Large and attractive WPA - Regionalist - Ashcan School era painting by listed American woman artist, Ly Stellar Harding (1881 - 1968).

This painting was done with oils on canvas and is presently mounted in a contemporary, high quality, carved and gilded Art Deco - Arts and Crafts frame. The work is signed on the front, lower left, by the artist in black paint,"Ly Harding". Although this painting in not dated on the work itself, judging from the materials and subject matter, it likely dates to the 1920s or 1930s. Ly Harding exhibited at the Society of Independent Artists in 1924.

Size: Painting ~ 20" x 24" / Frame ~ 25" x 29"

This painting depicts a beautiful and complex urban scene from a 1920s town or city, probably in New Jersey, and possibly Newark or nearby East Orange. The scene shows the rear of a group of homes, and specifically a man sitting in a chair in the back yard, wearing a workman's hat and with his arm and hand holding his head up as if he is dozing off. In front of him is a small horse or pony with head turned, looking at the viewer of the painting.The houses are all different, in color and form, and the scene looks to take place on a late summer afternoon, with storm clouds in the sky and the wind blowing.

The scene is painted in a classic American Ashcan School or Regionalist manner, with a full palette of colors, thick and thin application of paint, and loose but controlled brush strokes. The brushwork is sure and even and this painting represents the best work by this artist that I have seen, in technique, composition, subject matter, and historical interest.

Ly Harding is a very well-listed American artist. Here is a short biography from AskArt.com and other sources :

Ly Stellar Harding (1881 - 1968)

Ly Stellar Harding was born in Germany and traveled the European continent while acquiring her education and art training. She received most of her training in Paris and Brussels, and came to this country in 1907, studying in Chicago and New York. She married Dr. Hugo Harding, a chemist who made some of the first synthetic rubber and artificial silks, in 1915. Ly Harding lived and worked in East Orange, New Jersey, and her works, which include paintings in a variety of media and sculptures, have been exhibited in museums and private showings in Europe, and in this country, including at The Montclair Art Museum, The Newark Museum (NJ), and The New Jersey State Museum in Trenton. Ly Harding also gave private art lessons and was secretary of the Associated Artists of New Jersey. She is known for her regionalist - WPA style oil paintings of urban landscapes, figural works, and still lifes. Ly Harding is listed in a number of art references, including: Who Was Who in American Art 1564 - 1975; The Society of Independent Artists Exhibition Record 1917 - 1944; Davenports Art Reference & Price Guide, ArtNet.com, and Ask Art.com. Dr. Hugo Harding died in 1948 and Ly Stellar Harding passed away in 1968 at the age of 87, in East Orange, New Jersey.

This painting is in excellent condition with no damage to the painting or the frame. The painting has been professionally cleaned and re-varnished and little or no in-painting was necessary when the conservation was performed. The work is still on it's original stretcher bars, it is not re-lined and the canvas support is strong and undamaged. The paint is firmly adhered to the canvas and there is very little crazing or separation of the paints (although there is some slight crazing to the thicker areas of paint). The frame is in great condition as well and is suitable to the period of the work, greatly enhancing the painting.

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