Cotswold House Antiques

Description

A Highly Interesting Early - Mid 20th Century Painting.

A very striking and characterful piece depicting a steam locomotive passing a deserted station and set against the backdrop of numerous buildings.

This is clearly the work of a very skilled hand, adept at creating charming and interesting compositions.

It is unsigned and the artist is unknown, to me at least.

The painting has a matt, chalky appearance and has been executed either in oil or gouache onto canvas that has been wrapped around a panel. I'm dating it to no later than the end of the 1950's and it could be British or perhaps American in origin.

This painting has a fantastic, naive or primitive quality but it's not without a certain sophistication. The buildings in particular, although pared down to their basic elements are rather dramatic what with their silhouetted windows and curious, flattened sense of perspective.

Against these flat planes of matt pastel hues, the tiniest of details have been picked out - the wooden picket fencing, a swan-neck street lamp, drainage and industrial pipework (together with their wire-like steel supports).

No people are present, indeed the town looks curiously abandoned.

The style of this work is somewhat in the manner of artists such as Kenneth Rowntree, Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious and their followers.

There is a precision and sophistication about this painting which leads me to think that it is by a very good hand.

Approx 38.5 x 25 cms. It is not perfectly square.

Condition -

Slightly weathered with some chipping and marking to the edges, as clearly shown. There are a few marks a surface scratches, including one which is slightly more significant to the lower right.

Currently unframed but will be mounted sympathetically into a simple box frame shortly.



Email or call for any further information on this item. We give great attention to each and every item we select and offer for sale, priding ourselves on the accuracy of our descriptions and research. We are very happy to provide complete and exacting condition reports (together with further photographs, where necessary) and encourage buyers to request this information prior to purchase.

Accepted payment methods are via paypal, bank transfer, personal cheque or cash.

Viewing of any item in person, prior to purchase, is always welcomed by appointment.