When visiting the Gibbes Museum here in Charleston, one is presented with a great selection of art from many different time periods and depicting a great number of people and places. So, it would be relatively easy to miss sight of Karl Zerbe’s painting, “Church Street, Charleston 1944”. At first glance, the painting may appear relatively simple compared to its counterparts, but it is cause for much intrigue and historical context.
(“Church Street, Charleston 1944”) 
This work is not just a very accurate depiction of the view down Church street in the mid 20th century, but it reveals how Charleston looked in the eyes of non-locals. Many of the paintings held within the Gibbes Museum speak volumes of what the people of Charleston wanted the city and its people to be seen as, and not always what was actually shown, which may lead historians to believe that the truth about Charleston and its beauty is slightly over-exaggerated, but seeing as this scene was crafted out by an Artist that came from Germany and resided in Boston, we can clearly see that the structural beauty of the city was clearly visible to all people. This painting is also very significant today because the fact that this scene in modern times is almost completely unaltered from how it was back in 1944 shows the value that this view and many others across Charleston still hold as historical standpoints in its citizens nowadays.
(The View Down Church Street, Charleston 2021)
In a historical context, the painting also helps reveal in subtle ways how the city has grown and is seen mentally and in terms of population size. Zerbe’s strategic choice of only depicting one person in the scene most likely had a lot to do with his need to properly depict the buildings themselves, but seeing as the cars in the modern day scene indicate that there are now more people in the area other than the lone figure in the 1944 painting, that is a clear indication that the city of Charleston is now home to many new residents.
When studying some of Zerbe’s other works, one quickly notices that his subject matter is almost always people, but it appears that it was not until his visit to Charleston that he felt the need to include more realistic scenery to his paintings in addition to his typical colorful and impressionist style. This really shows the impact that his visit to this city made if he was willing to stay for a while and completely shift the focus of his artwork. Many people for these same reasons are likely to want to visit the city and also view the painting itself, because they see something that is unlike what they are accustomed to in this beautiful city.
One last historical component that I took note of when studying this painting is that despite being able to tell from the few spots of baby blue that are seen in the sky of Zerbe’s painting that it is indeed a nice sunny day, he chooses to make most of the background and sky a dark color, and he also blurs the tree that is seen as if to blend it into the background. This, despite the obvious beauty, demonstrates the almost dark and sinister aspect that is found within the scene of Charleston, and it may as well have been the artist’s attempt to discreetly convey the emotional and hidden historical past and feelings that are also widely associated with the area. Furthermore, it hints to the greater importance that is placed on the preservation of plants in wildlife as well as pollution awareness since in the modern depiction the viewer can spot many more trees and clear and clean sky.
Zerbe, Karl. Church Street, Charleston 1944. 1944, The Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC.
The Gibbes Museum of Art, “New Acquisition.” gibbesmuseum.org/news/new-aquisition, Nov. 13, 2009.
Zerbe, Karl. Artnet Worldwide Corporations, www.artnet.com/Karl-Zerbe/3, 2021.
Sanchez, Evelyn. Church Street, Charleston 2021. 2021. iPhone photo.
Wall Text, 20th Century American Regionalism and the Charleston Renaissance. Church Street, Charleston 1944. The Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC.