San Francisco Cable Car Celebration

Artist Lee Blair (1911 - 1993)

Date1934

MediumWatercolor on paper

Dimensions15 x 21 1/2 in. (38.1 x 54.6 cm)
Framed (Frame is gold, wired, glazed): 24 x 30 x 1 1/2 in. (61 x 76.2 x 3.8 cm)

ClassificationsPainting

Credit LineThe Sally and David Martin Collection

Object number2026.014

DescriptionIn March of 1934, artists Lee Blair and Mary Blair traveled to Los Altos near San Francisco to get married. Both had recently finished their art education at the Chouinard Art School in Los Angeles. Even though the Great Depression was upon America, there were still some celebrations in San Francisco due to the announcement of the building of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Oakland Bay Bridge and the opening of the iconic Coit Tower project. All of these developments brought needed jobs to the Bay Area, which was certainly something to celebrate.

One key tourist attraction in San Francisco was the cable car rides. Lee was a good friend of mine and he told me on that trip he and Mary took the cable cars all over the city and found them a great way to travel and see the city. He also said both he and Mary produced quick watercolor sketches of the cable cars. He then proceeded to paint this watercolor on the trip, using his sketch to work from. Lee also showed me Mary’s sketch, which is quite nice, kind of similar in composition, but he could not recall her ever doing a more finished version of her sketched cable car impression.

This watercolor showed up in a booth at an antique show in San Francisco, and Sally and David Martin quickly arranged to buy it for their collection before the show even opened. It is an excellent example of Lee Blair’s exceptional talent as a watercolor artist, and is also an important contribution to American Narrative scene painting.

– Gordon McClelland, curator

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