Artist: Henry Botkin (American, 1896-1983)
Title: George Gershwin
Audio:
Date: 1930
Dimensions: 37″ x 46″
Location in Library: On Loan to the Brooklyn College President’s Office
Media: Oil on canvas
Owner: The Brooklyn College Library Collection. © Artist’s Estate
Description:
Henry Botkin was the first cousin of composer George Gershwin. In the late 1920’s Gershwin began taking painting lessons from Botkin and became fascinated with painting. Near the end of his life, Gershwin was reputedly looking forward to giving up music so that he could devote himself completely to painting. Botkin also advised Gershwin in art collecting, often traveling to Paris to buy works for the composer and other prominent collectors.
Related Websites
– Henry Botkin at Childs Gallery
– Henry Botkin at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art
Suggested Readings
– Pollack, Howard. George Gershwin: His Life and Work, 2006.
Call Number: ML410 .G288 P65 2006
– Suriano, Gregory R. Gershwin in His Time: A Biographical Scrapbook, 1919-1937, 1998.
Call Number: ML410 .G288 G48 1998
