Waldo Peirce (1884-1970)
For many years, until his death, Peirce was both a prominent painter and a well-known character. He belonged to no particular school of art, but was sometimes called "the American Renoir." His style was basically representational, colorful, and lusty, clearly denoting his Rabelaisian love of life. A long-time friend of Ernest Hemingway, of whom he painted the cover picture for Time magazine in 1937, he was once called "the Ernest Hemingway of American painters." To which he replied, "They'll never call Ernest Hemingway the Waldo Peirce of American writers." The three portraits below of his life-long friend and fellow Maine artist, Franco Nanartonis, painted in the summer of 1968 at Peirce's home in Bangor, Maine, are among the last known paintings he produced. Follow the link above to see Nanartonis's portrait of Peirce, painted during the same period.
PORTRAIT OF FRANCO NANATONIS (1)
Oil on canvas 24 x 20"
Inscribed/signed lower right: for Frank Nanatonis / 1 Sept 68 / WP -
Inscribed verso: 20 x 24 / WPeirce / 1 Sept / for Frank Nanartonis / su amigo / WP.
Date: 1 September 1968
PORTRAIT OF FRANCO NANATONIS (2)
Oil on canvas, 24 x 18"
Signed and dated lower left: WP '68
Inscribed verso: WPeirce / 18x24 / for / Frank Nanartonis / 12 Aug '68
Date: 12 August 1968
PORTRAIT OF FRANCO NANARTONIS (3)
Oil on canvas, 24 x 20"
Inscribed/signed lower left: for Frank Nanartonis / WP - /1 Aug 68
Inscribed verso: 20x24 / WPeirce / 1 Aug 68 / for Frank Nanartonis / with best wishes / Su amigo/ WP.
Date: 1 August 1968
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