Musical Masquerade by Edgar A. Stareck

This is a dramatic painting from 1951 by New York abstract artist Edgar A. Stareck. I've titled the work Musical Masquerade based on the large mask in the center of the work and the musical notes and staffs throughout the piece. It is a combination of abstract and representational imagery. There is a skyline of residential apartments (with antennas) anchoring the bottom of the piece. There are pink and burgundy geometric shapes throughout the sky, some of them showing a harlequin pattern. There are puffy white blotches in the sky that could represent smoke or clouds. They are more gestural and there is also evidence of dripping and spattering, consistent with abstract expressionism. There are also surreal qualities like the floating eyeglasses and building to the left. There's also an interesting cone of white to the right, which I interpret as a spotlight. It's a very interesting image that combines a lot of the post-war artistic movements in one piece. It is mixed media on cardboard. It is unframed and in good condition. It is 20 x 15 inches. It is signed and dated lower right, Stareck '51. There are a few areas of loss around the periphery of the piece, especially the right lower and left upper corners. This doesn't impact the overall effect of the work. The colors are vivid and there are no other apparent issues. A fascinating work.

Edgar Stareck (1917 – 1987) was born in Kansas. His initial artistic study was at the University of Kansas. After some exhibitions in Kansas and the Midwest, he moved to New York City in the 1940s. He pursued additional study at the Art Students League and also traveled extensively. He spent the rest of his career in Greenwich Village and was represented by several galleries there. He twice won first place at New York’s Washington Square Outdoor Art Show. On April 7, 1972 one of his paintings served as a first day cover design on a United Nation’s envelope commemorating World Health Day. His subject matter was eclectic. In addition to works in the mid-century modern abstract style with surreal elements, he also did many paintings of animals--most notably penguins.