"Hippies" by Jonah Kinigstein (NY, b. 1923), oil on masonite, signed on front and back, titled on back, circa mid to late 20th century, framed - 36 1/2" x 48 1/2".

Kinigstein was educated at Cooper Union Art School and, after serving in WW2, the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, and Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma. He exhibited at the Galerie Huit while in Europe.  After returning to the US he was unable to make a career as a figurative painter since abstract expressionism was all the rage; so, he turned to a career in commerical art. He designed Bloomingdale's first collectible shopping bag in 1961. He also began drawing political cartoons criticizing abstract expressionism and the figures in the art world promoting it. Kinigstein continued to paint for himself. He dubbed his style "figurative expressionism", and his painting frequently depict distorted figures in front of surreal backgrounds.
 
Kinigstein's work is in the collections of the MoMA, the Smithsonian and the Whitney.