Lot 292: ALEXANDER ZERDINI KRUSE (AMERICAN 1888-1972),

ALEXANDER ZERDINI KRUSE (AMERICAN 1888-1972), "Fire Island, Backyard with Figure," 1964, oil on panel, 20 x 16 in., signed lower left and signed, titled, and dated on verso. Alexander Kruse was born in 1888 in New York. He studied with John Sloan, Robert Henri, and George Luks. Kruse was also an influential teacher himself and taught at the Brooklyn Museum Art School where he founded the first class for Sunday painters. He also wrote art criticism including a regular column in the New York Post called 'Art with a Small 'A''. Kruse was the author of "How to Draw and Paint" which has sold over 150,000 copies. This painting is a unique and whimsical work by the artist of one of his favorite places in New York.