Anna Catherine Wiley (TN, 1879-1958) oil on canvas beach scene depicting two young seated females shaded under a parasol on a beach. Signed monogram upper left. Additionally pencil inscribed verso “C. Wiley (1532?) White Ave Knoxville Tenn”. Housed in the original molded gilt wood frame. Sight – 14″ H x 15″ W. Framed – 21 1/2″ H x 22 1/2″ W. Biography: Catherine Wiley is one of Tennessee’s most important nationally recognized artists. She was one of the early female students at the University of Tennessee, and was later credited with establishing formal art instruction at the school. Wiley studied at the Art Students League in New York under Frank DuMond, and spent summers learning from major American impressionists such as Robert Reid, Jonas Lie, and Martha Walter. She won numerous prizes including two Gold Medals at the Appalachian Exposition in 1910 and her paintings were exhibited at prominent American venues including the National Academy of Design in New York and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Her thriving career was ended by a mental collapse which left her institutionalized until her death. CONDITION: Painting is in very good condition with recent restoration, including canvas margins lined and re-tacked; surface cleaning, new varnish layer applied; mylar lining applied to back. Areas of inpainting with infill: lower right corner 1 1/2″ L x 1″ W; left side of older female’s chest 1 1/2″ L x 1/2″ W; upper left side near child’s hat 1 1/2″ H x 1″ W; top edge on left 7″ L x 1/2″ W. Other possible areas of inpainting or overpainting across bottom edge, older female’s face, and umbrella. Copy of treatment proposal from Restoration Division, Chicago, IL, which restored the painting in 2019, is available on request.