Charles E. Willette (1899 - 1979)

Coney Island, Fourth of July, c. 1940s, oil on canvas applied to Masonite, signed upper right, 26 x 21 1/2 inches, presented in its original frame

$4,500

During the 1930s and 40s, Coney Island served as a vital escape from the hardships of life in Depression-Era New York City. For working-class families, it offered an affordable reprieve—sun, sand, and spectacle within reach of the subway. The boardwalk buzzed with energy, drawing millions each summer with attractions like Luna Park, Steeplechase, and Dreamland. In Coney Island, Fourth of July, Charles E. Willlette depicts the joy of holiday fireworks against the backdrop of some of the most iconic symbols of Coney Island’s enduring appeal, including the Parachute Jump, introduced at the 1939 New York World’s Fair and relocated to Coney Island in 1941. Originally designed as a military training device, it became a thrilling ride offering panoramic views of the ocean and city. Towering 250 feet high, it quickly earned the nickname “the Eiffel Tower of Brooklyn.” Its skeletal frame still stands today as a landmark, representing both the technological daring of its era and the joyous escapism Coney Island provided.

Charles E. Willette was an American painter and commercial artist. A native of Sandy Point, Maine, Willette studied at New York's Art Students League with Moses Soyer and Robert Brackman during the mid 1930s, as well as at the Brooklyn Museum. He completed murals for the Lincoln Hotel in New York City and the Hackett's Building in Bangor, Maine. Willette was a member of the Waldo (Maine) Country Artists. He had solo exhibitions at Ross AG (New Jersey), the Maine State House, and A. U. Newton Gallery (New York), all in 1949. Later in 1989, he had a solo show at Opus 71 Gallery (New Hampshire). In addition to his fine art practice, Willette served as the chief commercial artist for Whelan Drug Company in New York City. He is listed in Who Was Who in American Art and other standard references.