Oil/canvas, signed, 16"x20".

Friedman (1896-1981) was born in Hungary and moved to the US when he was nine. His family lived in Yonkers, NY. He began his studies at the New York Academy of Art at the age of sixteen while working 12 hour shifts as the main provider of his family. He went on to work at a commercial illustration company and as a freelancer.

Despite landscapes being the subject of many of his paintings Friedman rarely painted outside; instead, he relied on his imagination. That imagination was fueled by his love of classical music, letting the composition of his work reflect the feeling and images the music communicated to him. His technique of painting was to use a thick application of paint with a palette knife and he utilized pure pigment, layering pigment and scraping away layers in an attempt to avoid craquelure over time and allow for multiple colors to penetrate the surface.

His first exhibition was in 1932 and his work has been shown at MoMA and the Carnegie Institute of Art, among many others. He was a member of the Woodstock Art Association, the Federation of Modern Painters & Sculptors and the Audubon Artists.