Featured Miniature 19th Century Oil on Board Signature ID Help

Hello all,

I recently purchased a neat miniature 19th century oil on board painting of a European coastal town, framed behind glass. The signature appears to be the letters "E G". The handwriting appears to be fairly distinctive and the painting detail is IMO pretty incredible. Probably reframed sometime in the 20th century. Do you have thoughts on the artist? If worthwhile, I will reglaze with museum glass.

Thank you in advance!

Only 6-3/4" x 4-3/4" sight size. The white specs are probably dust behind the glass and are not normally visible.


Including Frame:


Verso:

 

Possibly Montreux on Lake Geneva with Chillon beyond the town. Sorry can't track down the artist - maybe the work of a talented hobbyist.

 

Quick question, why put oil on board under glass?

 

some folks think it protects it that way....

 

Hubert Sattler apparently worked under the pseudonym "E. Grossen". He also apparently painted this very similar view of Montreux:



View Of Montreux by Hubert Sattler - Oil Painting Reproduction (brushwiz.com)

Coincidence?

Hubert Sattler (painter) - Wikipedia

P.S. An "E. Grossen" on Ebay.



E Grossen Oil Painting on Canvas 4 3/4" x 3" AKA Hubert Sattler 1817-1904 artist | eBay

One on Worthpoint:

ANTIQUE GROSSEN, E./HUBERT SATTLER PAINTING, 1817-1904 AUSTRIA ***NO RESERVE*** | #1721623137 (worthpoint.com)

Also the glass appears to have kept this painting clean at least.

 

Kudos for the detective work. However imo the artwork on your painting simply isn't strong enough to be by Hubert Sattler.

 

Off topic: After reading this thread I now have an earworm and have to go listen to Smoke on the Water, LOL. I had forgotten that song existed.
Beautiful pretty painting by the way!

 

Thank you for your help.

I may well be completely wrong as I'm no art historian, however it appears Mr. Sattler's paintings varied widely in quality. He also painted prolifically. There also seem to be strong similarities in the mountains and ships (which almost look like birds).

Many examples of his works:

Hubert Sattler | Landscape painter | Tutt'Art@ | Pittura • Scultura • Poesia • Musica (tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com)

Here is one that appears more "crudely-painted":



Do you know if Sattler had many followers around the time he was painting? I will keep you guys posted if I do reglaze the painting. There might be clues under the dust cover.

 

Something funky here. I suspect yours is a decorative painting and not terribly old. Just my opinion, of course, but to my eye falls in the "maximum effect for minimum effort" school. Certainly doesn't look like an observed scene. And what are these two wearing? Not traditional regional clothing or period dress. The signature E.G. looks, again to my eye, to be simulating a period hand.

Debora

 

What were you told about it when you bought it?

Debora

 

Just that it was signed by "EP". No other representations (don't think seller dove into it much). I bought it in a lot of 4 paintings, 3 of which are certainly older.

I can definitely pop off the back and see what I find. It could be a "factory job" or newish tourist piece. Perhaps even from Montreux?

I read that Sattler painted miniatures and exhibited fairly widely. Could it have been a "rush work" for a customer?

P.S. I assumed the travelers were monks wearing traditional dress? Need more research on dress from the 19th century. Costumes of the spiritual orders. 10th to 18th century. (world4.eu)

 

Doesn't look remotely like Satter's work. He painted architecture with great precision. To quote wikipedia.org: "His work is characterised by a high level of detail..." Compare this to yours. And look at the period-appropriate palette he used. JMHO, but I think your painting is decorative but in the style of Satter. Why don't you open it up and see what you find?

Debora

 

After removing the dust cover, IMO it appears that the painting was mounted and framed sometime between ~1920 and WWII. Research indicates that the black tape was an early form of pressure sensitive tape (perhaps for knob and tube electrical wiring). The distance between the edge of the mount and aperture is 1-1/2".

The aperture is about 3/8" narrower and shorter than the thick academy/ millboard. Also doesn't appear to be centered in the window. Further, the corners of the board appear to be somewhat worn and the board appears darker than the other materials. There are no staples anywhere in the framing.

At some point the black tape started to fail and the paper tape was added over it.

IMO either this was a British prewar Sattler imitation or the painting board is older but was framed/mounted in the early 20th century. Regardless, it appears to be in fantastic condition. What are your thoughts? Thanks a bunch!

Front without glazing (white specs are the varnish):


Verso without cover:


Mount removed. Notice the old rusty eye hook:


Verso close (definitely an acidic mount):

 

Ditto.
The region of Vaud, where Montreux is, has a fairly generic European regional costume, with the exception of an unusually shaped but pretty straw hat:

Monks did not wear red or blue, nor did they have yellow or gold decorations in their hair.