Pan-Pacific Expo at Night c. 1915, Oil on CanvasIn August of 1914, the Panama Canal opened. To commemorate the opening (and to showcase the rebirth of San Francisco after the earthquake of 1906), the Panama Pacific International Exhibition was held on 635 acres that are now the Marina District of San Francisco between February 20 and December 4, 1915. Nearly 19 million visitors passed through the gates to view exhibits from 24 countries showcasing industry, innovation, and the arts. More than 11,000 works of art were on display throughout the exposition. Today, however, the only reminder of this enormously successful event is the Palace of Fine Arts, still located on the original fair grounds. The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in the Civic Center is also still standing, but it was not located within the fair grounds during the exposition. Everett Shinn (November 6, 1876 – May 1, 1953) was an American realist painter and member of the Ashcan School when he exhibited with the short-lived group known as “The Eight,” who protested the restrictive exhibition policies of the powerful, conservative National Academy of Design. He is best known for his robust paintings of urban life in New York and London, a hallmark of Ashcan art, and for his theater and residential murals and interior-design projects. His style varied considerably over the years, from gritty and realistic to decorative and rococo. This street scene at night painting, by Everett Shinn depicts a view of evening patrons dining with a view of (possibly) the New York State Building in the background. Signed lower left. Provenance: Dr. Lawrence Loftus, Carmel, CA; Connoisseur Gallery, Carmel-By-The Sea, CA 18.5 x 15 inches