Description
Surreal Scene of Figure in Archway-Beni Kosh-1960s SurrealistOil Painting
A framed oil painting on wood board by Beni E. Kosh, bornCharles Elmer Harris (1917-1993), titled Surreal Scene of Figure in Archway.The work is from the Beni Kosh Collection and bears the collection stamp andnumber 480 on the verso.
Beni E. Kosh was a Cleveland-based African American artistwho worked across abstraction, figuration, social realism, surrealism, andmodernist composition. Born Charles Elmer Harris, he later changed his name toBeni E. Kosh, meaning “Son of Ethiopia,” in connection with his AfricanAmerican heritage. He studied with Paul Travis at the Cleveland Institute ofArt and was associated with the Sho Nuff Art Group and Karamu House. Kosh madevarious works connected to Cleveland, the Rust Belt, and African Americanheritage. His work was largely rediscovered near the end of his life and afterhis death.
This painting depicts a surreal figure standing within orbefore an archway, with a large eye-like form, architectural space, andexpressive brushwork. The composition has a dreamlike and symbolic quality,combining figural imagery with surrealist architectural elements.
The painting is in poor condition. There are paint loss,cracking, surface wear, and age-related wear to the frame. The wood panel isslightly warped and has a crack at the lower left corner, along with a smallhole on the bottom edge. Framed. Please refer to the pictures for condition.
Details • Medium: Oil on wood board • Artist: Beni E. Kosh / Charles Elmer Harris • Title: Surreal Scene of Figure in Archway • Style: Surrealism / figural modernism • Marks: Beni Kosh Collection stamp and number 486 on verso • Date: 1960s • Provenance:
- Private collection, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
- Rachel Davis Fine Arts
• Framing: Framed • Dimensions: 25.75 x 12 in • Condition Report: Poor condition; paint loss, cracking, and surface wear;wood panel slightly warped with a crack at the lower left corner and small holeon bottom edge; age-related frame wear; framed
Disclaimer I have conducted thorough research to ensure the accuracy and authenticity ofthis work to the best of my ability. However, it is sold as is, with noguarantees or warranties regarding its provenance or historical attribution.
