George Inness Oil Painting "Sunlight and Shadow", 1860

Art Oil Paintings Paintings and Drawings

Item Details

George Inness (New York/Massachusetts/Scotland, 1825 – 1894)
Sunlight and Shadow, 1860
Oil on canvas
Signed “G. Inness” and dated to lower left
The painting is accompanied by a letter from Michael Quick describing the work, its known provenance as of that time, and Micahel’s indication to include this example in his catlogue of Inness’s works. A treatment report regarding the painting’s restorative efforts is also included from Carmichael Art Conservation.

Michael Quick writes of the present work, “I consider Sunlight and Shadow, to be a fully characteristic work of Inness’s of the period around 1860… In fact, it is a particularly large and finished example of a very interesting stylistic phase, in which Inness concentrated on reproducing the effects of sunlight, particularly on foliage.”

George Inness was born in Newburgh, New York in 1825, his early years were plagued by severe illness which as a result afforded him little formal artistic education. Now recognized as one of the most influential American artists of the nineteenth century, Inness was influenced early in his career by the Hudson River School before he studied the Old Masters and artists of the Barbizon School during trips to Italy and France. In Europe he was introduced to the theology of Emanuel Swedenborg, which was significant for him as he expressed that spiritualism in the works of his maturity from 1879–1894. In his later years, Inness settled in Montclair, New Jersey, during this time his work expressed a more abstract handling with saturation of color. George Inness died in 1894 while visiting Scotland. As reported by his son, he was viewing the sunset when he exclaimed ‘My God! oh, how beautiful!’. Moments later he fell to the ground and died.

Condition

- professional restoration to painting, including cleaning, inpainting, and varnishing; bitumen deformation and surface irregularities; yellowing to pigments; vague craquelure. To frame: discolorations, cracks and/or splits to moulding, abrasions, and nicks. Restoration report included in photocopied letter accompanying painting.