$5,875
George Inness (American, 1825-1894) The Old Tree/A Fragment Signed "Inness" l. r. Oil on canvas (mounted), 8 3/4 x 8 in. (22.2 x 20.3 cm), framed. Condition: Cut down (perhaps more than once), surface grime and varnish inconsistencies. N.B. In a letter discussing this work, Dr. Michael Quick says that this painting demonstrates a "level of expert confidence and inventive skill…worthy of Inness." He continues to enumerate specific elements of the painting that are characteristic of the artist, such as "the wiping of the thin paint in places, the scratching in of branches and of lines that strengthen the tree trunks, and the painting of the light cloud color into the darker trees to give them more shape…the brushwork generally is consistent with Inness' hand." The painting has been reduced in size at least once. Dr. Quick surmises that this painting "…could be a fragment of a considerably larger landscape…an early stage of work on a landscape of about the period 1887-1892." This suggestion is consistent with the fact that "Inness, especially later in life, sometimes did reduce the size of his landscapes." This fact, along with the various techniques of the artist, allows for an attribution to George Inness. A copy of Dr. Quick's letter accompanies the lot. We are grateful for his assistance in cataloguing this work.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2005-11-18
