Charles Ephraim Burchfield (American, 1893-1967) The Southeast Snowstorm

Description:

Charles Ephraim Burchfield (American, 1893-1967)

The Southeast Snowstorm
Signed and dated "C BURCHFIELD 1917" l.r., inscribed and titled "M M/15 [within a circle]/.../Not for sale/B-66a" in pencil on the reverse.
Watercolor and gouache on paper with Strathmore watermark, 17 3/4 x 19 1/2 in. (45.0 x 49.5 cm),framed.
Condition: Hinged to backing in three places near upper edge on the reverse, tack holes near upper edge, edges trimmed slightly unevenly, tears to u.r. corner and in two places near upper edge repaired, minor creases u.l., gently light-struck, hinge remnants l.l. and l.r. on the reverse, toning and scattered fox marks to the reverse.

Provenance: Purchased by Edna Chappell, 1942; gift to her son, Pierre Chappell; by descent to the current private collection.

Exhibitions: Charles S. Burchfield: Four Seasons in Salem, Burchfield Penney Art Center at SUNY Buffalo State, October 28, 2011–February 26, 2012.

N.B. Charles Burchfield painted this wintry view of his neighbor's house early in his career. Looking down from an upstairs window in his family home in Salem, Ohio, he captured the low-slung cottage home of his childhood friends, the Weaver family, in the midst of a blustery snowstorm. Though the weather seems bleak, the open window curtains and burgeoning plant on the windowsill suggest a pleasant and welcoming interior. Burchfield used his bold, modernist handling of watercolor and gouache to depict his hometown in each season, and made the Weavers' home the subject of numerous paintings. He explored the natural environment and seasonal change throughout his career, an interest that culminated in his late work, The Four Seasons (1949-60, Krannert Art Museum),which unites all of the seasons into one composition.
Estimate $20,000-30,000


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