Edward Hurst (Tennessee/New York/England, 1912-1972) oil on canvas half portrait of a dark haired World War II soldier wearing glasses and an army green coat and scarf, and holding a pipe. Signed upper right "Edward Hurst" and dated 1945. Unframed. 27" H x 21" W. Biography: Hurst was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1912. He studied under Catherine Wiley and at the Art Students League in New York, where he also studied with George Luks. He also studied in Europe at the Academy in Florence, Italy, and Munich, Germany. Primarily known for his still-life paintings and commissioned society portraits, Hurst spent much of his life in New York and London, while also maintaining a studio in Knoxville. During World War II, he taught camouflage to soldiers in the United States Army.î In 1959, he was diagnosed with an allergy to oil paint, prompting him to work instead with watercolor, contÈ and colored pencil on paper. Hurst was a member of the American Artistsí Professional Club, the Southern Statesí Art League, and the National Arts Club. An example of Hurstís work is illustrated in the ìArt & Furniture of East Tennesseeî by Namuni Hale Young, p. 105, figure 58. Sources: ìArt & Furniture of East Tennesseeî by Namuni Hale Young; "Camoupedia: A Compendium of Research on Art, Architecture and Camouflage" by Roy H. Behrens; the Knoxville Museum of Art. CONDITION: Small L shaped scratch with paint loss lower right corner. Area of light abrasion left side with minimal paint loss. Overall good condition.