Portrait of American athlete and Olympic gold medalist Jim Thorpe. Tommy Cheng writes on the back of the painting that Thorpe is "All American the world's greatest athlete," and notes that the painting's "pose borrowed from Burt Lancaster in the movie."

Tommy Cheng is a contemporary outsider and folk artist who lives and paints in Washington Heights. His unique style of portraiture has attracted gallery shows in New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Paris. Cheng's portraits are inspired by pop culture and celebrities. With its wide open eyes, deceivingly expressive faces, and modernly flat construction a Cheng portrait is instantly identifiable.

Artist: Tommy Cheng

Material: Acrylic on plywood

TC-#71