Rudolph Ingerle (American, 1879-1950), "Sundown on the Hollo", large oil on canvas landscape painting, bird's eye view of a mountain valley, likely the Smoky Mountains, in late afternoon sunlight. Birch trees bordered by evergreen trees stand in the foreground, overlooking a valley with winding river and cabins below, and sun-dappled mountains with profuse fall foliage in the background. Signed lower left "R. F. Ingerle". Housed in the original gilt carved and molded frame. Titled en verso upper left with old paper label with title, artist's biography, and awards; Chicago framing label stamp en verso of the frame. Sight: 37 1/4" H x 39 1/4" W. Framed: 43 1/2" H x 45 1/2" Q. Biography: Rudolph Ingerle, sometimes called 'The Painter of the Smokies', was born to a Moravian family, immigrated to the U.S. as a child and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. He was an early founder of the Indiana School of Painting in Brown County and the Society of Ozark Painters. Ingerle first visited the Smoky Mountains in 1920 and fell in love with Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina. At that time, the natural beauty of the area was threatened by logging companies. Ingerle painted numerous landscapes there and is among the artists credited with raising awareness of the need for protection, which helped result in the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. When not painting in the mountains, Ingerle maintained a studio in Chicago from which he exhibited paintings in many major museums and galleries including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Pennsylvania Academy, and one man shows at the Mint Museum and Hickory Museum of Art during his lifetime. His work was featured in the 2006 Art of Tennessee exhibit at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and will also be featured in an upcoming exhibit on Smoky Mountain landscapes at the Tennessee State Museum.

CONDITION: Painting overall very good condition with some slackness to canvas noted at the corners. Light overall grime with very slight craquelure to upper left sky area. 1" x 3/4" area of inpainting over possible old repair, center. Areas of fluorescence to top of tree at center, largest 6 1/2" x 4", does not correspond to repair to canvas, possibly varnish layer. Light scattered expected wear to frame.