Lester Johnson (American, 1919-2010). Oil on canvas painting depicting silhouettes of figures in stark black and white, 1969. Signed and dated along the verso.

Lester Johnson, a prominent American artist and educator known for his figurative expressionist style, was born in Minneapolis in 1919. He studied at the Minneapolis School of Art under Alexander Masley and later moved to New York City, where he became associated with the Second Generation of the New York School, sharing spaces with artists like Larry Rivers and Wolf Kahn. Johnson's career included teaching positions at Ohio State University and Yale, where he served as Director of Studies Graduate Painting from 1969 to 1974, before retiring in 1989.
Unframed; height: 24 in x width: 30 in. Framed; height: 25 1/4 in x width: 31 1/4 in x depth: 1 1/2 in. The colors are bold and deep. There is craquelure throughout the painting; some of which may be original to the artistic process. There is light wear to the verso. Some light wear to the frame.