Lincoln Center
In September, 1980, the artist Hedy Pagremanski, also known as Hedy Page, was commissioned by Rhoda M. Clareman to paint Lincoln Center as a gift for her husband, Jack Clareman, on the occasion of his 65th birthday. Because Rhoda and Jack Clareman were enthusiastic opera lovers who spent much time of their leisure time at the Metropolitan Opera House. Mr. Clareman, an attorney in New York City for more than forty years, had an unusual and diversified practice.
Many of these people appear in the foreground of the painting and each of them posed for the artist by appointment. As each one spoke about his or her connection with Mr. Clareman, the artist became so involved with the personalities and their stories that later she described this assignment as one of the most rewarding and moving experiences of her career. This is her 45th painting of New York City. One of her paintings of the Lower East Side is in the collection of the Museum of the City of New York; the others are in private collections.
This painting was presented to Mr. Clareman by his wife on March 24th, 1981, at a surprise dinner party at the Harvard Club of New York. The guests were the people pictured in the club painting, with the exception of the opera singer, Luciano Pavarotti, whose likeness was drawn from a photograph.