The Pit by Marcia Gaylor

Marcia Gaylor
b.1947 | American

The Pit

Signed "M. Gaylor" (lower right)
Oil on canvas

The high-stakes intensity and boisterous atmosphere of the stock exchange pit and its traders is masterfully captured with vibrant hues and electrifying energy in this original oil on canvas. The wild gestures, bold jackets displaying brokerage affiliations and myriad facial expressions of the stock traders creates a visual swirling motion, leading the viewer’s eye around a rowdy scene. The Pit adroitly illustrates the octagon-shaped trading floor where brokers match, buy and sell orders amid thunderous shouting. Hand signals and loud communication enable speedy transactions in this mercurial pressure-cooker environment, making fast and efficient trading possible. Here, traders participate in a pure auction with the transparency to see who is buying and selling — a luxury electronic trading does not offer.

Based in California, Marcia Gaylor is renowned for her historical scenes that capture the New York City and Chicago stock market trading floors and vibrant financial districts. Before pursuing painting as a career, she earned a business degree and an MBA from the University of Southern California, and her financial background clearly influenced the direction of her art later in her life. Most of her paintings focus on the economic history of the United States as she captures the financial heart of the country's largest cities. The result is a body of work that stands in colorful tribute to the economy and the power of capital. Today, she remains an active member of the California Art Club, Oil Painters of America, Women Painters of America, as well as the American Impressionist Society.

Painted in 2015

Canvas: 24” high x 36” wide
Frame: 33” high x 45” wide