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Lot Essay
Leslie Cheek, Jr. wrote of John Koch's paintings, "His pictures of his particular slice of our world today are vigorous and appealing. One enjoys with him his love of fine furniture, elegant mirrors, rich fabrics, and fresh flowers-all glowing with the individual reflections which light, his particular forte, gives to each." (John Koch in New York: 1950-1963, exhibition catalogue, New York, 1963, p. 8)
Koch worked out of his New York City apartment, which not only served as a studio to host sitters, but also provided a wonderful backdrop for many of his paintings. The elegantly furnished rooms, filled with antiques and paintings by masters from various centuries feature prominently in his oeuvre and imbue his paintings with a sophisticated intimacy. It is not uncommon to see glimpses of Central Park through the windows in his works, much as one would when actually in Koch's apartment. As in the present work, Koch always rendered his works with astute technical proficiency and a keen attention to light and detail. The acuity extends beyond his depiction of the objects that surrounded him to the inner character of his human subjects. "[For] Koch the painting of a portrait is a completely normal activity; it is just a fine picture of a person he likes, always with objects related to the individual included. In fact, a Koch portrait, when viewed by a stranger, is as enjoyable as it is to the family of the person depicted. In this manner, John Koch has, almost singlehandedly in our time, reestablished the portrait as work of art, not of mere craftsmanship-just as it had always been in the past periods of high artistic excellence." (John Koch in New York: 1950-1963, p. 8)
Koch worked out of his New York City apartment, which not only served as a studio to host sitters, but also provided a wonderful backdrop for many of his paintings. The elegantly furnished rooms, filled with antiques and paintings by masters from various centuries feature prominently in his oeuvre and imbue his paintings with a sophisticated intimacy. It is not uncommon to see glimpses of Central Park through the windows in his works, much as one would when actually in Koch's apartment. As in the present work, Koch always rendered his works with astute technical proficiency and a keen attention to light and detail. The acuity extends beyond his depiction of the objects that surrounded him to the inner character of his human subjects. "[For] Koch the painting of a portrait is a completely normal activity; it is just a fine picture of a person he likes, always with objects related to the individual included. In fact, a Koch portrait, when viewed by a stranger, is as enjoyable as it is to the family of the person depicted. In this manner, John Koch has, almost singlehandedly in our time, reestablished the portrait as work of art, not of mere craftsmanship-just as it had always been in the past periods of high artistic excellence." (John Koch in New York: 1950-1963, p. 8)