Portrait of Private First Class Jacob Greenfield

Object number2017.134.1 a,b

Date1954

MediumCanvas; Paper; Paint; Wood; Metal; Adhesive; Ink; Graphite

Credit LineGift of Lisa Schonberger

DescriptionFramed painting. Color painting depicts male with dark hair dressed in World War I United States Army uniform. Bust portrait depicts sitter in three-quarter view, facing slightly proper right, and gazing directly at the viewer. Background is blue and white cloudy sky. To the proper left side of the sitter's head is a painted yellow Star of David (six-sided star) above painted brown text identifying the sitter's military regiment. Artist signature and date painted in white in the bottom right corner.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth (a,b together (framed)): 28 × 22 × 2.063 in. (71.1 × 55.9 × 5.2 cm)
Height x Width x Depth (a (unframed)): 24 × 17.875 × 0.125 in. (61 × 45.4 × 0.3 cm)
Signed(a)
Artist signature and date painted in white in the bottom right corner " - John Shlapak - / 11-11-54".
Inscriptions(a)
To the proper left side of the sitter's head is brown painted text "Co. I 320th Infantry Bn. / - 80th Division - ".

Reverse has handwritten graphite text just below the yellow label "OR38530".
Marks(a)
Rectangular yellow paper label adhered to the reverse in the top right corner with printed blue text "Everything for the Artist . . . / A. & B. SMITH COMPANY / 633 SMITHFIELD STREET PITTSBURGH 30, PA AT. 1-9121"
Historical NotesJacob Greenfield was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania on July 25, 1895 to Hungarian parents. He was doing electrical work for Westinghouse when he was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1917, and sent to Camp Lee, Virginia, for basic training. He was sent overseas on May 18, 1918. He was killed in action on the first day of the Meuse-Argonne offensive in July 1918. He was eventually reburied in McKeesport, Pennsylvania in September 1921. When the Jewish community of McKeesport started its Jewish War Veterans post in 1957, they named it the Private Jacob Greenfield Post No. 181. The post closed in the summer of 2017. The painting is by John Shlapak (1926-2017), who was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and lived for many years in Munhall, Pennsylvania. He was a veteran and a business man who was also an amateur artist of note. According to the donor, the painting was originally in an oval frame of a dark color, although no images corroborate this. The donor, Lisa Schonberger, is the granddaughter of Jacob Greenfield.

Previous owner Private Jacob Greenfield Post No. 181

Related institution Company I, 320th Infantry, 80th Division

Related institution Jewish War Veterans of the United States

Related institution Westinghouse

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