622

Pauline Lennard Palmer (American, 1867-1938), "The New Book," 1930,

oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right, "Robert Rice Gallery, Houston," gallery label en verso, presented in a giltwood frame,
H.- 50 1/2 in., W.- 40 1/2 in., Framed- H.- 57 1/2 in., W.- 47 1/4 in.

  • Provenance: Private collection; Robert Rice Gallery, Houston, Texas; Estate of Laura Simon Nelson, formerly married to Dr. James W. Nelson, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
  • Exhibited: Chicago, 34th Annual Exhibition by Artists of Chicago and Vicinity, Art Institute, Jan. 30-March 30, 1930, no. 148; Chicago, Carson, Pirie, Scott, March 15-April 5, 1930; Chicago, Association of Chicago Painters and Sculptors, June 1- July 1, 1932; Philadelphia, Catalogue of the Annual Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Jan. 24-March 13, 1932, no. 159.

    Note: Pauline Lennard Palmer was one of the most prolific Chicago artists of the late 19th/early 20th century, a pioneering American Impressionist, regarded by the New York Times as one of the leading woman painters in America. She was a virtuoso in almost every media and genre, earning awards for pastels, watercolors and oils in portraits, landscapes and still lifes. Over her long illustrious career that spanned over forty years, she headed numerous organizations and won an award for nearly every exhibition for which she partook. She regularly participated in the Art Institute of Chicago's three annual exhibitions, showing her work for twenty seven consecutive years and earning almost every prize available. Her first solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago opened in 1913 in tandem with the Armory Show, exposing her work to the 180,000 attendees, while giving some of the viewers a respite from contemporary art. Palmer's paintings also prominently featured at the Paris Salon and the Pennsylvania Academy of Arts, and as part of the Giverny Group in New York and Paris. In 1918 she was elected the first woman president of the Chicago Society of Artists, and in 1923 she founded the Association of Chicago Painters and Sculptors. By the 1920s, Palmer began spending her summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts after the death of her husband.

    These summertime works, such as "Morning Sun," "Woman Sewing" and "The New Model," exude sun-dappled light through voluminous windows, executed in loose brushwork with scintillating swatches of color. "The New Book," which bears striking compositionally similarities, was also painted at this time, though no visual record exists of it, as the Art Institute of Chicago neither illustrated nor gave measurements of their entries. From 1930 Chicago newspaper reviews, however, we learn that this work is large, exudes light, and that it is an impressive and stunning portrait of a woman holding a book. In her March 17th review of the exhibition at Carson, Pirie & Scott, Eleanor Jewett writes that the effect is so real that one can smell the "fragrance of crushed roses" in the background of the "New Book"- a reference to both the roses in the Victorian parlor dome behind the sitter, and to the roses that peak over the window sills and punctuate the pale green backdrop with a splash of complimentary red.
  • Condition: In overall very good condition. The painting has been relined. There are no tears or any significant repairs. Under UV light, there some small inpainted "touch-ups" scattered throughout. Frame has a few nicks and there is light surface soiling to the painting.
    ________________________________________________________________________________
    ALL PROPERTY IS SOLD "AS IS." NO STATEMENT REGARDING CONDITION OF ANY ITEM, WHETHER IT IS MADE ORALLY AT THE AUCTION OR ANY OTHER TIME, OR IN WRITING IN THE CATALOGUE OR ELSEWHERE, SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A WARRANTY, REPRESENTATION, OR ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY.


    Condition is not stated in the description of the item. The absence of a condition report does not mean that the item is free of damage or condition issues. Some items do show signs of age or wear. CCAG strongly suggests that you do not bid without requesting a condition report. Requests for condition reports will not be honored after 5 p.m. CST on the Tuesday prior to the auction.

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November 9, 2024 10:00 AM CST
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