$554
American School, 19th Century Landscape with Furnaces, Probably Charcoal Burners. Unsigned. Oil on canvas, 30 x 36 in., unframed. Condition: Lined, retouch, craquelure, abrasions. N.B. The present work may depict charcoal burning based on the scale of the operation, its proximity to the forest source, and the absence of any limestone. The ancient process of charcoal burning grew on a large scale during the Industrial Revolution to accommodate the demand for iron and steel smelting, which were essential to the laying of transcontinental lines and other modern construction. Coal and other fossil fuels eventually replaced charcoal once easily harvested wood became scarce.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2015-03-19
