This is a long shot - can anyone decipher the signature?

I have had this painting for over 15 years. I took it out of my display cabinet this morning and figured I would ask this group if they recognized the artist. It is signed on the front lower left John ?. Also signed verso on the cardboard back and dated 1921. It is oil on board with the board measuring approx. 10.87 x 13.87 inches which would lead me to believe it is not American artist but I could be wrong. Thanks for looking.

 

John Master?

 

The signature inverted first:

And then NOT inverted below....I'm not sure I see John, but that's just ME!!

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I now see Gorm, as in Gorm the Old, a Medieval Danish king.

 

Now I am not seeing John either!!!! Holy moly....

 

I wonder if it could be the paint not making it look like John. The incised signature on the back is John.

 

You are looking at it in 3D, but it is difficult to make out on the photo. I think we need our master tweaker @Aquitaine to work her magic on the incised signature.

 

And just to THOROUGHLY cornfuse all of us!!! I tried several different things, but they all came out very similar......and I don't think very helpful....


I will add that I didn't see that SECOND "S" in the slanted back view that Laura posted until AFTER I just posted this....now I see it's minimally present even in mine...........!!​

 

the red in the photograph is cinnamon....I was trying to lift the signature a bit more for photography. I wonder if I should go back over it again.

 

I believe the last name is "Leaston". Does anyone else see the impression of an "O" between the "T" and "N"? Laura, do you have any info on the provenance?

My vote's on "John X Leaston". The "N" in the first name looks similar to the "N" in the last name to me. Sadly, we may never know more about the artist even if we nail down the name. There were numerous "semi pro" painters even back then. Doesn't mean the painting isn't wonderful!

Here's some fascinating history on antique artists' millboards/academy boards: JAIC 1999, Volume 38, Number 1, Article 3 (pp. 21 to 32) (culturalheritage.org) Might be enough to determine if the academy board is likely from the US or Europe.

 

Good morning Techbiker. I do see that impression of the O now that you mention it. There is zero provenance. I picked it up at a antique consignment store years ago. I loved it....don't know why.

 

It's possible the name on the back is the owner and not the artist. I see John X L... could be Leaston could be Lewston. The name on the front is very iffy for the same name.