One of the rare Otis works of a religious nature, this painting brought acclaim for its imaginative qualities. Note the gorgeously robed Elevator Man (St. Peter?), the welcoming cherubim, the Hebrew inscription over the Gate, the pleasing view of the Fields beyond. And, not least, the sure stance of the new arrival. "It is quite a load to get into any picture," observed the formidable critic M.M. de Marberry, late of the Louvre.
from Mr. Otis (Macmillan, 1958)
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