LATE 19TH-EARLY 20TH CENTURY SIGNED
R. E. OBERLIN (AMERICAN, 19TH-20TH CENTURY)
ANTIQUE PASTEL PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG DEBYTANTE IN WHITE SUMMER BEACH DRESS ON VELLUM BOARD (UNFRAMED) SIGNED IN GRAPHITE ON VERSO
(1885-1915)
'Boston School' turn-of-the-century
American portrait painting
DIMENSIONS:
25" Height x 17" Width
INSCRIPTION:
Signed twice at the back in graphite that reads
1.) 'R. E. Oberlin'
2.) 'R. E. Oberlin $450 3-38 65 1/2 ....'
The vellum artist board is stamped 'New York.'
DESCRIPTION:
This wonderful late 19th to early 20th century period pastel portrait drawing on vellum board by R. E. Oberlin(American) was found in an estate out-of-frame and it is fortunate it has survived in the kind of well preserved overall antique condition that it has. It's a simply marvelous Boston School, turn-of-the century pastel portrait of a young patrician debutante, standing in repose for the artist, wearing a lacy white summer evening dress or beach dress, bearing her snow white arms, shoulders and neck, giving the portrait a noticeable erotic charge. This was clearly a young, available society girl and a young woman from means. To have your portrait painted, even in pastel chalks, such as this one, meant that you were from a family of clear financial resources. You were most probably not from the 'other side of the tracks.' The pastel portrait drawing suffers no other abrasions, tears, deformities, warping, punctures or permutations of the vellum pastel paper or unsightly water stains. The variety of yellows constitute a symphony of gold, populated by discretionary use of burnt sienna, sepia brown, canary yellow, yellow ocher, cream and chalk white. This pastel portrait drawing was done with visible and real care, tremendous tenderness and clearly wasn't the work of merely a 'Sunday painter.' Outstanding and a veritable peek into the Victorian parlor of late 19th to early 20th century America. Most likely from a practitioner of the famous Boston School of portrait and landscape painting. Outstanding.
CONDITION:
Very Good to Excellent overall antique condition.
There's a small chip in the paper on the upper left side of the vellum artist's board (mill board) and a very slight, narrow smudge, which is minor and not depreciating or fatal, that travels at an angle across the young woman's face. This is barely noticeable and unfortunately is one of the small casualties of the pastel drawing being stored out of frame and in a portfolio. The portfolio otherwise protected the piece for over nearly if not, 100 years or more. No attempt has been made to 'in-paint,' rectify or otherwise conceal this very slight damage to the surface of the pastel. It remains 100% untouched and in 'as-found' original antique condition. A glorious period pastel portrait.
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25" Height x 17" Width
INSCRIPTION:
Signed twice at the back in graphite that reads
1.) 'R. E. Oberlin'
2.) 'R. E. Oberlin $450 3-38 65 1/2 ....'
The vellum artist board is stamped 'New York.'
DESCRIPTION:
This wonderful late 19th to early 20th century period pastel portrait drawing on vellum board by R. E. Oberlin(American) was found in an estate out-of-frame and it is fortunate it has survived in the kind of well preserved overall antique condition that it has. It's a simply marvelous Boston School, turn-of-the century pastel portrait of a young patrician debutante, standing in repose for the artist, wearing a lacy white summer evening dress or beach dress, bearing her snow white arms, shoulders and neck, giving the portrait a noticeable erotic charge. This was clearly a young, available society girl and a young woman from means. To have your portrait painted, even in pastel chalks, such as this one, meant that you were from a family of clear financial resources. You were most probably not from the 'other side of the tracks.' The pastel portrait drawing suffers no other abrasions, tears, deformities, warping, punctures or permutations of the vellum pastel paper or unsightly water stains. The variety of yellows constitute a symphony of gold, populated by discretionary use of burnt sienna, sepia brown, canary yellow, yellow ocher, cream and chalk white. This pastel portrait drawing was done with visible and real care, tremendous tenderness and clearly wasn't the work of merely a 'Sunday painter.' Outstanding and a veritable peek into the Victorian parlor of late 19th to early 20th century America. Most likely from a practitioner of the famous Boston School of portrait and landscape painting. Outstanding.
CONDITION:
Very Good to Excellent overall antique condition.
There's a small chip in the paper on the upper left side of the vellum artist's board (mill board) and a very slight, narrow smudge, which is minor and not depreciating or fatal, that travels at an angle across the young woman's face. This is barely noticeable and unfortunately is one of the small casualties of the pastel drawing being stored out of frame and in a portfolio. The portfolio otherwise protected the piece for over nearly if not, 100 years or more. No attempt has been made to 'in-paint,' rectify or otherwise conceal this very slight damage to the surface of the pastel. It remains 100% untouched and in 'as-found' original antique condition. A glorious period pastel portrait.
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