catalog text
"RIVER LANDSCAPE" BY EDMUND DARCH LEWIS (AMERICAN, 1835-1910)
Signed lower right "Edmund D. Lewis", apparently dated 1882 or 1883
Item # 902XGP13Q
This substantial moving work is captured in the golden hours of the late day, the soft glow in the clouds is amplified as the rays of the sun reach lower into the frame. The stone house has a certain brilliance as the sun hits the hard surfaces with shades of yellow, orange and red. The landscape appears at first to be depicting a lake, as the stillness of the water momentarily confuses the eye, but the frothiness of the waters in the distance betray this as a river that slows as it rounds the bend into a peaceful body.
Meandering the worn path along the left side of the waters, a woman in red can be seen beside the tree-line gazing towards the house. Cattle wander the grasses around the house under scattered trees.
There is an exploration of color and luminance in the scene that is riveting, made only more dramatic by the sheer size of the work. While it is certainly a large work for Lewis, this is not an uncommon size for him to paint in and they remain in high demand, regularly bringing well into the five-figures on the auction market. His 30" x 50" "Santiago de Cuba" brought $ 92,500 (Christies, New York, May 22 2012, lot 37), while his view of "Newport Harbor, Twilight" of the same size brought $ 50,000 (Christies, New York, September 29 2009, lot 113). "In the Valley", measuring 39 1/2" x 62", brought $ 21,150 (Christies, New York, October 4 2000, lot 33) while a much smaller "View of Cuba" measuring 22" x 36" sold for $ 21,500 (Heritage Auctions, Texas, November 8 2011).
The work is housed in an exceptional carved giltwood frame with a complicated display of repeating acorns and oak leaves over a chaotic cove border of relief acanthus and foliage separated from an embossed flower and vine band by a string of beaded relief. This fine investment grade work is a powerful example of Lewis's late landscape work.
Literature & Further Reading:
- E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, vol. VIII, Gründ, 2006, p. 954-55
- Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers, Opitz, p. 565
Measurements: 62 1/4" W x 42 1/2" H x 5 3/4" D [frame]; 50 1/8" W x 29 7/8" H [canvas]
Condition Report:
Cleaned and lined. Old restorations visible under UV, including a 4" repaired tear lower-left (beside the walking path), possible spots of inpainting to tree beside house, touch ups to the house and edge of shoreline, specks in the water. Small chip losses to paint in lower left corner along with some associated inpainting/restoration. Early frame in excellent condition, though naturally with cracking and some gilt losses/chips.