Exquisitely crafted 19th century oil painting on stretched linen canvas. Unique among those we've bought and offered over the years, in that it combines the Nature Morte genre with a distinctive Impressionist style. An exceptional result, I think. Signed by the artist, lower left corner of the canvas but impossible to make out for certain. I think it is "M. Supplin" but I can't find info on an artist by that name so I am probably wrong. It's such a fine painting, I feel certain I should be able to locate the artist if I could only read that signature right. We have shown it for your review. But the painting is a beautiful rendition of a popular 19th century theme known as "nature morte", a still life which usually had birds, animals, sea creatures or fish and sometimes kitchen tools. The genre has more to do with a sort of prayer for the bounty of a meal to be prepared than it does to do with dead things. Normally it's that which will be prepped for the evening meal, and often a pan and some vegetables complete the scene. Seems a little odd, perhaps, but they were almost always hung by strings, almost a Trompe l'oeil type of still life set up. This one is exceptional in both condition and beauty, and the frame is as nice as the painting. That's unusual too for the old frames that are stucco on wood. This is a very heavy old solid wood frame. Both frame and painting present in fine form. We'll make sure they get to our buyer in that same beautiful undamaged manner.
Good to very good condition throughout. The painting is stunningly beautiful in composition and palette and has the feel of an Impressionist painting. Three have been some losses on this painting surface and some restorations have been undertaken, much to the good. It shows well, but is not perfect. The frame is rather simple, hand carved, and it has a few wood worm holes. Please review. You might wish to have the frame replaced but this is the original as it was chosen by the artist. The painting is on what I believe to be the original stretcher frame and that measures 16" x 13". Outer frame measurement is 20.25" x 17.25" and it is 7/8" in depth, an intimate size and invites the viewer's close inspection. Dating from the canvas, it would be mid- late 1800s.
