Description:

AMERICAN SCHOOL OIL ON PANEL SIGNED WHISTLER

Oil on panel, sgraffito signature lower right, late 19th- early 20th century.
Framed in a period appropriate 'step' layered giltwood frame. The panels reverse having a newspaper clipping from Buffalo Evening News, May 18, 1912 titled Found Genuine Whistler sighting a Mr. Raphael Beck purchasing the work from the "Graham's sale" sighting the gallerist whose studio Whistler frequented.
Sarah B. Cunningham of Walker-Cunningham Fine Art notes, "This small oil of a tropical or Mediterranean view on panel bears a nearly illegible signature "Whistler" at lower right. Whistler did not sign any work "Whistler" after about 1860 when he began using his initials and then butterfly cipher. We know that Whistler painted in South of France -Corsica - and was there in 1901 convalescing. But well before 1901, he was signing work with the butterfly cipher exclusively. If we assume the panel comes from the Estate of William Graham (American artist, 1841-1910) as purchased by Raphael Beck (artist/dealer, Buffalo in January 1912), I suspect the work to be by the hand of William Graham OR his associated colleagues - possibly mentor Charles Caryl Coleman who had a Villa on Capri (Villa Narcissus) and with whom William Graham stayed on Capri. Another possible author is Elihu Vedder (also associated with Coleman and Capri) who was friends with William Graham. The scene in this small oil appears to be a Mediterranean landscape -- somewhat reminiscent of the Capri "Villa Jovis" ruins. There is no listing for this painting in the Whistler Catalogue Raisonne. There are listings in the Catalogue Raisonne of works owned by a William Graham -but likely another- William Graham (Scottish, 1817-1885) who was a patron of Whistler's and owned one of his famous nocturnes among others....." Board 7.75"h. 5.6"w. Frame 10.3"h. 8.25"w.

  • Condition: The painting appears to be in good overall condition. But when put under a black light there is an area of in-painting apparent between the lower left two bushes in the grassy area, again-between those two bushes with a couple other small spots in that small bush at the center of the painting. Nothing shows up in the upper portion of the painting or anywhere near the signature.

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June 20, 2020 10:00 AM CDT
St. Louis, MO, US

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