About the art
In the 1960s, artist Walter Quirt lived three blocks from Lake Harriet, and he’d often observe people at play during his evening strolls around the lake. Those observations became manifest in his “Lake Harriet Series,” one of the last projects in the life of this influential artist, who remains largely unknown to many Minnesotans. In this oil painting from the series, Quirt offers a somewhat cubist take on local recreation, with four figures talking as sailboats glide along the deep blue waters behind them. It’s a joyful departure from the earlier work of Quirt, who made a name for himself in 1930s New York as a leftist thinker and social surrealist associating with the likes of Salvador Dali and Diego Rivera.
Donated by Eleanor Quirt, wife of the artist
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