Gladys Rockmore Davis , Young Girls in the Forest Sisters - Twins - Friend, 1946

Mid-Century Art Star Gladys Rockmore Davis paints a double portrait of what appears to be sisters or perhaps friends dressed in identical costumes. The work is as charming as it is intriguing, with a touch of Surrealism. The composition and lighting are an exploration in simplicity. It highlights the similarities between the two young girls as they intertwine their arms. The blond girl looks directly at the viewer, while the redhead turns her head to profile. Both are the same size, have the same hairstyle, and wear the same dress, embodying the spirit of youth. Rockmore Davis was known for her paintings of children, and the present work is an exceptional example of her oeuvre.
Titled - "In the Forest"
signed with initials 'GRD•' (lower right) and signed 'DAVIS' twice (on the tacking edges)
oil on canvas
16 x 11 in. (40.6 x 27.9 cm.) - Framed size 22 x 17 x 3
Footnotes
Provenance
Midtown Galleries, New York, consigned from the artist, by October 1946.
Louise Elsie (née Paskus) Danziger (1912-1980), White Plains, New York, acquired from the above, May 17, 1947.
The Marbella Gallery, Inc., New York.
Jane (née Franklin) Brauer Hunter (1915-2013), St. Louis.
Private collection, Missouri, gift from the above, 2013.
By descent to the present owner from the above, daughter of the above, May 10, 2023.
Bonhams, New York
Oil on Canvas, 22 × 17 inches
US$15,000 Plus Shipping
Gladys Rockmore Davis, American, 1901–1967

Exhibited
New York, Midtown Galleries, Exhibition of Paintings, "Moods of Children" Gladys Rockmore Davis, October 21-November 9, 1946, n.p., no. 20.

Literature
"Gladys Rockmore Davis," ArtNews, New York, October 1946, vol. XLV, no. 8, p. 66, illustrated