Mother Resting Her Cheek on Her Daughter’s Blond Head (also known as Maternite), 1913

Oil on canvas, 18 x 15 in. Signed on recto, upper right corner

Provenance:

André Urban, Paris; Arthur Tooth & Sons, London; Findlay Gallery, New York, 1957; Consignment to Hirschl & Adler from Richard Smart, January 1977; Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Lay, Sr., Toledo, Ohio, 19822010; (Mr. Kenneth Lay) to the estate of Kenneth J. Lay, Sr.

By the 1910s, Mary Cassatt was in her 70s and largely recognized as a major figure of the Impressionist movement, and this painting is one of the finest examples of her intimate and tender subject matter: mothers and children. She often portrayed the bonds between mother and child, capturing the warmth, love, and care that define these relationships. Unlike her Japanese-inspired paintings that innovatively disrupt spatial conventions and insert beautiful patterns into the scene, this painting presents a simple, strippeddown moment from everyday life, and features the soft, muted colors that create the atmosphere in many of her works. Cassatt was a master at capturing the subtle gestures and expressions that convey emotion, and her paintings of women and children are considered some of the most beautiful and intimate depictions of the genre.

The brushwork in Mother Resting Her Cheek on Her Daughter’s Blond Head is exquisite, with emotion culminating in the warm physical contact between the pair. Cassatt pays attention to the unique facial features of the child and conveys intimacy while awarding the two subjects their individuality. The clothing and accessories on both the mother and the child are depicted with great attention to detail, as these elements often allowed Cassatt to indicate the social status and roles of her subjects. In this case, the unknown pair of sitters appear to belong to the upper class, and are likely among Cassatt’s family or friends at her country estate in France. This painting is understated yet masterful when compared with the more ambitious paintings in the pinnacle of Cassatt’s mature period, which included well-known works such as the Child’s Bath and Little Girl in Blue Armchair . The open composition in Mother Resting Her Cheek on Her Daughter’s Blond Head leads the viewer’s eye from the mother’s loving gaze onto the daughter’s face, and the close pose reflects the intimate emotional nature of the work.

Cassatt was prolific throughout her career, until the last years of her life. Mother Resting Her Cheek on Her Daughter’s Blond Head is one of Cassatt’s later paintings, as by 1914, Cassatt had lost her eyesight almost completely due to advancing diabetes. In the last years leading up to this, Cassatt began etching, drawing and painting more observationally, to capture certain moments, which opposed her longer process of producing numerous states (working proofs) when making prints. Estimates suggest that Cassatt made around 200 paintings, drawings and pastels in her lifetime.

$400,000 - 600,000

Mary Cassatt (1844 - 1926)

The Barefooted Child , c. 1896-97

Drypoint and aquatint on cream laid paper

Plate: 9 ½ x 12 ½ in. Sheet: 12 5/8 x 15 5/8 in. Signature on recto, lower right corner Watermarked “derle” on verso.

Provenance:

Breeskin: 160 Mathews/Shapiro 22

Part of Cassatt’s last known suite of color prints, the Barefooted Child pictures a baby with cherubic curls and his mother, who appear to be playing patty-cake. Cassatt experiments with definition and color throughout the five states of the print, with the fourth state printed in yellow and gray. The definition in the mother’s scarf and skirt, as well as both subjects’ hair, is striking, and represents the virtuosic combination of Cassatt’s inspirations and unique visual language: although the fabrics and the sudden, flat transitions between various surfaces resemble Japanese woodblocks, the composition and rendering is Cassatt at the pinnacle of her printmaking prowess.

The mint and yellow pastels of the mother’s outfit and the child’s hair contrasts beautifully with the teal of the mother’s sleeves, framing the child in white and leading the eye to the center of the composition. Their pose bears a strong resemblance to Madonna and child paintings by European Masters such as Raphael and Velazquez, whom Cassatt studied as a young painter during her travels in Italy and Spain. The blue and white color pair is often used in traditional depictions of Saint Mary and Jesus, as blue symbolizes divinity. Unlike some of Cassatt’s meticulously-developed interiors, the muted, monochrome background in this print suggests the subjects symbolize the archetypal image of mother and child.

The full effect of the colors in this print is elevated by Cassatt’s simple yet rich lines. She often experimented with introducing color to unetched areas of the plate, and she did this through a combination of applying the colors directly onto the paper and using color plates. The level of experimentation across different composition methods, color palettes, and printmaking techniques indicate Cassatt’s mastery. Cassatt stopped making color prints long before she had to stop painting, etching and drawing due to her failing eyesight. After producing the suite of prints that included the Barefooted Child , she traveled from her country home in France to America for the first time since 1875.

Known impressions of this etching are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Because of Cassatt’s use of the a la poupée method to introduce color to the work, each impression (and state) are slightly different. This impression was acquired by the Lay Family in the 1980s and would benefit from conservation work. There are three acid stains as well as mat stains around the borders.

$15,000 - 20,000

Winslow Homer, American (b. 1836, Boston, MA; d. 1910, Scarborough, ME)

Charles Savage Homer, Jr. , 1880

Watercolor on paper

20 ½ x 15 in.

Initialed and dated on recto, lower left

Provenance:

The artist, Charles Savage Homer Jr. (sitter and the artist’s brother), Mrs. Charles Savage Homer Jr. (the artist’s brother’s widow), Charles Lowell Homer (son of the artist’s brother Arthur Homer and nephew of Winslow Homer and Charles Savage homer, Jr.), Alice Homer Willauer (daughter of Charles Savage Homer, Jr.), Peter O. Willauer (Alice homer Willauer’s son), private collection, Washington, D.C., Spanierman Gallery, NYC, the Lay Family, Toledo, OH.

In this stunningly atmospheric watercolor, Winslow Homer portrays his older brother Charles Savage Homer Jr., who was a chemist and a partner at a paint and varnish company. Charles supported his younger brother’s arts career enthusiastically and was an avid collector of his work throughout his life. The artist’s admiration and respect for his older brother is apparent in the way that he depicts him as a subject. Dignified and austere, Charles poses in a gray pinstripe suit, leaning slightly backwards onto the drape. The simplicity of the background and surroundings allow the viewer to focus on the sitter’s features and follow his sidelong posture from his face to his shoes.

Winslow Homer was a talented watercolorist. He produced a number of works in the medium, especially during his later years, that are known for their strong sense of light, color, and atmosphere, including Blackboard (1875), The Gulf Stream (1899), and Midnight, Approaching a Shipwreck (1885). These works showcase Homer’s skill in the watercolor medium and his ability to convey mood and emotion. In Charles Savage Homer, Jr., Winslow Homer displays the entire range of his ability by using soft washes of color over his brother’s suit and the background, rather than saturating the paper with pigment. This contributes emotion to the overall mood and allows for a psychological interpretation of the work by equipping it with a very subtle dreamlike quality that perhaps reflects Winslow Homer’s complete and tender admiration of his older brother. The shades of gray are muted in comparison to his boldly-colored landscapes and marine scenes, and the work retains its Realism influence through skillfully-executed details, such as the pinstripes on the sitter’s suit and the shiny texture of his shoes.

Winslow Homer’s brothers posed for him often as stand-ins for his marine and sportsthemed works. This quiet and formal moment represents an exception, as Winslow Homer was not widely-known for his portraits as some other artists in his time. He did create a few noted portraits throughout his career, including The Fair Prima Donna (1865), The Peacemaker (1880), and Snap the Whip (1872), which depict his subjects in highlydeveloped, realist settings. These portraits all convey a strong sense of the individuality and the personal character of the sitter, and signal a level of sentimental intimacy Homer rarely afforded his subjects.

Winslow Homer (1836 - 1910)

Winslow Homer was an American painter and printmaker celebrated for his marine paintings and illustrations. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he spent his youth growing up near the seashore at Cambridgeport. While still young, Homer worked as an illustrator for several magazines such as Harper’s Weekly while traveling extensively, sketching landscapes and the people he encountered. By the 1870s, Homer focused on painting marine subjects inspired by New England’s rugged coastline and power of the ocean, eventually moving to a remote fishing village in Maine where he spent several years capturing fishermen’s lives alongside stunning landscapes.

Homer was renowned for his ability to capture the mood and atmosphere of his subjects, whether they were bustling cities or tranquil landscapes. His paintings and illustrations are noted for their dramatic use of light and color as well as how well they convey motion and energy. A self-taught artist, Homer earned widespread acclaim during his lifetime; today, his works remain among the finest examples of American painting. Homer passed away in 1910 at Prouts Neck, Maine; however, many of his works can be found housed at Winslow Homer Studio at Portland Museum of Art.

Winslow Homer was a relatively private person who traveled frequently for his work as a Civil War illustrator and to find inspiration for his paintings. Homer’s earlier works often have an episodic quality, while his more mature paintings demonstrate psychological depth that showcases his growth as an artist. While some of Homer’s earliest artworks depicted the war, he preferred not to depict battle scenes. As an illustrator, he was asked to create artwork which documented both events of the conflict and soldiers’ lives. His illustrations are anecdotal, but his paintings stand out for their vibrant use of color and light - providing a powerful visual record of the Civil War and its lasting impact on Americans. Homer’s artwork spans many genres, such as marine paintings, landscapes, portraits and sports. Regardless of the subject matter he tackles in these works, Homer’s pieces are all distinguished by their dramatic use of light and color and bold outlines that create an atmospheric and narrative quality.

Homer’s mastery of wood engraving and etching allowed him an extensive oeuvre, with the latter used to illustrate magazines and books. His skill in wood engraving intricate and detailed images earned him widespread recognition as a talented printmaker. Many of his wood engravings are iconic examples of American printmaking from the 19th century. Winslow Homer’s artwork can be found in several permanent collections of art museums and institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., Brooklyn Museum, New York, Art Institute of Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art.

Winslow Homer (1836 - 1910)

Eight Bells , c. 1889

Etching in black ink on light beige, medium-thick, laid paper

19 1/2 x 25 1/2 in.

Signed on recto, lower left corner (“Winslow Homer sculpt 1889”)

Provenance:

Wolf’s Auctioneers and Appraisers (1990)

The Lay Family

Homer made this etching one year after his eponymous, well-known marine painting picturing two sailors taking bearings of the ship’s position with octants. The title refers to a ship’s bell, which strikes once for each 30 minute-interval to mark the time for keeping watch. Eight bells would be heard at four, eight, and twelve AM and PM. The crew seem to be taking the noon sight to determine the ship’s position, and the dark clouds, contrasted with the bright, foam-green sea, indicate bad weather might be arriving. Homer developed the idea for painting this scene as he was painting empty panels on his younger brother Arthur Homer’s sloop, on which he spent a considerable amount of time.

Homer was self-taught in etching, and he created Eight Bells during a prolific period in his life for this medium, between 1887-1889. Etching was enjoying a revival throughout the art world, and many artists were showing interest in it as an art form. Homer often used his paintings as a basis for the etchings and remarked that he had made fine pieces. He stopped making etchings because they weren’t very successful in the market, but they remain demonstrative of his mastery and interest in conveying atmosphere, movement, and dramatic light.

The painting and the subsequent etching were well-received by critics, as the colors and the mood indicated Homer transcended a naturalistic approach and captured the feeling of isolation and introspection that can be experienced at sea, as well as the sailor’s deep connection to the sea and the natural world. This effect is very much conveyed by the wide tonal range and contrast in the etching. From a simple task repeated throughout the day, Homer created a scene of importance and anticipation, especially by removing some of the details on the ship, the sky and the waves that are present in the painting. While the painting expands on the relationship between the sailors and the sea, the etching truly focuses on the pair of sailors. Characterized by a contemplative mood and sense of solitude, the etching’s strong lines, dramatic contrasts, and intricate details make it a masterpiece unto itself. Like the painting, the Eight Bells etching is considered a masterpiece of Homer’s work and is highly valued.

Although Homer was most experienced in wood engraving, etching proved to be a fruitful medium for him. The richness of printing ink and the bold, monochromatic lines he used heightened to the realist yet dramatic storytelling of American life he so masterfully conveyed in his works. The cross-hatched lines and the adjacent systems of parallel lines in the etching endow the work with richness and mastery, as they create the movement and flow that relay the drastically different textures of water, the soldiers’ beards, clothing and hats, the wooden ship, and the clouds. Editions of this etching are in the collections of the National Gallery of Art and the Clark Art Institute. This work is in good condition with few white spots on left bottom quadrant caused by dust on the plate, as well as minor mat stains along the sides and fraying paper edges.

$40,000 - 60,000

George Bellows (b. 1882, Columbus, Ohio, d. 1925, New York)

George Bellows was an American Realist painter and illustrator. He is best known for his realistic depictions of urban life and boxing matches, as well as his contributions to the Ashcan School, a group of artists who focused on capturing the gritty realism of American cities in the early 20th century. The Ashcan School advanced his interest in portraying working-class life in the city, as the group focused on deprivation and injustice at a time when paintings still depicted elevated, idealized subjects. Bellows studied at Ohio State University and later at the New York School of Art.

Bellows is widely recognized for his powerful and dynamic images of boxing matches and city life, as well as his series of dramatic and often moving images of World War I. In his early years, he was an athlete and received offers to play semi-professional and professional sports at various points during his educational career, which he declined. Despite his untimely death at the age of 42, he left behind a rich legacy of paintings and illustrations.

George Bellows was a versatile artist who worked in several mediums. He is best known for his bold and dramatic oil paintings, which capture the energy and excitement of urban life in New York City. He was also a skilled lithographer, and he produced a number of prints that showcased his ability to convey movement and emotion. He produced over one hundred lithographs between 1921 and 1924 using a lithography press he installed in his studio. Throughout his career, Bellows worked as an illustrator for magazines and newspapers, and his illustrations are characterized by their strong graphic quality and dramatic compositions.

Unlike some other artists of his period, Bellows enjoyed recognition during his lifetime. Even though he was focused on urban realism, he also accepted portrait commissions from the upper echelons of New York society. However, he never fully embraced this lifestyle, as he was associated with the Lyrical Left and wrote for a socialist journal, the editors of whom he also disagreed with. Bellows painted a staggeringly wide range of subjects, from gruesome illustrations of World War I and critical illustrations of government censorship to boxing matches, his wife and daughters, and marine scenes. He accomplished the brooding quality of these paintings through bold brushstrokes and powerful images.

The Amon Carter Museum of Art holds 220 of his lithographs, while the Boston Public Library and the Cleveland Museum of Art also have significant holdings. The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Ohio, the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York, have notably acquired his work during his career. He died unexpectedly in 1925 from a ruptured appendix, at a time when he was regarded as one of the country’s most notable artists. The Metropolitan Museum of Art celebrated his accomplishments and acknowledged his promise by organizing an exhibition of his work in the same year.

George

Oil on canvas

16 1/2 x 24 in.

1920

(1882 - 1925)

Unsigned, inscribed Bleak Hills twice on verso, recorded in artist’s Record Book B

Excellent condition, with dense paint textures and wellpreserved varnish

Provenance:

Estate of the artist (1925), Emma S. Bellows, his wife, Estate of Emma S. Bellows (1959), (gallery that sold to Lay Family) Private Collection

Although Bellows is best-known for his urban scenes and social realist paintings, he painted landscapes often. His landscapes depict a range of rural areas from Maine to the Adirondack Mountains, the New Jersey coastline, and the undeveloped surroundings of New York City. These works demonstrate Bellows’ mastery of the landscape genre and his ability to convey the beauty and majesty of nature. Village on the Hill, Camden, Maine , an oil painting by Bellows from 1916, bears striking compositional similarities to Bleak Hills , but incorporates a lively color scheme and movement. Bleak Hills, on the other hand, conveys austerity through brown hues and bold, expressive brushstrokes, which demonstrate the influence of European Modernists, Post-Impressionists, and Flauvinists, from Francisco de Goya to Paul Cezanne. The dramatic vantage point, from a mountaintop looking down, underlines the geographic majesty of the surrounding nature, as well as the smallness of the houses in comparison. The painting depicts a landscape in Woodstock, NY.

Bellows expertly marries a sordid depiction of the natural world with subtle drama. The dense layers of paint add to the dimensionality of the painting, as it conveys the lush, unabiding flora and fauna that make the scene so moving. The viewer is invited to imagine driving through the hills to a destination tucked away while considering the dark tree cover and an openness to the elements. Even though the title is Bleak Hills , which very much reflects the recession the American economy experienced in 1920 and 1921 following World War I. Rural and agricultural communities would feel the impact of this in an isolated manner. Bleak Hills differs from many of Bellows’ landscapes because of the complete lack of figures and the plainness of the sky: often, he depicts farming or fishing families as heroic but hardened figures, sometimes with the clouds breaking apart above them to reveal an ethereal, gold, sunny hue. Bleak Hills on the other hand is curiously unassuming, with Bellows selecting elements of the natural landscape as his most dramatic characters.

Bellows first visited Woodstock in the spring of 1920 with his friend and fellow artist Eugene Speicher. He came back in the fall searching for a summer home for his family. Most of his paintings of Woodstock are colorful and depict the changing colors of the foliage through the seasons and were made in the Plein Air style.

In addition to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, many of Bellows’ landscape paintings are housed in the Whitney Museum of American Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Art Institute of Chicago, and the National Gallery of Art.

$120,000 - 180,000

Childe Hassam (b. 1859, Boston, MA; d. 1935, East Hampton, NY)

Frederick Childe Hassam (1859-1935) was an American painter and printmaker renowned for his Impressionist-style paintings of urban and coastal scenes. Born in Boston, Hassam studied art abroad before returning home to pursue a career as a painter. Hassam was part of an influential group of American Impressionist artists known as “The Ten,” who held annual exhibitions of their work. He was renowned for his loose brushwork, vibrant colors and focus on light and atmosphere in his subjects ranging from urban street scenes and landscapes to coastal views - often featuring New York City or Gloucester, Massachusetts. In addition to his paintings, Hassam was also an accomplished printmaker, creating numerous etchings and lithographs. These works often featured similar subjects as his artworks and showcased his fascination with light and atmosphere.

Hassam’s landscape paintings often featured urban scenes, breaking away from the pastoral imagery that was popular at that time. His paintings of New York City in particular captured the energy and vitality of the city and helped it gain recognition as an artistic subject worthy of study. The artist’s use of color and brushwork in his landscapes was highly innovative. He was renowned for using bright, bold hues combined with loose impressionistic brushstrokes that gave his works a vibrant sense of movement and vitality.

Childe Hassam made several trips to the Midwest over his career, beginning in the 1880s. One of his earliest excursions there was 1886 when he visited Iowa and Minnesota with fellow artist J. Alden Weir; this journey proved pivotal for Hassam as it exposed him to new subject matter and helped shape his Impressionist aesthetic. Hassam next visited the Midwest in 1890, when he traveled to Chicago for the World’s Columbian Exposition - an important international exhibition. While there, he painted several views of Chicago and its fairgrounds, including his renowned painting The Flag Parade, Chicago . In 1904, Hassam traveled to St. Louis for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, another significant international exhibition. He painted several views of the fairgrounds and city, including his iconic painting St. Louis from the Roof of the Palace of Education . Overall, Hassam’s trips to the Midwest were essential in his development as an artist, providing him with new subject matter and honing his Impressionist technique.

Hassam’s work can be found in major museums throughout America, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. He is considered one of America’s greatest Impressionist painters and a pivotal figure in American art history.

Childe Hassam (1859 - 1935)

Northbend, Nebraska , September 14, 1908

Watercolor and gouache

6 1/4 x 9 in.

Provenance:

The artist, 1908; (Childe Hassam), Mr. Harry G. Salsinger, Detroit, Michigan, by 1925-58; (Mr. Harry G. Salsinger) to his son, Mr. Harry G. Salsinger, Jr., Northville, Michigan, 1958-76; (Mr. Harry G. Salsinger, Jr.) to the estate of Harry G. Salsinger, Jr., 1976; (Mr. Harry G. Salsinger, Jr.) to sale, DuMouchelle Art Galleries, Detroit, Michigan, October 27, 1976; (Du Mouchelle Art Galleries) to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Windorf, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, 1976-82; (Mr. Paul Windorf) to [sale, Stalker & Boos, Birmingham, Michigan, 1982, bought in]; (Stalker & Boos) to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Lay, Sr., Toledo, Ohio, 1982-2010; (Mr. Kenneth Lay) to the estate of Kenneth J. Lay, Sr.

This intimate watercolor and gouache piece departs from Hassam’s cityscapes, and instead focuses on North Bend, a small town in Eastern Nebraska. It is possible that Hassam made this work while traveling, as it is made on the back of a page of a Farmer’s Almanac. In addition to his decidedly Impressionistic brushstrokes, Hassam conveys the flatness of the landscape before him by using subtle shading and flat stacks of color for the fields and the sky. Understated, especially when compared to his paintings and watercolors depicting rocky, coastal landscapes, North Bend, Nebraska presents a quaintness. Hassam’s earthy hues of beige, brown and terracotta red, as well as his quick, loopy outlines, make for a wonderful scene that he may have painted from the window of a moving train.

$15,000 - 25,000

John Frederick Peto

(b. 1854, Philadelphia, PA; d. 1907, Island Heights, NJ)

John Frederick Peto was a painter known for his still life paintings of everyday objects such as books, pipes, and bottles. He was born in Philadelphia and began his artistic career as an apprentice to a sign painter. Later, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Thomas Eakins. Peto is associated with the American trompe l’oeil school of painting, which aimed to create highly realistic illusions of three-dimensional objects on a twodimensional surface, such as the artist’s canvas or board. Peto’s paintings often included objects with sentimental or nostalgic value, such as old books, photographs, pipes, pistols, and shoes, which conveyed a sense of the passage of time and the transience of human life.

Peto’s work was not widely recognized during his lifetime, but he has since gained recognition as a significant figure in American still life painting. His paintings are now held in major museums and collections throughout the United States, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Peto was interested in informal, worn-out objects and his color palette contained earthy browns and grays compared to the fuller range other trompe l’oeil painters. His brushwork was looser, and in the majority of his paintings, he used softer light. In addition to more conventional still lives, which presented objects arranged on a surface, he painted letter racks, a popular sub-genre of still life painting that presented written materials, such as newspapers, postcards, and notes, to showcase the painter’s full technical ability to create trompe l’oeil illusions.

Peto’s technical ability is unmistakable: he achieves the illusion of reality successfully even in his darker still life scenes, and the high contrast and directional light bestows his paintings with a powdery appearance. His array of objects appears both nostalgic and timeless, and he expertly conveys diverse textures. His still life set-ups have a subtly photographic quality, which is not surprising given he took up the medium towards the end of his life.

Pipe Tobacco Books

Oil on canvas

6 x 8 3/4 in.

A lovely, small piece by Peto, Pipe, Tobacco and Books is a livelier painting with lighter colors, including warm whites, orange, and green. The delicate tobacco pot with gold leafing provides excellent contrast with the bound books. The burnt matches in the foreground provides an excellent opportunity for Peto to demonstrate his skill as he depicts the texture of the brittle head. The matches also provide an opportunity for storytelling that verges on the cinematic: someone has just been here, smoking and reading.

The painting and the frame are both in excellent condition. The distinctive colors and the range of shadows showcase Peto’s characteristic visual language at its best.

$15,000 - 25,000

Peto (1854 - 1907) Ginger Pot, Cake, Lemons

Featuring an incredible level of detail in such an intimate painting, Ginger Pot, Cake, Lemons perfectly communicates the loveliness of teatime. Peto often looked at objects that held a nostalgic aura, rather than luxurious foods, but this painting is a wonderful exception that retains the emotions the objects and foods might evoke: sentimentality, familiarity, and coziness. Demonstrating a wide range of consistency and texture, from the delineation between the icing and the spongy interior of the cake, to the shiny lemon slice, Peto excels at the challenge.

$12,000 - 18,000

John Frederick Peto (1854 - 1907)

Books and Ink Bottle

Books and Ink Bottle is an intimate, small painting that depicts a bookshelf. The lovely beam of light shining on the right side of the painting exposes the texture of the beautiful, if not slightly worn, pages. The anonymity of the books contributes a mysterious quality to the painting that makes its appeal universal: whether they are the oeuvre of the Brontë sisters or Edgar Allen Poe, the viewer is invited to unleash their imagination.

The painting and frame are both in excellent condition with rich colors and lively sheen. This painting is unique due to the unusually high contrast and dark tonality, which Peto often diffused in most of his other work.

$6,000 - 9,000

Charles Burchfield (b. 1893 Ashtabula, OH; d. 1967, West Seneca, NY)

Edge of the Woods , 1954

Charles Burchfield was an accomplished painter and watеrcolorіst who married rеalіst dеpictions of naturе with wondrous abstract еlеments. Born in Ohio, Burchfіeld studiеd at the Cleveland Instіtutе of Art and later at thе National Acadеmy of Dеsіgn in New York Cіty. Thе artіst’s work often dеpіctеd scеnеs from rural Amеrіca and introduced a sense of mystery to beautіful observations of thе natural world. Hе was particularly drawn to thе changіng seasons and іncluded fauna and flora to еxprеss thе passage of time.

Burchfield oftеn usеd bright, bold colors and exaggerated shapеs and patterns to create a sensе of movemеnt and enеrgy. The artist’s work іs oftеn associatеd with thе Amеrican Scеne Paіntіng movement, whіch sought to capturе the essence of Amеrican lіfе and culturе. Howevеr, hіs paіntings wеre more idіosyncratic and personal than thosе of many other Amеrіcan Scenе paіntеrs: highly individual and oftеn whimsіcal to prеsеrvе thе vеry sеnse of wonder that defines hіs vіsual language. Hіs dеpіctіons of wеathеr and use of lіght are particularly characterіstіc, straddlіng a fragіlе poіnt betwеen rеality and a dream world.

Burchfіeld іmbuеd his landscapes wіth a sеnsе of mystical or spirіtual sіgnificance. Burchfіеld’s paintings also frеquеntly іncludеd handwrittеn notes, which addеd an еxtra layer of meaning and personal еxpressіon to hіs work. In addіtion to his artіstіc accomplishmеnts, Burchfiеld was also an early fіgurе іn the devеlopment of Modernism іn Amеrica, as hіs dеviatіon from naturalіst form presеntеd the vіewer with a unіquе dіrection. Burchfield remaіns an innovativе fіgurе who еxpеrіmеnted wіth subject and form, as well as the painting convеntions of his tіmе.

The monochromatic work, simply titled the Edge of the Woods , has an illustrative quality. Picturing a house and a church in a clearing during the bleak winter months, the work almost has a photographic quality, with the trees forming a frame within the frame. The scraggly branches contribute a playful yet atmospheric element to the somber scene, and the artist’s exacting lines contribute an etchinglike quality. Burchfield’s tonal range is skilled, with deep tones in the shrubs contrasting with the low hills and cloudy sky. The artist was interested in canonical American authors such as David Henry Thoreau and Willa Cather, who would often project complex psychological characteristics unto nature. This is very much reflected in his work. The piece is in excellent condition with light mat stains and demonstrates Burchfield’s characteristic work, which has been rediscovered in the 2000s through retrospectives at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Hammer Museum.

$10,000 - 15,000

Henry Farrer was an American painter and etcher associated with the American PreRaphaelite movement. He was born in London and moved to the United States as a child. Farrer studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and later in Europe, where he became influenced by the work of the PreRaphaelites. Farrer’s paintings were typically of landscapes and seascapes, often featuring the rugged coasts of Maine and Long Island. His work is known for its atmospheric quality and luminous effects of light. Farrer was also a skilled etcher, and his etchings often depicted similar subjects as his paintings.

Farrer was a member of the American Watercolor Society and the Society of American Etchers, and his work was exhibited extensively in the United States and Europe during his lifetime. His paintings and etchings are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.

Farrer’s work was influential in the development of the American Pre-Raphaelite movement, which sought to revive the principles of medieval art and rejected the academic traditions of the time. Farrer’s landscapes, with their detailed realism and attention to light and atmosphere, embodied these ideals and helped to establish a distinct American style. The artist’s work helped popularize the rugged coasts and landscapes of Maine and Long Island, and present them in a new, inspiring light. The rich luminous effects and atmospheric quality was characteristic of his depictions of this geography. Farrer was also a pioneer in the use of color etching, a technique that allowed for greater tonal range and subtlety in his prints.

Henry Farrer (1844 - 1903)

Sunrise

A small, delicate watercolor, Sunrise demonstrates the best qualities of Farrer’s understated landscapes. Even though American PreRaphaelites pushed forward a radical subversion of the painting conventions of the time, the common qualities of their visual language were often subtle and keenly focused on naturalism. Sunrise is no exception: the painting captures the moment before the sun appears on the horizon, its red glow emerging from among the parting clouds. Farrer’s skill as a watercolorist allows for this exceptional work to take on a solemn quality: his colors are dense, with dynamic ranges in dark greens and browns. The reflection of the sky on the lake carefully recreates the dewy, fresh moments of early morning, but stops short of a truly dramatic depiction. The influence of author John Ruskin, who recommended that readers and artists alike “go to nature,” is evident in the work. As many Pre-Raphaelites favored inserting allegory in their landscapes, this painting can be interpreted as rebirth and hope for a new day.

Henry Farrer (1844 - 1903)

Sunset

A lovely pair with Sunrise, Sunset presents the moment after the sun has dipped below the horizon in a slightly deeper color scheme. The bend in the river catches the richest red-pink hue, while the clouds range from this bold color to gray. In line with the Pre-Raphaelites’ careful naturalistic style, the watercolor allows the viewer to feel immersed deeply in the landscape, centering the beauty of the scene rather than its overt symbolism. Sunrise and Sunset depict two scenes with subtle differences, and the muted colors help unify them elegantly. Farrer’s attention to detail is evident in the rendering of the countryside, as his brushstrokes on the leaves, smaller shrubs, and clouds help introduce the wide variety of textures found in a scene such as this. Reminiscent of New England landscapes in spring and early summer, the cooling scene successfully evokes a tender moment between the viewer and their beautiful surroundings. The watercolor is in excellent condition with lively, well-preserved color and contrast.

The watercolor is in excellent condition with lively, well-preserved color and contrast.

John William Hill was an American artist born in London, who moved to Philadelphia with his family as a child. The son of an engraver, John William Hill was a prolific technical illustrator who began to paint landscapes and still lives after joining the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Working across watercolor and several printmaking techniques, Hill began exhibiting his work as a young man in New York. He is best known for understated technique and his focus on objective realism, borne from some of the skills he acquired as a geological surveyor for the state of New York. Hill indeed has a keen eye for accuracy rather than for romanticism, which allows for the natural beauty of his subjects to come alive through his technical prowess.

Many of John William Hill’s works employ the hatch and spittle technique, often seen in miniatures. For this, the artist uses numerous subtle brushstrokes to build gradients up or down, thus attaining the undramatic, objective nature in his work that made it appear photographic and suppressed the brushstrokes. The artist would work outdoors under natural daylight. Hill became an ardent supporter of the Pre-Raphaelites after discovering John Ruskin’s Modern Painters in the 1850s, and in 1863, he co-founded the Society of Advancement of Truth in Art. Hill’s works are in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the Amon Carter Museum, Fogg Museum at Harvard University, the National Gallery of Art, the Hudson River Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York.

John William Hill (1812 - 1879)

Landscape

This extraordinarily intimate depiction of a tree pictured in fall is an unusual work for Hill, who favors rectangular compositions. The arched top gives the work the quality of a beautiful vignette, and the deep tonality of the oil is a lovely departure from Hill’s muted greens and yellows. The background depicts a line of trees in rich fall colors, placing the red-brown hues in contrast with the lone green tree in the foreground.

This work is in excellent condition with rich colors and texture.

$800 - 1,200

Watercolor on paper 11 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.

Croton-on-Hudson is one of the most scenic points on the Hudson River, and was unincorporated at the time Hill made this painting. The winding banks of the Hudson and the hills that rise straight from the water make for a majestic view that is balanced by Hill’s muted yet nuanced colors. Hill chooses to contrast the lush green foliage on the foreground with the purple-brown mountains in the back, meanwhile delineating these areas with expert depiction of textures. The inlet’s calm waters provide an opportunity for Hill to demonstrate his technical skill in depicting a glassy reflection of the sky.

$2,000 - 3,000

John William Hill (1812 - 1879)

Landscape by a Lake

This delicate landscape is an oil on paper mounted on board. Measuring a little larger than the palm of a hand, the colors and detailing demonstrates John William Hill’s mastery of the medium in painting, as he is able to include so many visual elements in such a small composition. The high point of the painting is the rock hill on the left, as the softly descending curve of the landscape leads the viewer’s eye throughout the work. The yellow overtones evoke farmland and prairies, which is an unusual topic for Hill, who most frequently depicted the taller, denser forests of Northeast United States. The painting is in great condition with lively, dense colors and intact mounting.

$800 - 1,200

John William Hill (1812 - 1879)

Spray of Apple Blossoms

Prior to devoting his career to depicting nature through landscapes, John William Hill was an avid technical illustrator and made zoological and botanical drawings noted for their accuracy. Spray of Apple Blossoms is no exception: Hill focuses on a lovely view of the flowers of an apple tree from an unusual angle. The detail in the individual petals, juxtaposed against the beautiful blue sky, makes for a truly special piece. John William Hill was noted for his virtuosity in subtle brush strokes, as evident in this work – the oftromanticized, gradiented textures of traditional watercolor painting are quite undetectable in this piece. Instead, Hill presents the viewer with exacting realism that brings the details of the plant alive.

$2,000 - 3,000

Esopus Near Shokan

Picturing the Esopus Creek near the town of Shokan in the Hudson Valley, this intimate watercolor depicts an idyllic boathouse and yellow-green trees. Hill’s exploration of the relationship between man and the environment through the lens of objective but emotional storytelling is evident in this work: the nature is its own character in the painting. With lively, unmuted colors, the watercolor is in good condition with minor mat stains. The work was recorded in a 1917 catalogue of John William Hill’s work at the West Nyack Art Gallery in New York, where the artist spent his final years before his passing.

$2,500 - 3,500

John

William Hill (1812 - 1879)

Sketch for the Brook

A quiet, muted sketch of a brook and the surrounding landscape, most likely located in New England or New York, this piece demonstrates Hill’s dedication to the Pre-Raphaelites. The artist’s lines are understated and delivers a straightforward yet warm look at the banks of the brook. Most likely made for a painting, the sketch makes expert use of perspective as the water moves into the curvy banks.

The piece is in good condition with minor creases and mat stains, as well as slight discoloration in the center-left.

$1,200 - 1,800

John William Hill (1812 - 1879)

White Mountains, New Hampshire (Landscape with Grazing Sheep) , 1864

One of the larger pieces on offer, Landscape with Grazing Sheep is a lovely view of a high plain near the peak of White Mountains in New Hampshire. Hill creates a winding leading line that takes the viewer straight to the peak of the mountain in the middle of the composition. The human presence, indicated through grazing sheep, points to Hill’s interest in exploring the relationship between man and the environment, while the even lighting allows for a lovely color scheme evocative of early spring. The lone tree to the right, present in many of Hill’s landscapes, balances the horizontal elements. This work demonstrates many elements of Hill’s visual language, from the focus on the

John William Hill (1812 - 1879)

Below the Palisades, 1867

The palisades on the Hudson River was a fascinating subject for John William Hill, and the featured them in his landscapes several times. Most notably, a view of the palisades across the Hudson River can be seen in his 1870 watercolor and gouache, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Below the Palisades , much like Hill’s other landscapes, employs a continuous horizon line that allows the viewer access to the entire landscape before Hill. The lone tree balances the flat composition of the well-toned hills rising from the banks of the Hudson River. This work is one of the best examples of Hill’s landscapes, with subtle brushstrokes that gives the objective presentation of nature, to an almost-photographic sense of realism. The piece is in excellent condition with light mat stains.

$2,000 - 3,000 landscape a flowing yet realistic quality. It is in excellent condition.

$2,000 - 3,000

John Henry Hill (b. 1839, West Nyack, NY; d. 1922)

Son of watercolorist and printmaker

John William Hill, John Henry Hill was born and lived all his life in West Nyack, New York. Belonging to the PreRaphaelite School like his father, John Henry Hill was deeply inspired by John Ruskin and David Johnson, and made paintings, watercolors and engravings that embraced a realistic yet emotional style. He focused closely on the landscapes of New York and his subject matter aligned with the Hudson River School and White Mountain art, the general name of a movement that over 400 painters living and making work in the White Mountains of New Hampshire belonged to.

In addition to watercolors of landscapes and zoological specimens, Hill also made drawings and graphites, contributing monochromatic depictions of the beautiful vistas around his home. Hill exhibited his work in galleries and art clubs in New York and Boston, and his works are in the collections of the New York Public Library, the National Gallery of Art, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

John Henry Hill (1839 - 1922)

Geraniums

An example of John Henry Hill’s masterful technical illustration, Geraniums pictures the popular garden flower in full bloom. Scaled to life-size, the piece serves as a vignette with rich reds in the middle and green leaves wrapped around the flower as background. Hill pays attention to the differing textures within the single plant: from the buds to the petals and the leaves, the artist carefully depicts realistic properties while retaining the fresh beauty of his subject. The piece is in great condition with minimal fading and mat stain around the edge.

$1,500 - 2,500

John Henry Hill (1839 - 1922)

Red and White Flowers

Watercolor on paper

3 1/4 x 3 x 1/4 in.

Provenance:

Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, 1982; to George Ablah, Wichita, Kansas, 1982-84; to the Lay Family.

Much like Geraniums , John Henry Hill’s Red and White Flowers offer a vignette that resembles the botanical illustration of its subject. The small watercolor packs admirable detail in the life-size depiction of the flower, with the white and red complementing each other beautifully. John Henry Hill was known for his excellent botanical and zoological illustrations, and a watercolor he made of a bird lying on the grass is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

The watercolor is in good condition with lively colors and slight yellowing.

$800 - 1,200

John Henry Hill (1839 - 1922)

View of the Hudson River

Steel engraving

10 1/4 x 13 3/4 in.

A steel engraving made after the artist’s father John William Hill’s watercolor Croton on Hudson , also on offer in this auction, the piece depicts the site of the then-unincorporated village of Croton-on-Hudson, at one of the most scenic points in the Hudson Valley. John Henry Hill demonstrates his mastery of the engraving medium by contributing nuance and tonality to the monochromatic piece. The lovely gradient of light in the water as the inlet opens up to the river is beautifully executed and grabs the viewer’s attention almost immediately. The engraving is in good condition with slight creases along the edges of the paper and mat stains.

$300 - 500

The picnic depicts a light-hearted commune with nature, as the figures and dog in the center are beautifully surrounded by the tall trees. Hill’s expert delivery of tonality and contrast through gray-brown pencil and his gouache touches make the piece a compelling, detailed moment from daily life of the place and time. Hill includes small but crucial details in the work that provides valuable context for the viewer, such as the women’s dress and caps.

The piece is in good condition with light mat stains and subtle fading.

$3,000 - 5,000