U.S. Steel Building Under Construction
Object number2007.131.13
Artist
Peter A. Contis
(died 1973)
Date1969
MediumAcrylic; canvas; paper; glass; wood
Credit LineGift of Helen Contis
DescriptionAcrylic painting on canvas. Multi-colored. Construction at the U.S. Steel building, Pittsburgh, on left; workers on top of building. Rest of painting has skyscrapers, church at top of one closest to U.S. Steel Building. Mail van on bottom left center. Blue sky; border of multi-colored dots.Dimensions30 x 19.75 in. (76.2 x 50.2 cm)Signed"7-28-1969 P.A. Contis" date in blue, name in white, on lower right corner.
Inscriptions "US / MAIL" van on bottom left center.
Historical NotesThis painting is part of a large collection of paintings and sketches by Peter and Helen Contis. Peter put churches into the paintings from Pittsburgh but he bejeweled them in a pointillist style. Church sits on top of roof of corporate tower. Reminiscent of Tripolis Church in Greece. Peter Contis emigrated to Pittsburgh in 1910 and began working in the restaurant business with his brothers. Peter later returned to his homeland of Greece and met Helen in 1928; they married three months later. Moving back to Pittsburgh, Peter eventually opened a restaurant called the Neon Grill in 1932, while Helen raised their three children. Nearly thirty years later, the restaurant was closed and razed, allowing the Contis' to realize their talent in art. A religious man all his life, Peter began painting landscapes, both of Pittsburgh and Greece, and other still lifes, focusing on God's perfect affection in nature: his buildings are symmetrical and colors are vivid. Helen's talents were not revealed until after Peter's death in 1973, when she began to paint poetically the landscapes and still lifes on her own. Helen died in 2004.
Related person
Helen P. Contis
(died 2004)
On View
Not on view
