Estimated Price:

   $   

Realized Price:

   $   

What is this symbol? This symbol indicates that this auction hose has verified this price result.

Log in or subscribe to view price data

(American 1891-1942) "Boats at Piano Sorrento" Oil on canvas Signed lower right "Grant Wood" Titled on verso 13"x16.5" Provenance: Grant Wood Mr. & Mrs. Worth S. Averill, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Thence by decent through the family Exhibited: It is likely this painting, together with the previous lot, was exhibited in May of 1925 and or January of 1926 at the Public Library Art Gallery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In the winter of 1923-1924, Grant Wood, together with other artists, visited Piano di Sorrento, Italy. Far removed from his native Iowa habitat with lush rolling hills, Sorrento provided Wood with mostly sun-washed stark settings in which to apply his craft. The offered lot, depicting fishing boats at low tide in front of white washed stucco buildings against lichen covered rocky cliffs, offers an interesting glimpse into Wood's continuing search for his own style. While essentially an impressionist painter at this time, the offered lot clearly shows a more heavy-handed approach in developing values and form as compared to his French counterparts. The heavy outline of the boats and interestingly spotted cliffs in the background, only slightly foreshadow Wood's later mature style. Like the majority of Wood's European works, this painting too is tightly cropped and gives no real hint of the overall geographical layout as commonly depicted by contemporary artists of the day. Instead Wood adheres to the postcard-like format that has satisfied his eye up to this time. This heretofore-unpublished painting is possibly the only Italian ocean front work by Wood known to exist.