Titled "Sylvan Grove" 1952. This framed oil on canvas is is excellent overall condition. Joe Selby was an African-American painter born in Mobile, Alabama, and painted in Miami, Florida from the1920s to the1950s. As a boy he worked as a deck hand; at age twelve he was involved in a tragic accident when his leg was mangled in a breaking towline and was subsequently amputated.The extent of his artistic training, if any, is unknown; he cultivated his clientele directly, approaching yacht owners at the Miami city pier to ask if they wanted a portrait of their boat. If the owner agreed, Selby boarded the vessel to take notes and make measurements, then returned to a fire station near the dock where he would commence on the portrait.Over the years his clients included General Motors magnates and members of the Morgan and Rockefeller families. Selby lived much of his life in public housing in Miami's Overtown district before constructing his own home. His last dated painting was in 1959.Overall size: 23 1/2 x 28 1/2 in. Size: 18 x 23 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.