Tunnel by the Hudson

Against a cool background of blue-grays and white, we see a hillside of innumerable colors flowing downhill in nearly a molten state. In contrast to Fastovsky’s general blending technique are several smaller clusters of intensely pointilized colors—at lower left, for example. Even a telephone pole draws upon this for its green insulators, and the dreamy fluidity of landscape, house, and rail infrastructure is very attractive. It's possible that the location for this painting is the Breakneck Ridge rail tunnel, in which case there may be a kind of hidden joke: the building shown is an access point down into the Catskill Aqueduct, whose waters cross from Storm King (on the west side of the Hudson) to Breakneck Ridge (on the east), by way of a deep tunnel underneath the river.

About the Artist: Born in Chernobyl, Russia, Fastovsky studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Kiev before immigrating to the US in 1913 and becoming a citizen in 1921. He showed his work at Municipal Art Galleries, New York, in 1938. Fastovsky legally changed his name to Isaac Foster in 1946 and by 1955 was living in Tuscon, AZ, showing his paintings at local sites and restoring old canvases. Looking back upon his work for various federal art projects, he estimated that he had created 40-50 paintings during this period: “Someday I’m going to visit various state and federal buildings throughout the country and see if I can locate the pictures. I don’t have any idea where they’re hanging now” (Arizona Daily Star 16 Oct. 1955: 24). 9 more images at FAP.

Fastovsky, Isaac, 1889-1980

Oil paintin

16 x 20 in.

Condition: surface dirt