BATCH OF SPICUZZAS TURNS UP

In what might be one of the final instances of such an occurence, a batch of paintings by Francesco Spicuzza (1883-1962) have turned up in Milwaukee. Spicuzza, a Milwaukee impressionist best known for his scenes of frolickers at Bradford Beach, painted a variety of subjects during his long career. The recent batch, which may be examined at De Lind Fine Arts, 400 E. Mason St., descended in the family of Spicuzza's physician, Dr. Herman Weber who apparently accepted the works as payment. They date to the latter part of the artist's career, according to Michael Goforth and William DeLind of the gallery. The scenes range in size from the painting of a horse and plow, [shown here*], an oil on canvas which is about 2' x 3', to smaller works on academy board that are about the size of a sheet of writing paper.
The subject matter and the quality vary, which is a constant with Spicuzza. A watercolor showing a solitary fisherman in the distance is among the larger works, and it appears to have been fluidly drawn in pleine aire, as do the other scenes, including pictures of what appear to be summer cabins and recreational boaters, vintage 1950.
DeLind says the word is out on the street that the paintings are at his shop; he says a Spicuzza descendant will pop in later this week to take a look at the long-unseen paintings.
So are these the last of the Spicuzzas? It is a tantalizing prospect, and a perennial question in the art world. As DeLind puts it, "even though most have been found, more seem to turn up. Not like 10 or 20 years ago, but they do turn up. ... This collection is highly unusual."
Check for yourself.
--Michael Horne