Katherine Schmidt, "Broe and McDonald Listen In"

 

  Katherine Schmidt (1899-1978) is an American artist new to me.  I discovered this painting when paging through an old book about the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art. I was drawn to it because of the strong composition and what I love the most:  it gets our mind wondering.
  I have no idea who Broe and McDonald were, but after reading as much as I could find, I discovered that Mr. Broe is the gentleman in the front.  Looking closely it appears Schmidt has given us only a few feet of space.   Broe is leaning on a table or counter, while McDonald maybe standing behind him, and the back wall is very close.  Both men are completely engaged, listening, as the title tells us.   Schmidt offers no clues as to what they are listening to, so we the viewer can decide for ourselves.  
     This is a very American painting, completed in 1937.  The two men seem to be very average joes.   I keep looking at Broe's white shirt.  It looks like it could be to large for him and maybe not straight out of the laundry.  But it all adds to the strength of the composition as everything in the painting is meaningful.  Look how the cloth on the table to our right points upward at the same angle as Broe's arm, leading the eye to McDonald.  On the top right is a portion of a hat, hung on the wall,  helping to balance the work but also hinting there maybe more men in the room.   What could engage these men so intently in 1937, maybe a radio, maybe a speaker at a meeting....fun to imagine.   
   "Broe and McDonald Listening In"  was completed in 1937.  It is an oil on linen and measures 30 inches by 24 inches.   It is part of the permanent collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, a gift of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney.   
   Information about this painting came from the Whitney website and Wikipedia.org.
Make Art a part of your life, it's a beautiful thing to do.


Comments

  1. Char HarguthFebruary 15, 2022 at 5:17 PM

    What an interesting and unusual selection. I'm guessing that Broe was having a conversation over the back of his chair with McDonald until something redirected the attention of them both. Was it good, bad, happy, sad, loud?? Hard to tell by their placid expressions, but obviously enough to distract them; especially Broe with his wrinkled forehead and focused eyes. The objects suggest a public location; the poster on the wall, cigarettes(?), matches, cloth and hat, but not a saloon!! I agree it's a strong composition; I like the palette and would like to know more about these two friends. The lines of the poster, the chair and the table help unite the painting.

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    Replies
    1. Art Expert On LineFebruary 15, 2022 at 7:42 PM

      Yes, I agree, not a saloon, but definitely a public location. It seems strange that we know their last names, but no more. Great comments, as always.

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