Mod Sanctuary Antiques and Fine Art Gallery

EARLE A. TITUS (AMERICAN, 1895-1962) SIGNED OIL on CANVAS LAID DOWN on BOARD, TITLED 'SHADOWS & SUNLIGHT,' NEW ENGLAND LANDSCAPE PAINTING of TREE LINED ROAD & ADJACENT WOODS, with CAST SHADOWS &

BRIGHT, FAUVIST COLOR PALETTE, in ORIGINAL GOLD PAINTED CARVED PERIOD WOOD FRAME

[With hand-written inscription on verso by the artist 'Shadows & Sunlight' ~"To my friend Cushing in appreciation of his many favors." ~E. A. Titus]

(Circa 1928-1938)

Early-mid 20th century American vintage landscape painting by New England artists

MEASUREMENTS:

25 1⁄4" Height x 29 1⁄4" Width

20" Height x 24" Width

Weight: 4 lbs. 5 oz

DESCRIPTION:

In absolutely estate-fresh, outstanding overall vintage condition. In its original period, gold painted, carved wooden frame and inscribed by hand by the artist on the verso, 'Shadows & Sunlight' ~"To my friend Cushing in appreciation of his many favors." ~E. A. Titus. There's not a scuff, abrasion, tear, permutation, blemish or mark on it. Found in a southern New Hampshire estate and new to the marketplace and representing a more adventurous, forward-looking side of Earle A. Titus' work, in that he experiments with and quite successfully uses a bright, warm, energetic, nearly Fauvist color palette, where the warm and cool colors help better visually express the interplay of sunlight and shadow. In this work, Titus almost, but not quite, abandons naturalistic color in favor of a more interpretive, intuitive application. This is not an unintentional departure but a conscious conceptual departure to use this activist color palette. What is most interesting about this particular work is Titus' brinksmanship and willingness to take chances and to use a more experimental and interpretive color palette. This is a very juicy, tactile and painterly work that's almost as immediate and fresh, as the day it was painted, nearly 100 years ago. Hailing from Woodsville, New Hampshire, Earle A. Titus went on to study fine art in Boston, Massachusetts and became a prolific regional landscape painter, favoring snowy winter scenes and views of New England rivers, mountains and covered wooden bridges. Although his subject matter may have been somewhat traditional, as can be seen here with this work, his approach was varied, very painterly and even experimental. Signed 'E. A. Titus' in red oil paint on the bottom right of the pictorial field. A truly marvelous and simply splendid conversation between light and shadow, cool and warm color. Titled and signed on the verso with an inscription that indicates the painting was a gift from the artist to his good friend Cushing, to whom he owed so many favors. Even the original European Fauvist painters would have taken notice of this lovely piece by the well-listed and well-known New England painter Earle A. Titus. A truly impressive, visually compelling work.