UNTITLED [40/41] (DOUBLE-SIDED)

Upon first glance, Deeds' work is an innocent display of familiar scenes, like the present steamship and portrait of a girl. One would not know from his art that James Edwards Deeds, Jr. (1908-1987) was a troubled youth who was institutionalized from a young age until his death. Deeds was born in Panama and his father served as a paymaster on the USS Marblehead. After he and his family returned to Missouri and settled as farmers in 1912, Deeds' mental state began to deteriorate until his suicide attempt which led to his hospitalization. His work is characterized by a draftsman-like style, and depict machines, animals, architecture and people. His portraits are intriguing and often portray adults with enlarged, captivating eyes and small mouths, as seen in the present work.