Description

A signed limited print may be available of this piece! (click here)

From around 1960 to 1968, we lived in uptown Manhattan, on the east side, in an area called Spanish Harlem. We lived on the fourth floor of an old walk-up pre-war building, in a railroad style apartment, which was a very typical kind of apartment at that time.

We were just four years in the United States, escaping Communist Hungary in 1956, but by now had shed our Presbyterian Church sponsor, having adequately learned English, moving from our allotted free housing in New Jersey (so very grateful for the help 💖), and were well on our way to becoming proud, productive U.S. citizens.

Dad was 38 years old, I was just one, my brother was four, and my sister, at ten, was already in school. Mom had a steady office job, so Dad was a stay-at-home parent, caring for my brother and me during days.

Because of our family situation, Dad couldn't paint outdoors during weekdays, so most of his art from this period is of indoor scenes - portraits, still-lifes, and on a rare occasion, as here, of an outdoor window view.

There are just a few window-view landscapes in Dad's entire collection because he really preferred painting outside - on the streets, rooftops, parks, and waterfronts.

But on this winter day, Dad found inspiration by peering out a window. There before him was the big red-brick building across the street, with the snow on the streets below, as well as on rooftops. He set up his easel in our living room, with my brother and me watching TV right there next to him.

Longing to be outside, he felt the moment as if he were standing out there in the frigged snow, and captured this very perfect Window View. 💖