James Everett Stuart (California, 1852-1941) oil on board titled "Foggy Afternoon Along the Sacramento River," depicting two figures in a boat, rowing toward or away from a shadowy, forested cove, while a brighter tree-lined bank with red-roofed structures stands in the distance. Signed lower left "2847/ JE Stuart / Nov 19, 1921" (numbers and year/day appear to have been filled in later). Inscription en verso of board: "No. 2847 24 x 20 $1500 near Walnut Grove, Cal, painted Nov. 19, 1921 J.E. Stuart / gift to my son John D. Vickers / Mrs. Mary D. Vickers Feb. 14 1943." Two Kerwin Galleries, California labels en verso of frame. Period frame with stepped molded sight edge, raised rocaille molded center ornament, and molded outer edges. Board – 24"H x 20"W. Frame – 28"H x 24"W. Biography: James Everett Stuart was known for his landscapes depicting the American West, particularly Northern California and Oregon. He moved with his family from Maine to California as a youth and studied art with Virgil Williams, Raymond Yelland, Thomas Hill, and William Keith at the San Francisco School of Design. His early work often pictured the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, in a moody style suggestive of the French Barbizon School. He first traveled to the Northwest in 1876, and in 1881 he opened his studio in Portland, Oregon and from there traveled throughout the West and East Coast and into Mexico. Subjects included Yosemite and Yellowstone and Alaska. Near the end of his life, when this painting was made, he had a studio in San Francisco. He was prolific and sold his work easily. One of his paintings is in the White House, and his work is in the historical societies of Oregon, Washington, and Montana. Sources: Edan Hughes, ARTISTS IN CALIFORNIA; Peter Hassrick, DRAWN TO YELLOWSTONE; Peggy and Harold Samuels, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ARTISTS OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of James Lewis, Carthage, Tennessee.

CONDITION: 2" scratch to board, lower right quadrant. UV light reveals three 1" spots of inpainting to upper left quadrant, sky area, including one in top left corner. Original frame has gilt overpainting and some areas of wear and restoration to edges.