Description

A richly expressive still life by Frank E. Zuccarelli, depicting four onions arranged beside a substantial brown stoneware jug. Broad, energetic passages of pastel transform the modest kitchen objects into a lively study of color and form: warm ochres and oranges are set against cool blue-white drapery, an acid-green background, and flashes of turquoise and coral. The partially legible lettering on the jug adds an unexpected graphic element and a hint of mystery to the composition.

Signed “Zuccarelli, PSA” at lower right, the work is presented beneath glass with a cream-colored mat in a silver-and-gold frame. Labels on the reverse identify the artist, title, and medium and document its inclusion in a 2010 Salmagundi Club auction.

Frank E. Zuccarelli (1921–2012) was an American painter and master pastelist whose career encompassed still lifes, landscapes, portraits, and military subjects. Formally trained at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts and Kean University, he was designated a Master Pastelist by the Pastel Society of America and belonged to the Salmagundi Club, the American Artists Professional League, Allied Artists of America, and the Hudson Valley Art Association. From 1968 to 1981, Zuccarelli served as an official artist for the United States Navy, creating works for its Combat Art Collection and documenting the 1975 Apollo–Soyuz recovery aboard the USS New Orleans. His work was exhibited nationally and internationally, and his confident handling of pastel is particularly evident in the vibrant color, vigorous marks, and tactile immediacy of this intimate still life.

Object Details

Artist: Frank E. Zuccarelli (American, 1921–2012)
Title: Onions and Jug
Date: Late 20th or early 21st century
Medium: Pastel on paper
Signature: Signed “Zuccarelli, PSA” at lower right
Artwork dimensions: Approximately 5 × 7 inches
Framed dimensions: Approximately 9 × 11 inches
Presentation: Matted and framed beneath glass
Labels: Artist, title, and medium labels on reverse; Salmagundi Club auction labels dated 2010
Provenance: Salmagundi Club auction, New York, 2010; subsequently acquired from the secondary market

Attribution

The work is attributed to Frank E. Zuccarelli based on the visible signature “Zuccarelli, PSA” at lower right, the artist and title labels affixed to the reverse, and the documented Salmagundi Club auction history. Windsor Gallery has not independently authenticated the pastel through the artist’s estate, catalogue raisonné, or a recognized specialist.

Condition

The pastel is in good vintage condition and retains strong, vivid color. It has not been removed from the frame and has therefore not been examined outside its existing presentation. The backing paper and labels show expected age-related wear.

Please review all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.

Purchase Details

Price: $495
Shipping quoted separately. Please inquire for additional photographs, condition details, or a shipping estimate.