Artwork
The Pie Wagon
The Pie Wagon is an oil painting by the Regionalist artist Carl Gaertner. It dates from 1926 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1926, The Pie Wagon is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. The work measures 105.8 cm in height and 153 cm in width. As a painting by Carl Gaertner, the piece utilizes oil paint as its primary medium to achieve its formal qualities.
The artwork was produced in Cleveland, Ohio, and is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
No further details about a commissioning party, prior ownership, or intermediate transfers are documented in the available sources.
The Pie Wagon was created by Carl Gaertner in 1926, executed in oil paint on canvas in Cleveland. The work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art collection, where it is held and catalogued under accession number 1953.371, indicating that it was accessioned by the museum in 1953. No further details about a commissioning party, prior ownership, or intermediate transfers are documented in the available sources.
The painting measures 105.8 cm in height by 153.0 cm in width and depicts a Cleveland subject, consistent with its documented origin in that city. The accession year suggests the work was acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art just one year after the artist's death in 1952, though the specific circumstances of the acquisition are not recorded in the provided sources.
Overview
Carl Gaertner’s 1926 oil painting The Pie Wagon captures a wintry urban scene in a concise, observational style. The composition centers on a bright yellow wagon marked with a red star, positioned beside a factory whose smokestacks release thin plumes. Snow‑covered streets host small groups of pedestrians, while simple brick structures frame the view, one darkened corner cutting into the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The work reflects Gaertner’s interest in the everyday industrial environment of his native Cleveland. By juxtaposing the muted, snow‑laden cityscape with the vivid wagon, the painting highlights the persistence of commercial activity amid harsh weather, suggesting a quiet resilience of urban life.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Carl Frederick Gaertner (April 18, 1898 – November 4, 1952) was an American artist.
