Lot 815: 4 George Cress Watercolor Landscapes Incl. Smoky Mountains

Group of four (4) George Cress (American/Tennessee, 1921-2008) watercolor landscape paintings. Item 1: Colorful mountain landscape on illustration board. 24 1/4 in H x 20 in W. Items 2-4: Ink wash or watercolor farm landscape paintings on watercolor paper, one with perforated left edge. All unsigned, with museum accession numbers in pencil to versos. Sheet with perforated edge: 10 in H x 13 1/4. Others: 10 in x 15 in. Biographical note: “George Cress was born in Anniston, Alabama and studied at Emory University, American University, and the University of Georgia, where he studied under fellow Southern contemporary artist Lamar Dodd. He was a central figure in Chattanooga’s arts community and served as President of the Tennessee Arts Council. He sat on the board of the Hunter Museum of Art. From 1951-1984 he was painter in residence at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. The Cress Gallery of Art at UTC is named in his honor.” (Source: The Tennessee Historical Quarterly Vol. XLIV No. 2: Landscape and Genre Painting in Tennessee 1810-1985).

PROVENANCE: Property of the Hunter Museum of American Art.

CONDITION: 1st item with foxing, primarily to margins. 2nd-4th in overall good condition, watercolor with perforated edge with toning and handling wear to edges.