Painting
Object number2007.131.14
Artist
Helen P. Contis
(died 2004)
Date1980
MediumAcrylic; canvas; paper; glass; metal
Credit LineGift of Helen Contis
DescriptionAcrylic painting on canvas. Two yellow lilies with red centers and spots, one red lily in middle; greenery; all inside black and white vase with dark red trim and design. Blue background.Dimensions17 x 0.75 x 20.125 in. (43.2 x 1.9 x 51.1 cm)Signed"Helen P Contis / 7-29-80" in white, lower right corner on art; day is difficult to decipher and "29" is best guess.
Historical NotesThis painting is part of a large collection of paintings and sketches by Peter and Helen Contis. Christians saw the white petals and associated it with the flower and chastity of the Virgin Mary. In Greek mythology it was believed that lilies came from the milk expelled from the breasts of Hera. Lilies were a connection of flowers to birth and the return of spring. People offer flowers to their gods at shrines and to decorate churches. 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
Peter A. Contis
(died 1973)
Subjects
Terms
On View
Not on view
