I think this is just a gem of a painting—quintessentially mid-century and really an elegant little piece.  Made with black ink, watercolor and pencil on paper, it is the work of Leon Hovsepian (1911-2019), whose estate (including huge, beautiful studio) in Worcester, MA I purchased it from. While the sale was loaded with other (mostly much larger) paintings and sculptures by him, this was my very favorite—perhaps including for the fact that his light-filled modern home was also completely loaded with iconic mid-century furniture, and this felt so perfectly right among it.  

Hovsepain studied at the Art School of the Worcester Museum and at Yale, where he received his BFA. He went on to teach at the Worcester Art Museum and Clark University for 43 years, where from what I’ve learned he was a most beloved and influential, inspirational figure. His work—also including  murals, frescoes,  stained glass, and large-scale outdoor sculpture—was exhibited and commissioned by entities around the country and internationally, and is included in many museum collections including that of MoMA. 

I purchased this painting unframed but sandwiched between two pieces of glass that had been masking taped around the edges, thus the lighter edges of the paper.  I’d guess it dates from the 1960s and the painting itself is in very good condition; I would just mat it and put it in a very simple frame. Image size: 3 1/8” x 5 3/4”; paper size 5 7/8” x 9 3/4”.