Here’s another prize winner, this one from Long’s student days. In 1938, when Long received his B.A. degree from the Art Institute of Chicago, this painting won him the Anna Louise Raymond Fellowship, enabling him to travel throughout Europe and visit the world’s greatest art centers.
Depicting a neighborhood on Chicago’s Near North Side, “Sunday Afternoon” is notable for its counterpoint between the brightly colored balloons above and the dark faces below.
The painting has lived at Cactus Hill for many years, the venerable centerpiece of our collection. In January 2024 my cousin Sherry and I decided to mix things up a bit, and she chose this old favorite to swap with her portrait of Maruja, which my father gave to her many years ago. So now Maruja is here at Cactus Hill, and Sunday Afternoon resides in New Mexico.
