Louis Schanker - Watercolors

From his earliest works in the 1920's Schanker expressed himself through watercolors. The same
subjects then frequently appear in prints, oils and sculpture. Early representational works are a
record of his New York roots.  He took his paints with him as he crisscrossed the
United States as a gandy-dancer with the circus and then a farm worker.  In the early 1930's
he set up his easel in France and Spain.  Schanker captured the action of many sports such as
the hockey and football subjects shown below. Music was an early interest  featured
in many works including those which eventually were immortalized as WPA murals.
 These watercolors trace the evolution from realistic to cubist abstraction and beyond.

At the Easel, 15  x 11 in,  watercolor, c1928

Rooftop, 15 x 18 in, watercolor, c1928

Bottle and  Glove, 15.5 x 16.5 in, watercolor,  c1925

Coney Island Boardwalk, 12 x 18 in, watercolor, c1933

Luna Park (Coney Island),14 x 9.5 in, watercolor, c1933

Mexican Siesta, 24.5 x 19.5 in, watercolor and ink, 1934

Concertina and Guitar, 16 x 23 in, watercolor and ink, 1934

Road in France, 14.5 x 20 in, watercolor

French Street, 21 x 16 in, watercolor

French Bordello, 16 x 23 in,  watercolor

Despair, 9 x 12 in, mixed media, c 1937

Mother and Child, 12 x 9 in,  watercolor,1937 

Theater Box, 18 x 22 in, watercolor, 1933

Men at Table, 11.5 x 14.5 in, watercolor c1937

Leap Frog , 13.5 x 19 in, watercolor, ink, 1938

At the Beach, 15 x 18 in, watercolor, c1938 

Quartet, 19 x 14 in, watercolor, c1933

Study, WPA Mural at WNYC,
15 X 21 in, mixed media,1937

Mural Study, WPA era, 6 x 12 in, watercolor, c1937

Mural Study, WPA era, 6 x 15 in, watercolor,  1937

Sketch for WPA Mural (Neponsit Beach Children's Hospital), 9 x 12  in, watercolor, c1937

Acrobats, Sketch for Woodblock, "Little Man,"
11 x 8.5 in, watercolor,  1937 

Acrobats, watercolor, 13 x 10 in, watercolor

Forms in Action, 13 x 15 in, watercolor 

Hockey, 14 x 16.5 in,  watercolor, 1939 

Horses,  6 x 8 in, watercolor

  Horses, 9.5 x 13.5 in, watercolor/print

 Horses, 6.75 x 9 in, watercolor, pen and ink

Cows in the Field, 16 x 20 in, watercolor 

Nude on Chair, 12 x 9 in, watercolor and ink, c1936

Abstract Nude on Chair, 12 x 9 in, watercolor and ink, 1936

Men at Table, 8 x 5 in, watercolor, 1935 

9 x 7 in, watercolor, ink, 1938 

Geometric Composition,  5 x 7 in, watercolor, ink, 1938

4 x 6.5 in, watercolor, ink, 1938

Abstract with Profile, 9 x 12 in, mixed media,1937

Abstract, .5 x 10.5 in, watercolor, ink, 1937

"First Sketch for WPA Worlds Fair Mural," 14 x 16.5 in watercolor,1938

10 x 14.5 in, watercolor, 1936

Circle Image,12 x 16.5 in, watercolor 

Circle Image, 10 x 13.5 in, watercolor