Dave Blue. An oil painting on canvas board signed
“H.A. MacNeil SC” in two places.

WHO IS DAVE BLUE ?

Another mystery oil painting entitled “Dave Blue,” has surfaced through an inquiry on this website.  The work is signed, “H. A. MacNeil SC” in two places.

Patrick Orr wrote from Connecticut,

“IS IT POSSIBLE THAT I HAVE A PAINTING BY H.A. MACNEIL?”

Patrick included several photos from which the detail at your right enlargement below were taken.

Dave Blue. An oil painting on canvas.

In our ongoing correspondence,  I explained  to Patrick the following:

A. MacNeil often placed the letters “SC” after his signature on works meaning “Sculptor.”  This was his standard manner of signing his works. Interesting that he did so to an oil painting as well.  See numerous examples on the masthead photos on my website.

B. MacNeil is known to have painted oils. Mostly for fun or gifts.  My mother had an oil painting as a wedding gift that he gave her in 1929.

C. You have a unique and interesting piece. Just on the basis of looking at the pictures, I would say there is little reason to doubt that this piece is what it claims to be.

D. I doubt that a forger would bother to make a fake “MacNeil” oil painting.

E. Hermon would sketch when he went places or saw interesting people. He had an artists eye.

I asked Patrick where he got the work:

“The painting belonged to my grandparents, and when they died I asked my uncle if I could have it. I always liked it. I have no idea how they acquired it.”

“My grandparents and their grandparents are from the lower west side of Manhattan.  In the 1970s my grandparents moved to CT.  I don’t remember any stories unfortunately, but I will ask my mother.  They definitely treasured it.  Everybody always commented on it.”

“Who was Dave Blue?  Did he live in a cave?  Was he blind?  Was he a freed slave or son of slaves?  A mystery and so very intriguing.”

SO, Pat Orr agreed that I could post his “MacNeil Mystery” on my website. The next day another email arrived from Patrick:

“I have some interesting information for you. I spoke with my mother and she said H A MacNeil was a neighbor of my great grandparents in the Catskills. They had a summer house there, and he had one down the road. Apparently, my great grandfather was his doctor. In fact, H A did a bronze bust of my great grandfather which my brother has now at his house. The painting I have was a gift he gave to them.

… Unfortunately, my mom doesn’t know about the history or background of the painting itself. She doesn’t know when or where it was done.”

That fits in with the sticker on the back of the canvas being from a New York art supplier. I can imagine him picking up the canvas in New York, and then taking it with him on his travels and using it to do the study of the old black man.”

SO, the intriging “MacNeil Mystery” remains:

“Dave Blue who lived under the ground.”

1. Who was Dave Blue?  

2. Did he live in the ground?  

3. Was he blind?  

4. Was he a freed slave or son of slaves? 

Maybe we will get responses from other painting owners.

Maybe “Mr. Blue” has some relatives out there.

THANKS PAT, for making us curious.