Bidspirit auction | Alfred Wordsworth Thompson (1840-1896) American

Alfred Wordsworth Thompson (1840-1896) American - Alfred Wordsworth Thompson (1840-1896) Oil on canvas, signed lower left, piece measures 12 x 18 and 19 x 25 inches w/ frame. Like his near-contemporary Winslow Homer, the Baltimore-born Alfred Wordsworth Thompson began his career working as a Civil War “special artist” for Harper’s Weekly, before seeking further training in Paris. He returned to America, in 1868, and established a studio in New York, where he came to specialize in scenes of both contemporary rural life and historical subjects—especially in Virginia. The Summit of the Cliff plein-air sketch—so different from Thompson’s meticulously academic studio productions—apparently relates to an ambitious “large landscape of western North Carolina scenery” that an anonymous reviewer observed on a visit to the artist’s New York studio. Identifying the all-but-finished canvas as representing a broad valley with Mount Pisgah and Cold Mountain in the background, the writer praised his technique: “Mr. Thompson combines in his style much of the solidity of the French with the charming detail of the American school, and in all that he does he gives evidence of the thorough training he has received in his preliminary studies.” It is likely that The Summit of the Cliff is one such study for this now unlocated composition. Reconstruction-era paintings of Southern Whites are rare in the history of American art. Condition: The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact the auction house before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction.