Otis Kaye (1885–1972), immigrated to the United States in 1904 and trained and worked as an engineer in Michigan.   However, Kaye is best known for his second career as an artist, after he lost his fortune in the 1929 Stock Market Crash and moved to New York.

Kaye’s trompe l’oeil paintings follow in the tradition of Harnett, Peto and Haberle.  These subject of these paintings is primarily United States certificates, coins, and denominations. Because of government restrictions on depiction of currency (enacted in 1909), Kaye never sold or exhibited these works.

After his death, however, this body of work was discovered and was the subject of several gallery and museum exhibitions – including one at The Federal Reserve Board. Hot Stock Tips showcases not only this artist’s extraordinary skills but also his hidden puns, texts and references. This exceptionally large and complex painting is the culmination of Kaye’s artistic development and the concluding chapter to his “financial autobiography.”