sigma Phi Epsilon, by acquiring one of his

portraits.

Professor Quirk, who is chairman of the

Fine Arts Department, is one of about 60

artists in the U.S. to have their work in the

National Portrait Gallery in Washington. The

portrait is that of Edgar Lee Masters, a life-

long friend of the artist..

Francis J. Quirk Painting of Edgar Lee Masters

The September 1967 edition of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal published the following blurb about it.

The Smithsonian Institution has honored

Francis J. Quirk, Lehigh faculty adviser to

Sigma Phi Epsilon, by acquiring one of his

portraits.

Professor Quirk, who is chairman of the

Fine Arts Department, is one of about 60

artists in the U.S. to have their work in the

National Portrait Gallery in Washington. The

portrait is that of Edgar Lee Masters, a life-

long friend of the artist.

Perhaps they met in the latter part of Lee's life when he was living in Melrose (Park) Pennsylvania. That town is only 5 miles from Abington where Quirk taught at Ogontz College.


Edgar Lee Masters (August 23, 1868 – March 5, 1950) was an American attorney, poet, biographer, and dramatist. He is the author of Spoon River Anthology, The New Star Chamber and Other Essays, Songs and Satires, The Great Valley, The Serpent in the Wilderness An Obscure Tale, The Spleen, Mark Twain: A Portrait, Lincoln: The Man, and Illinois Poems. In all, Masters published twelve plays, twenty-one books of poetry, six novels and six biographies, including those of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Vachel Lindsay, and Walt Whitman. He was honored with a stamp by the US Postal Service in 1970.

Edgar Lee Masters Portrait

Biography of Francis J. Quirk

Here is the biography from ArtPrice.com

Francis Joseph QUIRK (1907-1974)

Birth place: Pawtucket, RI
Addresses: Rydal, PA; Bethlehem, PA
Profession: Painter, museum director, designer, teacher, writer, lecturer
Studied: RISD (grad., 1929); Univ. Penn., 1942; Provincetown Sch. Art; Woodstock, NY; Italy, France; Germany; Czechoslovakia; J.R. Frazier; F. Sisson.
Exhibited: PAFA; PMA; NAD; CGA; Buffalo & Syracuse, NY; Newport, RI; Portland, ME; Providence, RI; Phoenix Gal., NYC, 1970s; Ogunquit Gal., ME, 1970s. Awards: RISD (prize); Providence AC (prize); Tiffany Found. fellowship, 1940; Lineback Award, 1965; Ossabaw Island Project, 1968 & 1972.
Member: Phila. AC; Univ. Club; AAPL; Art All. Phila.; Am. Assn. Mus.; AFA
Work: NPG; Canton (OH) Art Inst.; Georgia MA, Athens; Univ. Notre Dame, Inc. Commissions: portrait of Pres. Strider, Colby College Alumni, ME; portrait of Dr. John Leitner, bd. dir., Monroe Co. Medical Center; portrait of pres., Lehigh Univ.; portrait of Carl Sandberg, commissioned by Pres. Abby Sutherland Brown, Ogontz College, PA; portrait of Edgar Lee Masters, commissioned by Writers Guild PA.
Comments: Preferred media: oils, acrylics, watercolors, charcoal, pastel, ink. Teaching: Montgomery Sch., 1930-35, 1938-45; Ogontz College, PA, 1935-50; Hussian Sch. Arts, Philadelphia, 1943-50; chmn. fine arts, Lehigh Univ., 1950-69. Position: dir. exhs., Lehigh Univ., 1950-; cur. permanent coll., 1959-. Publications: These Our Own" (TV program), WFIG TV, 1959-61; "Art & Us" (TV & radio program), Lehigh Valley & Easton, 1961; auth., "Maurice Prendergast," Arizona State Univ., 1965. Art interests: library and art collection of the Ossabaw Island Project. Collection: Oriental prints; contemp. Am. prints; primitive Am. paintings. 

Francis J. Quirk Master Painter Re-discovered

Recently, I came across this painting by Francis J. Quirk. Although he ran the Art Department at Lehigh University, there is little information about him or his work despite the fact that he does have a painting in the National Portrait Gallery.

Here is where our journey begins with a portrait of Rev. Mark Wakefield painted in 1944 entitled "The Summer Pastor." He adds depth to the painting, by including the room with the drop leaf table on the left side, but does not let it overwhelm the sitter. 

A tag listed the price as $350.00 a whopping sum at the time.  It also has Quirk's address
Homestead Av
Bethlehem, PA

The painting was once framed and is now getting a new frame for it.

"The Summer Pastor" Portrait of Frank H. Wakefield by Francis J. Quirk