Featured 1911 Espar Lair Watkins Landscape Painting

I purchased this painting at a local consignment shop about 4-5 years ago. It was very reasonable considering it appears to have been to a conservator for cleaning, varnishing and reframing. I think I would have chosen a less glossy varnish. I have been able to find 1 other painting by her and some other biographical information. I think it is kind of cool that she painted this when she was 18-19 and that she could have studied with Birger Sandzen. The information on back is interesting, I did not run across the part about Bethany college anywhere on the net. The other stuff you could easily put together using genealogy resources. It would be nice to find out if she continued to paint throughout her life. The painting looks like it might have been at a gallery, there was a 4 digit number penciled in the upper left corner on the back, no label though. I kind of wonder if someone was trying the Birger Sandzen angle to boost the value.

 

Nice use of color.

 

It is a lovely painting but I did think immediately someone might have cleaned it a little TOO much.

 

It would benefit from the original frame.

Debora

 

Agreed.

 

I think you are right, I have a period frame that would work.

 

Simple, simple. Light wood.

Debora

 

Thanks, different than what I had pictured. I researched mission/craftsman/prairie style frames, better fit than what I have.