$10,073
William Louis Sonntag (American, 1822-1900) Eagle Rock on the Potomac Signed and titled "W. L. Sonntag..." on the reverse, with stenciled label from Edward Dechaux, New York, on the reverse. Oil on canvas, 11 1/8 x 18 in. (28.3 x 45.8 cm), framed. Condition: Paint loss c.l., minor retouch. N.B. This landscape by William Louis Sonntag was probably painted in the late 1850s. It is unusual insofar as Sonntag titled the painting on the back of the canvas. In his early years, Sonntag painted in the areas of Cincinnati, Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Northern West Virginia. There is an Eagle Rock in the Potomac State Forest in western Maryland, which may be the site of this painting. Sonntag was raised in Cincinnati, and, despite his family's wishes to the contrary, began the study of art in 1842. His career in Cincinnati reached its height in the 1850s, with frequent exhibitions and sales. During this time Sonntag was commissioned by the director of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad to paint the scenery along their new line across the Alleghenies. It is possible that Eagle Rock was accessible to Sonntag via river travel or perhaps via railroad. The composition contains several elements characteristic of Sonntag's paintings in the 1850s. The spatial organization is typical of the period, with the jutting rock filling the foreground and creating a focal point, while the other side opens up to a wide landscape. Small figures are included, often in pairs, with a touch of red in Read more…
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2010-05-21
