Featured Initials on drawing

Wanting to make sure this isn't anything fancy before I move it on down the line.

Image measures 18" x 24" (though the paper was folded to those dimensions) and was in a cheap frame with a cheap matte.

Watermark on the paper says C.M. Fabriano (Italy)

Found at a flea market in Portland, Oregon

Thanks for any comments!

 

It's a charcoal sketch of whatever the Italians call cowbows - unless it's a preliminary for Fistful of Dollars. ????

 

I'll stick my neck out Andy and say I don't see much in it. That said-it's always good to separate personal appeal from potential financial reward in a piece of art.
It could be a valuable piece of 'outsider',naive or sophisticated primitive Hispanic (Mexicanidad), that I just don't understand.
PS- Here's a term new to me- 'Mexicayotl'.
Mexicayotl-(Nahuatl word meaning "Essence of the Mexican", "Mexicanity"; Spanish: Mexicanidad; see -yotl) is a movement that aims to revive the Indigenous religion, philosophy and traditions of ancient Mexico (Aztec religion and Aztec philosophy) among the Mexican people.

 

In choosing not to go down a rabbit hole today. But, you can expand and verify what AI came up with on the paper ... https://www.google.com/search?q=Wat...h=3&csuir=1&cs=0&mtid=4CzVaoP-KbXikPIPotXJ8QQ

 

I was just commenting (a guess/gut reaction/1st impression) to the actual draftsmanship/skill of the drawing. Pott's got great instincts artwise.
Many of the great Hispanic artists of the 20th cent went for a more primitive pre-(Spanish) conquest style.

 

Hey thanks @bosko69. I don't think it's a 'final draft' piece. Maybe it's a study for something else. It caught my attention because it seemed to me to be capably and confidently done (someone who knows how to draw) and it was cheap.

The quality paper, as @Roaring20s / AI's assessments note, is more evidence of a serious artist.

But in the end I'll probably try to improve the framing and then, if I can't identify the initials, sell it on downstream to the next person who's interested.

 

Art imho is the best thing to gamble on-the returns can be surreal-worth grabbing.
***Just noticed the figure on the far left seems to have a bullet hole in his hat and a skull-like face, are these cowboys gambling with Death ?

 

Interesting thought! That would change the composition!

I thought it was probably just an over-shaded / pronounced indentation on the hat. I did notice it, but I like your idea better!

 

I read the signature as "G. Fry." And that's not "outsider" art. The artist was using expensive drawing paper. And he nailed the perspective without even trying.

Debora

 

Ditto.

Exactly. G. Fry is a trained artist imo.
And I don't see anything Italian or Hispanic about the group of men. One of them seems to be wearing trousers with a fringe, another wears high boots with laces. Maybe Native American?

 

Thanks for the assessment @Debora. Appreciate your opinion as always.

That thought crossed my mind too. Thanks AJ.

Thanks! I'll let you know what I find.

 

Looks like there's a Loren G Fry (1935-2016) who made lots of cowboy / ranching art. He had a background as an advertising illustrator, which I think there's evidence of in my piece.

Not sure if the signature matches, though.