Contemporary watercolor full length portrait of a young woman seated on a sofa, titled "Zoe", 28 3/4" by 18" (36" by 25" as framed), signed at lower center by New York-born artist AL ZERRIES (1940-2009). Zerries studied at Pratt in New York and for more than twenty years was an art director and creative director at Manhattan advertising agencies. He also taught at the School of Visual Arts...

A framed woodblock print by the hand of one of the masters of 20th century Japanese printmaking, 8 1/2" by 11 1/4" inside the existing mat, 15" by 18" framed, signed in pencil by the artist at lower right and numbered 43/120 at lower left margin in pencil. The image is of a nighttime snowfall in front of a traditional Japanese structure. Sekino was creating art before age 20. He knew Shiko Munakata, the famous printmaker, while still young, as they were from the same area...

A beautiful antique Old Master drawing with great patina, the subject a bridge over a Venice canal, with figures and fascinating detail, unsigned, in the style of Guardi. Francesco Guardi (1712-1793) is the most famous practitioner in the style, but Giacomo (1764-1835) accounts for his share of the production of such works, the so-called "Vedute" popular with tourists of the time...

Oil on canvas painting of a coastal bluff with gentle incoming waves, possibly Rhode Island near Newport but most certainly New England, 12" by 16" (20" by 24" nicely framed), signed at lower right and dated there (likely, a little hard to read) 1908, by Massachusetts artist of the famous Fall River School, BRYANT CHAPIN (1859-1927)...

EIGHT small original watercolors of famous sights of Venice, Italy, signed but signature not fully legible. The works are identically framed and measure 8" by 10". More than likely, these were painted for the tourist market and brought to the US unframed, in the luggage of a visitor. All are clean. One of the eight, for some reason, has an overmat that is removable. During photography outside, within seconds, condensation beads formed under the glass, with no permanent consequence...

A twentieth century Italianate landscape painting in convincing Old Master style, unframed, impressively large at 23 3/4" by 47 3/4", signed at lower left by noted Old Master style painter TONI BORDIGNON (born 1921). Bordignon's mastery of the subject matter and techniques of masters of previous centuries has led to his decorative and popular paintings being offered at auctions in Europe and America...

CHRISTO (1935-2020) in close collaboration with his late wife JEANNE-CLAUDE (1935-2009) is considered one of the most important "installation" artists of modern times. Born in Bulgaria, he was in Europe in 1957 and became an American citizen in 1973. Around the early 1970's he came to world attention with a fresh approach to art---creating new ways of seeing the familiar landscape. His projects, then (and still) controversial and thought to be outrageous, were ambitious and unprecedented...

Interesting, well-crafted panel, the design very Art Deco in style, featuring a male nude in reddish brown silhouetted against a silvery background. The panel measures 11 1/2" by 9 1/2" plus 1" wide frame, and is signed in the wet clay at lower right by artist HAL ALTMAN (1922-2011). There is a fine three-dimensional quality to the panel, the hardened clay painted in these two tones, which are so reminiscent of the Deco era...

Oil on canvas, 18" by 30" (20" by 32 1/2" framed), the subject a very English one----a peaceful summery millpond or riverside scene of low, forested hills and their feathery trees, a small peaceful settlement, and a total of six figures, three out in a rowboat for an outing, and three tiny people gathered in the village of thatch roofed buildings, engaged in conversation, beneath a pretty sky...

Oil on canvas painting of California mountains, a line of back lit trees in the middle ground, 18" by 23 1/2" (26 1/2" by 33" in vintage frame), signed at lower right by well listed California and western artist JOE WAANO-GANO (1906-1982). Waano-Gano was of Cherokee heritage. Born in Salt Lake City, he moved to Los Angeles while still young, studying at UCLA and USC with Theodore Lukits and Christian von Schneidau...

Oil on board still life of red roses, and a few bumble bees in the composition as well, 24 1/4" by 18 1/2", 31 1/4" by 24 3/4" in likely original old gold frame, signed at lower left "N. Miller" and dated there 1910 or possibly 1916. This was executed in the early 20th century, but takes from a nineteenth century tradition in Victorian times----painting roses...

A fine and colorful true lithograph, 15" by 20", (22 1/2" by 27" framed, no glass), with signature in the plate at lower right corner, of well-known, important German Expressionist artist FRANZ MARC (1880-1916). The print was produced circa 1960's evidently in a coffee table type book, but is considered now collectable in itself, several examples having appeared at auction. Marc was born in Munich to a traditional landscape and genre artist father...

An accomplished ink drawing of three women and a male flute player at right, after Pablo Picasso, signed in pencil at lower right by the famous international art forger, ELMYR DE HORY (1906-1976). The 13 3/4" by 18 1/4" work (20 1/4" by 25" in interesting framing incorporating mirrors in the margin areas) is a fine example of the work of De Hory, the Hungarian-born man who went on to become perhaps the world's most famous art forger by mid century...

**One of several works by the artist in my shop** Ink drawing on heavy Strathmore art paper, the subject the familiar cathedral at San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The unframed work measures 28 3/4" by 23", and is signed by the artist at lower left and dated there 1953. The Illinois-born Lutz is known today for his urban landscapes and genre subjects, often painted with bright color and with heavy impasto. In the late 1920's he began art instruction at the Art Institute of Chicago, at which time...

This is a work which reflects the skills of not one, but two, highly talented European artists. A large original oil painting of 1894 by famed French painter HENRI TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (1864-1901) was titled "Au Salon de la Rue des Moulins"; it showed a brothel scene in Paris with the Madame and her eager charges. Long after that artist's death, in fact decades later, it was decided to employ the talented Egyptian-French artist and lithographer LAURENT MARCEL SALINAS (1913-2010) to create a limite...

A portrait of Hollywood actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), painted by an unknown artist, showing the artist as she would have appeared in the 1970's. The image shows a sultry Wood in her prime, staring at the viewer with her famous brown eyes. She is of course known for her roles in the films Miracle on 34th Street, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), West Side Story (1961) and Gypsy (1962), and she received Academy Award Best Actress nominations for her performances in Splendor in the Grass (1961) a...

A naive or self-taught style painting of a colorful hillside neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, known as Rocinha, signed at lower right by the artist "Jonathan", and dated there 27/02/04. The unframed 9 1/2"by 6 1/4" work pictures the Rocinha slum neighborhood. The artist has turned a place of notorious grinding poverty, despair and violence into a beautiful little work of art that transmits only happy thoughts. On the reverse, the artist wrote, "Jonathan/20/02/04/ Favela com dois Ismaos...

Colorful, heavily impressionistic acrylic painting with palette knife, the subject beached wooden boats in a sunny Mediterranean coastal landscape, signed at lower left by listed French artist PIERRE MAS (1933-). The work measures 11 1/4" by 27" as framed. Mas used copious amounts of wet-looking, lush paint, creating an interesting surface and texture. Colors are very complementary and harmonious, the turquoise particularly pleasing. Overall, the painting is a most attractive Mid Century wor...

Dynamic and complex, this is a colorful oil on canvas abstract, 40" by 18" (vertical format), 45" by 23" in the wood frame, titled on the stretcher "Figure in Movement" and signed nearby on the reverse canvas (a little hard to see in the photos). but, it has a significant, jagged unrepaired rip in it. I imagine the painting dates from the late 40's or the 1950's. It and another Schanker painting I will be listing came from the Marina del Rey (near Santa Monica) estate of Alice Himmelstein, dau...

**SET OF 4** The French fashion and costume magazine "La Mode Illustree" operated from about 1859 through at least the 1920's, featuring the styles of the day. This is a set of four fine engravings, circa 1875 or 1880, judging from the fashion depicted. All are hand colored. Size as framed 15 1/2" by 12 3/4" (one without glass, which had shattered). The framing stained oak. The prints are very clean inside the mats. The one that I did view outside the frame had some edge damages and so forth, b...

This is a relatively earlier (1976 or before) work of the noted Bermudian artist ALFRED BIRDSEY (1912-1996). Birdsey was a familiar figure in Bermuda for decades, a prolific artist, the works of whom traveled with tourists when they returned from holidays. This would account for the wide distribution of his distinctive work. Today his daughter continues the family tradition, with similar looking paintings being sold to visitors. Birdsey worked in gouache or possibly oil or acrylic on paper. Som...

Watercolor on paper, 5 1/8" by 6 1/4" (13 1/2" by 14 7/8" framed), unsigned, but with a charming old dedication on the reverse side in sepia ink, "Mount Hood/From Vancouver/Eternal Snow/For Mother". This would refer to Vancouver, Washington, across the Columbia River from the mountain. Still adhering to the reverse is printed tape from an old business going by the name Arthur Wayman, of Salem, New York. And this was found in interior Maine. So, the drawing has most definitely strayed far to ...

Oil on board painting of a farmstead in spring, 17 1/4" by 25", 21" by 28 1/2" framed, signed at lower left by the noted Swedish artist CARL MANSSON (1892-1976). Mansson was a prolific painter of country and farm scenes in southern Sweden. There does not seem to be a lot of biographical information available, but he left behind a body of work focusing on rural scenes of his native land. This example is quite typical of the country paintings, and it displays his evident affection for the land....

Large oil on heavy oak panel painting of an ornate cathedral interior, featuring the large organ, 35" by 29" (47" by 41" framed), titled on the reverse, dated there August 1916, and signed by the noted Czech painter FRANTISEK JELINEK (1890-1977). Jelinek's works have sold at auction in Europe, largely in the Czech Republic, where he is known as a painter of landscapes, nudes, and genre. It took me a while to figure out the name of the artist and the subject, and even the language (I thought th...

Watercolor on paper of Royal Street (Rue Royale), a principal street in the French Quarter of New Orleans,14 1/2" by 10 1/2" inside the mat and 22 1/4 by 18 1/4" as framed, signed somewhat obscurely at lower right (and harder to see by virtue of the non-glare glass) by the listed New Orleans artist TOM LANE (1916-1991). On the mat below is "Rue Royale" and "New Orleans '77". Lane was born in Toledo, Ohio but became a familiar figure in the French Quarter, painting in oil and watercolor the fami...

Oil on canvas painting of a dirt track in an autumn forest, 16" by 24" (25 1/2" by 33 1/4" as framed), signed at lower right by the noted Indiana impressionist, EDWARD SITZMAN (1874-1949). This is a peaceful scene of late autumn. The artist is known for his watercolor and oil paintings of such landscapes, usually lacking figures. Watercolors are more commonly seen, the oils relatively scarce. This example needs to be cleaned and varnished as the surface is dry and blanched, but with that cle...

By the important Australian aboriginal artist MICK KUBARKKU, 1922-2008 (often misspelled in various ways as "Gubargu", "Gobargu", etc.) is this circa late 1960's/early 1970's natural earth pigment on eucalyptus bark painting of a barramundi fish in typical stylized form, measuring 11" by 20". On the reverse is an original old typed label which says: "Artist--Gubargu; Tribe: Gunwinggu from the Upper Liverpool River. In the Dreamtime era, the ancestor NAGORKU travelled along the coast of Arnhem...

Antique watercolor painting of five rabbits in a grassy scene, feasting on several peaches, some reduced to just pits. The charming work measures 5 1/4" by 6 7/8" (and the old gold turn of the century frame is 11 1/4" by 13 1/4"). Frame is in above average condition for a frame of its type and period, with just one gold-painted area at left edge where there had been some loss of the design.

Original watercolor on paper painting of the famous and iconic Brulatour Courtyard in New Orleans, Louisiana, signed at lower right "F. W. Steck", measuring 13 5/8" by 19 1/4" inside the mat, and 21" by 27" as framed. On the reverse framing paper is written in black marker "Foyer"/Florence W. Steck/(215)789-0966". Online research has revealed the artist to be a talented woman who was born in 1919 and passed away in 1994. She, along with her husband Jack, was a pioneer in broadcasting in the g...

A charcoal or soft pencil drawing of an unidentified young girl, executed circa 1950's, signed at lower right by the important New Hope School impressionist, JOHN FOLINSBEE (1892-1972). The work, 12" by 10" inside the mat, (19" by 17 1/2" in old frame with Trenton, NJ framer label on backing) is in excellent condition save for browning at edges from mat contact. Folinsbee was born in Buffalo, New York, where he studied for a short time. He took lessons from painter Jonas Lie, then, later, at ...

Everyone seems to love Paris, a city which has inspired and continues to inspire much art. This pair of watercolors, one of the elegant and timeless Place Vendome, the other the famed "Le Dome" cafe of Montparnasse, are signed by artist "Hrobel". Each measures 16" by 24" (26" by 33 1/4" as framed). The pair is ready for the wall, with clean blue mats and tasteful cream frames. The colors are not faded and there is no foxing nor water staining. Surprisingly I do not see an obvious listing fo...

Original serigraph by the well known and highly popular 20th century Russian-French artist ERTE (1892-1990), titled at bottom "Taurus", from the Zodiac Suite of the year 1982, numbered at lower left in pencil 32/350, and pencil signed at lower right by the artist. Size inside the mat/liner is 24 3/4" by 19 1/4" (34 1/4" by 29" in the black Art Deco style glossy framing (***UPDATE--possibly offered unframed currently; inquire***). This is from the edition of 350, plus Roman Numeral edition of 9...

PAIR of oils on canvas, each 12 1/2" by 16", framed to 18 3/4" by 22" (although the frames are not quite identical), each signed by the listed French artist of Brittany, PIERRE TESTU. The scenes are quite charming, with atmospheric handling of the moist and foggy coastal air. Testu's biography is not established, it seems, but there are extant works dated as early as 1896 from what I can see, and he evidently specialized in such genre scenes of mussel, oyster, and other shellfish gatherers on ...

This is a contemporary work, signed at lower right "Christopher Clarke" and dated there "83". Measuring 11 5/8" by 16 5/8" inside the mat and 19" by 25" as framed, the work reminds of accomplished watercolor painters like Frank Weston Benson, Ogden Pleissner, Chet Reneson, and others who skillfully rendered duck hunters and their prey. Oddly I don't see a listing for this artist but he was clearly very talented. Note the wet-on-wet technique in the sky area. The work is in excellent, fresh c...

Drawing in gouache on very delicate, thin, brownish, fibrous paper, 9" by 6" inside the mat (15 3/4" by 12 1/2" as simply framed in wood), the scene a grand classical archway in a southern Spanish city like Granada or Sevilla, a prominent figure of a lady in the foreground and a number of much smaller figures beyond the arch and at right. The work is signed at lower left with what appears to be "C. R. DeWitt"--SPAIN". I've looked online and surprisingly cannot find an artist by this name. He ...

Oil on board painting (24" by 18", frame 1 1/4" on a side), the subject a dirt road in a flaming autumn forest landscape, birch trees on either side, the sun dappled shadows violet, signed at lower right by the talented artist GEORGE FOREST PAYNE. Payne does not seem to have a biography but his paintings of autumn landscapes and coastal dunes, in the Northeast, have appeared at auction. This piece was found in Maine. Most certainly he was very familiar with Impressionist technique. This is an...

Watercolor on paper of a large ship at the dock, 13 1/2" by 17 1/4" (21" by 26" framed), signed in the image at lower left and also on the mat at lower right "Herbert Manasse", and titled "ENSENADA 'L.'C.I." on the mat at lower left. The artist is HERBERT MANASSE (1891-1965), who according to the AskArt listing was an artistically talented attorney. He was obviously quite familiar with the medium. Note the wet-on-wet technique in the sky. The colors of the painting are extremely rich and not...

Oil on masonite panel, 13 " by 22 " (16" by 25" in black frame with gold inner), the subject a female mallard duck among brown grasses suggestive of autumn. The artist signed his name at lower left. S. SCOTT ZUCKERMAN (1951-) was born in Connecticut and lives there still, living a life close to nature and therefore an excellent observer of it. He is widely known for his paintings of wildlife, including fish, birds, and large mammals like moose. Zuckerman attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn....

Found in Maine, is this oil on canvas painting, 24" by 20 1/2" in its silver metal frame, signed at extreme lower right "Judith Nelson Harper" and titled on the reverse "Red, White and Blue". It is a striking work, though I see minimal information on the artist---I believe just one minor bit of information shows up on a net search. Regardless, this will please anyone looking to brighten up a modern interior with original art from the 1970's. The condition is somewhat less than optimal...........

For the Orientalist art collector, this is a fine little drawing in pencil and watercolor, 5 1/2" by 8 1/4", (10 1/2" by 14" in its vintage frame), the subject an apparently Middle Eastern scene of classical temples set into a hillside. It has been suggested that this could be the famous Petra, Jordan site of classical antiquity. The work, glued to a sheet with "Ackermann & Co." blindstamped into the right corner, is unsigned. (Ackermann was a supplier of artist supplies during the 19th centu...

Oil on canvas painting, 24" by 36" (30" by 42" framed), late 20th century, the subject a family of elephants at an African waterhole, signed at lower right by listed artist DON ERDMAN (sometimes spelled as ERDMANN). The work is similar to works by better known artists such as David Shepherd or Bob Kuhn which bring thousands of dollars. Erdman is listed in Davenport's, but I am hard pressed to find more information on him. The work stands for itself, the male bull elephant at center very impre...

Oil on canvas colorful and skillfully painted abstract landscape of the glorious Southwest, 27 1/2" by 36" as framed, signed at lower right "Helen Peeke", and bearing the title "Indian Country" and the original price "150.00" on the stretcher. I have not been able to locate information on the artist but obviously she was a skilled painter who was able to capture the feeling of the Southwest in abstracted form. Condition is excellent and this is wall-ready.

This is a fine ink and wash drawing, 9 3/4" by 13 3/4" (16 5/8" by 20 1/2" framed), titled at lower left "CAPRI" and signed there by the artist, GONSALVO CARELLI (1818-1910). The artist's name is sometimes spelled "Consalvo" or "Consalve" or "Gonsalve". The scene includes more than ten vessels ranging from little more than rowboats to masted sailing ships. The famous island of Capri looms as a backdrop, the foreground boats filled with carefully drawn figures. Carelli was born in Naples and...

Icon-style painting in gouache on board, late 20th century, executed in the style of ancient religious icons, the painting 10 1/2" by 8" inside the mat, 19 3/4" by 17 1/4" in its pleasing, quality light oak frame. The painting is titled "Saint Neofytos", which literally means, according to a Greek-speaker with whom I consulted (for a lack of a better term), the "NEWLY INITIATED ONE". In addition there is ballpoint pen handwritten notation on the reverse, which translates as "Painted 15 years a...

By the noted California artist FRANK MOSS HAMILTON (1930-1999) is this gouache on paper painting, 11 1/4" by 15 1/2" inside the frame, 19" by 23 1/2" framed, signed at lower right by the artist and titled there "December Snow". Hamilton was a highly talented master of realistic painting, sometimes in oil but perhaps more impressively in gouache or tempera or casein type media. This is a typical example of his work, the subject classic, eastern-looking barns in the quiet of December, everything...

Oil on canvas, 36" by 24" (45" by 33" as framed in wood), the subject a wicker chair draped with lacy cloth, a painting in the background and tea pot at right, signed with what appears as "Egeun" at lower right and dated 82. A Greek-speaker emailed me to inform me that the signed name is, in Greek, "Eleni" (Greek for "Helen"). This is a bright, contemporary painting in really excellent, fine wall-ready condition.

One of three works in my shop by the same artist, F. KENWOOD GILES of Bermuda, is this watercolor on paper painting, 14" by 19 1/2" inside the mat, 20 1/2" by 26 1/2" as framed, the subject a pink-walled, white-roofed island home on a lovely piece of property, flowering oleander shrubs and a few pines or cedars completing the happy scene. The paintings are not dated, but I believe that they would have been created in the 1950's. Giles (1899/1900-1972) was a versatile English artist who lived in...

In the style of an artist like Stark Davis is this 15 1/2" by 19 1/2" gouache painting, gold paint used for the background to the parrot and vegetation, possibly oleander, the work signed at lower left "O. Schroeter". This is a work dating to about the late 1930's to about 1950, by listed artist OTTO FELIX SCHROETER (born circa 1880 in Germany, died circa 1965 in California). Schroeter was possibly familiar with the works of Stark Davis, who painted such scenes in the first half of the century...

Oil on canvas titled on stretcher "Golden Silence", 28" by 21" (33" by 25" in original vintage frame), signed at lower right and again on the stretcher by California plein air artist EUGENE PIERRE FRANQUINET (1875-1940). This is a fine example of the work of this Belgian-born painter who immigrated to the United States in 1907, and who was in Southern California as early as 1911. Franquinet, a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association, came to be known for his portraits, figure paintings, and...

An impressively large (26" by 39", and 40" by 53" in a fine high quality gilded oak style frame of the period) watercolor landscape of a fascinating primeval, mystical forest interior, signed at lower right by English Victorian period artist JOSHUA RENSHAW, who was active in the 1880's and 1890's, though little biographical information is available. The painting is not behind glass but has survived into the 21st century in exceptional condition nevertheless; I note just a few insignificant foxi...

This is a medium folio size (lithograph 12 5/8" by 15 1/2" inside the mat, the sheet " by ", and as framed 20" by 22 1/2") by famous American printmakers Currier and Ives. Judging from internet offerings of the image by major print dealers around the nation, the print is a popular one, although it is not among the so-called "Best 50". Note the horses, the ducks and pigeons, the turnips, and the hogs at left. All in all, this is a peaceful scene of another America in another century. This ex...

A beautiful circa 1920 impressionist painting of tall pines or cedars in a sun-dappled forest landscape which includes two groups of small figures at center left. The unframed work measures 30" by 24" and is apparently unsigned. Judging from the canvas and stretcher, this is likely the work of a listed American artist. It has been suggested that it was cut down at some point, as the painting extends over the tacking edge. The work as found was loose on the stretcher and separating at the edg...

Wood engraving on paper, 16" by 21 3/8", 20" by 27 1/2" framed, titled at bottom "THE WAR FOR THE UNION 1862---A CAVALRY CHARGE.", by the famed American artist WINSLOW HOMER (1836-1910). Examination of the reverse side of the sheet reveals that the image was published on July 5, 1862. This is a classic example of Homer's Civil War period wood engravings in Harper's Weekly newspaper, which was one of the most avidly followed periodicals in a now unimaginable age when electronic media did not exis...

Etching, circa 1930, "Saleswomen", 5" by 6 1/8" inside the mat (12" by 14 3/4" as framed), pencil signed at lower right "Hayes Miller" and bearing "40 - prints" at lower right, by the important American artist and teacher, KENNETH HAYES MILLER (1876-1952). Hayes Miller was a familiar figure on the New York art circuit for decades. Although he was an accomplished painter and printmaker, he is perhaps best remembered today for the influence he wielded as a teacher. Many familiar names of mid ce...

A color lithograph print of the year 1937, signed in the plate, 13 1/2" by 10 1/2" (20 1/4" by 17 1/2" in wood frame, no mat), by the noted Spanish modern artist FRANCISCO BORES LOPEZ (1898-1972). The artist, more commonly known as Francisco Bores, was born in Madrid. He went to Paris and associated with the Surrealist movement, and became a friend of important artist Juan Gris. Bores is known for his abstracted figural, landscape and still life works, some of which achieved over $300,000 at ...

Oil on canvas, 27" by 39" (32 1/2" by 44 1/2" as framed), the scene a deep blue lake with small boats and a dock, puffy clouds filling the sky on a peaceful summer day. It is an expansive scene, large enough to invite the viewer to feel he is a part of it. I suppose the work is Swedish or Danish. The artist chose to sign with just the conjoined initials "HM" at lower left, where it is also dated 1948. Condition: because of evident past moisture exposure, there is flaking of the paint at rig...

Lithograph on paper, 8 3/4" by 12 3/8" inside the mat, 13 3/4" by 17 3/4" as framed, by American artist STOW WENGENROTH (1905-1978), pencil signed at lower right by the artist. Titled "Woodland Ledge" (created 1960 in an edition of approximately 50 examples for associate members of the Print Makers Society of California), this is a typical work of Wengenroth, who is today best known for his fine lithography work consisting mostly of scenes of the Northeast coast from Long Island to Maine, and a...

This is an original painting in gouache on paper, 23 3/4" by 23 3/4" square, in a narrow metal frame, apparently by an unlisted artist named Gertmenian. This is an Armenian name, and the painting was found in Los Angeles, where there is a large Armenian population. If you're seeking an eye-dazzler of a painting that contains strong primary colors, consider this decorative art. The photos were taken through the glass, which will be discarded as it's broken at lower right anyway; allow for refl...

At first glance this might appear to be a print, but it is not: it is an amazingly crafted quite large hyper-real watercolor painting, 29" by 19 3/4" inside the mat, 37 1/2" by 26" framed, signed at lower right by the artist, JAY RATHER. From my internet research, this appears to be a work by the son of Texas artist Herb Rather (1930-), who painted in a similar style, though the online reference mentions Jay as Herb's father, not his son. I am guessing that Jay is the son because the work doe...

Oil on canvas, 25 1/2" by 18" (32 1/2 by 24 1/2" as framed), apparently unsigned, circa 1930 to 1950, and very probably European (French or perhaps Scandinavian, judging from the stretcher). The painting is something of a mystery, the mysterious hand and spectacles at lower left coming from outside the image area. Almost certainly this was created by a listed artist but without a signature I cannot go further on that front. On the reverse stretcher appear the words "Vendredi" (Friday, in Frenc...