A print titled, “LE DEPART D’UNE FIORE” on heavy paper with the colors brown blue red/pink and black on white paper. Sometimes I find it difficult to determine if the colors have been applied to a single plate or if the print has been made with a separate plate for each color. This print feels as if it was printed with more than one plate because of the mixing of colors in some places and the clean separation in others...

Painting of two children hugging tenderly, 24" by 20", unframed, signed at upper left by the noted Brazil-California 20th century artist OZZ FRANCA (1928-1991). Franca is perhaps best known for his paintings of Native American women, and "Big Eye" children, but he also painted a wide range of other subject matter. The Askart listing says he painted, among other subjects, fantasy, dreams/mystery, female figure, still life, cityscapes, seascapes, and pure abstraction...

Oil on canvas contemporary painting of a young woman in a sundress and stylish sun hat, on the deck of a ship, not signed. The work, 19 3/4" by 19 3/4", is unframed and unsigned. Condition is excellent overall, though I note two very light scuffs at right to the left of the lifesaver ring. A cute whimsical work for your wall.

A watercolor on paper of a castle on the water with a boat and three women walking on the shingle in the foreground, a row boat on the water and the castle in the distance against the sky. John Varley (1778-1842) was an English watercolorist who painted a large quantity of small watercolors including other versions of Conway castle. There are numerous other watercolors that are attributed to him, but probably not by him...

Oil on canvas painting, unframed, 24" by 18", titled on stretcher in artist's hand "TAKING IN THE SIGHTS ON ROMANTIC CHURCH STREET, CHARLESTON", and signed at lower left by the late San Diego county artist and poet NATALIE REED. Reed was a familiar name in the arts community in the San Diego area, creating paintings and sculptures and even murals in large scale for public buildings, including a work for the Federal Building in downtown San Francisco...

This is a small Balinese watercolour painting by local painter, signed Widana, from Kelating, size 13 inches by 8.5 inches, scenery of lady farmers in the padi field working together. Condition not perfect as there are grease, tear at corner and stains. Thank you for looking Ship worldwide at USD8 using SAL

A wood engraving, late 19th century, titled at bottom center "The Yosemite Valley, California", the image a breathtaking panorama of the waterfalls and sheer cliffs of the world-renowned natural wonder, set off by foreground trees and rocky ledges. Although the vintage print is perhaps not an actual Harper's Weekly work, it is in that vein and style. Not examined out of the frame, which is an attractive dark distressed burl wood or quality wood simulation...

Pastel on paper on board, of grapes and an apple on the ground, 11 7/8" by 9 3/4" and a simple narrow frame, unsigned, but very likely by noted mid 19th century American artist JOHN S. BOWER, known today primarily for his very distinctive studies of fruit in a landscape. See my shop for several other works by this artist, some of which are signed. A number of works by him have passed through the Skinner auction house in Boston over the years, placed in Americana and folk art sales...

**PAIR** of watercolors on paper of African American musicians in the famous New Orleans French Quarter jazz spot known as Preservation Hall. Each painting is on a sheet of heavy watercolor paper measuring 15" by 11" (21 1/2" by 16 1/2" as framed), both signed but I am unable to decipher the signature----looks something like "Tortelli" but that is a wild guess. These are possibly paintings for the tourist trade but there is a monumentality to the work that goes beyond tourist art...

Crayon on paper drawing of red tulips in a glass vase, 14 3/4" by 10 3/4" (18 1/2" by 14" in simple wood strip frame), signed at lower right with monogram or conjoined initials, and dated there 4-5-83. Something about the work reminds of David Hockney, but this artist is unidentified. I believe it is of European origin but cannot be certain of that. There is some writing in pencil on the reverse, possibly in a foreign language, but it is hard to decipher...

Contemporary oil on canvas painting of the desert, 9" by 12" (15" by 18" in gold frame with linen liner), painted in an impressionist hand with the skilled use of various beautiful shades of blue, signed at lower right and dated there 1994 by contemporary artist RUTH OSEID JOHNSON, an oil painter and printmaker with Minnesota roots who spent years living and working in California and Arizona. In her work, she focuses on the effects of light in interior settings and in landscapes...

Etching on paper, 11 3/4" by 13 1/2" as simply framed, the scene silhouetted ships in the harbor, the rising sun and new day ahead suggested by etched lines in the sky, pencil titled at margin "Dawn Portland Harbor" and signed at lower right and dated there 1915. The artist, Massachusetts-born PHILIP LITTLE (1857-1942) was a highly regarded impressionist American painter and etcher, an artist who had a truly American vision as he was not educated in Europe...

Oil on canvas, 13" by 16" (17" by 20" as framed), the subject a glass compote filled with purple plums, the base surrounded by clusters of white and red currants, signed at lower left with a signature that appears to be "Bielard", "Bichard", or "Beclard" or possibly "Bulard". I don't see a listing for any such name but the artist was talented. I'd guess the age as circa 1920 to 1930's or so, judging from the technique, materials etc...

An oil on canvasboard painting, the subject a tawny western American landscape populated by four cowboys and six horses, signed at lower left by contemporary artist Richard Harris. I do not see a listing for an artist by this name but obviously, he was talented, seeing as that he captured so beautifully the horses-- a notoriously difficult subject to paint well. The work reminds a bit of that of listed California artists Bill Bender and James Colt...

A nicely painted oil on canvas of flowers in a vase, 20" by 16" (22" by 18" in original frame), signed at lower right by Canadian-born, California impressionist artist GEORGIA P(ERKINS) FOSTER (1881-1965). On the reverse is the original label of the Oakland Art Gallery, giving the artist's name and address in Berkeley, and the title, "Marigolds"...

A well-drawn pencil scene of the French coast of western Brittany, titled on reverse "Pecheurs a Douarnenez", signed at lower right by living French artist BRUNO DU TERTRE D'ELMARCQ. Douarnenez is one of the scenic towns much favored by artists since the 19th century. When I first saw this work I was reminded of the beach scenes of Eugene Boudin, the famed late 19th century French artist. The tiny figures, sails, and poetry all remind of that French master. Indeed I would have been unable to...

Antique, circa 1850 watercolor of a coastal scene in the British Isles, signed somewhat illegibly at lower right with what might be "Johnson", "Imson", or similar. The watercolor measures 10 3/4" by 16 1/2" inside the mat and 18 1/2" by 23 1/2" in nondescript modern frame (not pictured). The scene includes a number of figures going about their humble activities, a fisherman at right with his pots and nets, a lad carrying a load at left center, a figure mounted on horseback at left, and other t...

A modern unsigned painting, likely acrylic, the complex surface obviously worked and re-worked and built up by the artist----the piece, unframed, weighs nearly 9 pounds; that is a lot of paint. The measurements are 30" by 24". Despite the thickness of the paint, that paint appears to be stable. The generally monochromatic colors, bluish-gray/black, reminding of volcanic cindery glass, with other color showing through, should work well in a number of contemporary settings. Could have some age...