Purchased a few years ago at an antique store in a small South Texas town, this painting, curiously, show two signatures. The first is a finely penned “Gen. Morton,” the second is a hard to decipher name, written in child-like letters which seems to read, “M. Roco.” It’s difficult to imagine that two people worked on this painting. Similarly, it shows no signs of having been over-painted or repainted and is in relatively the same condition as it was the day it was completed.
Dating to the late Nineteenth Century, this painting shows evidence of the Aesthetic movement with its reliance on natural themes; simplified fluid forms; Asian influence and bold use of greens and blues against a more neutral background. Here, we see nature reduced to its most graceful planes and lines. Painted with a delicate hand, the work almost appears—at first glance—to be watercolor. However, closer inspection reveals that it is thinly diluted oil paint on board. The painting’s long shape also is a hallmark of the Aesthetic movement—a period during which the shapes and sizes of paintings varied greatly in order to best represent the subject.
1 comment:
Here's my suggestion as to the two signatures. What if "Gen. Morton" was the original owner of the picture, which was (at a later date) given to a child "M. Roco"? It's a restful and beautiful picture, the sort that might have been hung on a child's wall. Children often like to write/sign their name on their possessions - I have a few books from my own childhood that still have my name written inside by myself at age 8 or 9.
Also: In the composition, there's also a hint of 'homage to Giorgione', a Renassiance artist who predated Rapheal and Leonardo. One of Giorgione's most famous surviving paintings is sometimes called "Concert" and features two finely dressed men (one with flute, one with lute) and two women in a landscape. Giorgione orginally showed the women clothed, a rival 'painted those out' after Giorgione's death. The background of "Concert" features a truly visionary landscape including (amongst other things) trees very similar to the ones in this painting.
Giorgoine's few surviving paintings (including "Concert") show he set the artistic standard for the future - he pioneered the styles and subjects which became staples of Renassiance art. He was an inspiring artist, his works still fascinate. There was a particular revival of interest in his art during the Aesthetic period. So - the artist of this work may well have been influnced by him.
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