John "Jack" Savitsky (American, 1910-1991), Lehigh Coal and Train

Oil on panel, 1966, signed and dated at lower right, presented in a period hardwood frame.

Panel 11 3/4 x 8 1/2 in.; Frame dimensions 15 1/4 x 12 1/8 in.

From the Collection of the late sculptor, Edward Higgins, of New York and North Carolina

Jack Savitsky worked as a coal miner in Pennsylvania for more than thirty-five years, entering the mines after leaving school following the sixth grade. To supplement his income, he painted signs for mining companies and murals for local taverns and speakeasies. Although he appears to have stopped painting in the early 1940s, Savitsky returned to art in 1959 after the closure of the mine where he worked and a diagnosis of black lung disease. Drawing from personal experience, he created vivid depictions of Pennsylvania coal country, portraying miners, mining communities, and the rugged industrial landscape that shaped his life.

Paintings by Savitsky are in numerous public collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and American Folk Art Museum.

Light surface grime.

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