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Francis de Erdely’s early work was deeply inspired by European classicism.His experiences witnessing the rise of fascism and political upheaval in Europe caused his work to become more focused on human suffering and the resiliency of the human spirit.He immigrated to the United States in 1939 and he initially lived in New York and Chicago. During this time, he painted portraiture and the American Scene. It was not until he relocated to Los Angeles that he developed his own style and truly established himself as an artist, drawing upon the various art movements he encountered that influenced his work. In the 1940s and 1950s, he became popular for his figure-based depictions of social outsiders and blue-collar workers.Label Type
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In Mountain Music de Erdley depicts a backwoodsman in swift, almost haphazard strokes. This drawing style accentuates the man’s disordered and untidy appearance. At the same time, this technique draws the viewer's attention to the man’s focus and care for his instrument as he holds it in his large and worn hands. De Erdley was consistently drawn to people who were considered to be social outsiders; this fascination and commitment to portraying these people came from de Erdely’s own experiences as an immigrant in 1940s America.