Forbes Field, Pittsburgh
Object number2007.131.1
Artist
Peter A. Contis
(died 1973)
Manufacturer
M. Grumbacher, Inc.
Date1970
OriginUnited States of America
MediumAcrylic on canvasboard
Credit LineGift of Helen Contis
DescriptionFramed acrylic painting on canvas. Cityscape. Background depicts the Oakland section of Pittsburgh including Pitt Stadium at top and other buildings. Forbes Field is in the forground at center with pitcher, batter, umpire, and American flag inside on field. To the left of Forbes Field is a gray fountain. Greenery surrounds the field, some accented with multi-colored dots. Gray painted wooden frame with gold beaded inset frame.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth (Framed painting): 29.875 × 35.875 × 0.875 in. (75.9 × 91.1 × 2.2 cm)Height x Width (Framed painting sight size): 23.625 × 29.625 in. (60 × 75.2 cm)
SignedPainted in white at lower right: "5-23-70 P.A. Contis".
MarksBack of canvasboard has black printed text at center "GRUMBACHER / Paint-Tested / Genuine CANVAS PANEL / FOR ARTISTS / No. 634 Size: 24" x 30" / Made in U.S.A. / M. GRUMBACHER, Inc. / BRUSHES COLORS ARTISTS' MATERIAL / Canadian Co.: M. GRUMBACHER of CANADA, Ltd., Toronto / ARTIST _____ ADDRESS _____ / NAME OF PAINTING _____ / PLACE OF PAINTING ______ / DATE OF PAINTING _____ PRICE _____".
Historical NotesThis painting is part of a large collection of paintings and sketches by Peter and Helen Contis. Two stadiums dominate this cityscape painting by Peter Contis. Forbes Field is in the foreground. Forbes Field was demolished to make way for university buildings and was a place where historic events took place. Forbes dominates the composition with the steel structured black lines, metallic blue seats and the baseball diamond used as a central axis that is continued upwards. Pitt Stadium is in the background. It was demolished in 1999. 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 institution
University of Pittsburgh
Related person
Helen P. Contis
(died 2004)
On View
Not on viewCollections
1965
