Burchfield’s Paintings: Then and Now

Take a look at life in Buffalo as Charles Burchfield saw it. Above, see Rainy Night (1929-30), painted along Ellicott and Broadway, as lighting changes and buildings disappear. Next, compare Street Scene (1937) with its models on Genessee Street. Turning around, check out the former Chippewa Market featured in The Market at Christmastime (1929-41), which has since been demolished. The church in the background, St. Michael’s, was damaged in a 1962 fire, and modestly rebuilt.

Images:

Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), Rainy Night, 1929-1930; Watercolor over graphite, 30 x 42 inches; The San Diego Museum of Art, Gift of Anne R. and Amy Putnam

Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), The Market at Christmastime, 1929-41; Image courtesy of Burchfield Penney Archives

Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), Street Scene, 1937; charcoal and carbon on paper, Overall: 13 1/16 x 12 ¾ in. (33.2 x 32.4 cm) Frame: 21 ¾ x 20 ¾ in. (55.2 x 52.7 cm); The Charles Rand Penney Collection of Work by Charles E. Burchfield, 1994

Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), Buildings and Street Scene, c. 1940-1942; watercolor on paper, 30 x 22 ½ inches; Promised Gift from Joan and Peter Andrews

Current Photos by Kelly Donovan