Painting of Cows; Maybe Late 1800 / Early 1900?

artea_sedai · October 11th, 2010, 02:13 AM

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone would be able to help identify a painting that once belonged to my great great grandmother, and has passed down along the generations. I don't know if she bought it, or if she in turn received it down, but she seems to have been into collecting art, so I assume she did buy it herself. It is shown below, along with some samples of my *trying* to take a picture of the signature. As you can see, the signature is in the darkest part of the picture, and cannot be made out (I tried many different macro images from different angles, and messed with the contrast in some to try and see better.) My best guest, at least for the first part of the name is C. M., though I could be completely wrong. If anyone would be able to enlighten me, it would be great!

roger1 · October 12th, 2010, 01:34 AM

Hi, It's a familiar scene but can't recall where I've seen it. The sig is very obscure - does it begin CK Chri...... Do you think it's an English scene?

An interesting and pleasant painting.

Roger.

John · October 12th, 2010, 10:02 AM

I agree, a good painting with nice light in it, but I can't say much about the signature.

What about putting the painting carefully on a scanner and scanning the signature? I tried scanning a painting once with terrible results, as some layers of underpainting showed right through, but you might be able to find a setting that makes it work.

artea_sedai · October 12th, 2010, 08:37 PM

Hi again,

Roger: Your guess is as good as mine, as far as the signature goes, sadly. i do think the first letter is a "C.", and while I thought the second letter was an "M.", I can see very much how it could be a "K." In the end, I don't really know... As for the scene, it does look English, now that you mention it. I don't think, though, that my great great grandmother went to England, at all, and her family was very old money in New York. One of the other paintings that my mom has of her's was most likely from a rural painter in the New England area, so I'm guessing that this maybe was a farm scene of that surrounding area?

John: I wish I had thought of the scanning option while I was where this painting is - anything to make it easier to read. Unfortunately, the painting is at my great uncle's house, which is in another state - I was visiting him last weekend, and happened to get a chance to take pictures. I'll have to see what I can come up with using the pictures I took, since he and his family are not the best technologically.

Another side note: my great uncle and his wife paid, about 30 years ago, to have the painting professionally cleaned (professionally according to them, though I have no idea the techniques used). Apparently when they did that, the cleaners also put brown paper on the back of the frame (which is original). My grandma, who the painting was originally supposed to go to, says that she recalls that there might have been information on the back of the canvas, but now it's not visible. I didn't feel up to talking my great uncle and aunt into removing the paper, as it would probably not have turned out well anyway, but... the main reason I mention all this, is to ask: is it a common occurrence that there is information on the backs of canvases, or is it just supposition?

artea_sedai · October 13th, 2010, 01:24 AM

I was fiddling around with the pictures of the signature again tonight, and thought I'd post one of the better (though blindingly bright, almost) samples to see if anyone is better at deciphering than I am. Now I think that it could either be "C. M.", "C. W.", "B. M.", "B. W.", or even a slanted "Bill", with maybe a "Cr----" starting the last name... any thoughts?

October 11th, 2010, 02:13 AM	#1
artea_sedai Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 3	Painting of Cows; Maybe Late 1800 / Early 1900? Hello, I was wondering if anyone would be able to help identify a painting that once belonged to my great great grandmother, and has passed down along the generations. I don't know if she bought it, or if she in turn received it down, but she seems to have been into collecting art, so I assume she did buy it herself. It is shown below, along with some samples of my trying to take a picture of the signature. As you can see, the signature is in the darkest part of the picture, and cannot be made out (I tried many different macro images from different angles, and messed with the contrast in some to try and see better.) My best guest, at least for the first part of the name is C. M., though I could be completely wrong. If anyone would be able to enlighten me, it would be great!

October 13th, 2010, 01:24 AM	#5
artea_sedai Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 3	Extreme Contrast Signature I was fiddling around with the pictures of the signature again tonight, and thought I'd post one of the better (though blindingly bright, almost) samples to see if anyone is better at deciphering than I am. Now I think that it could either be "C. M.", "C. W.", "B. M.", "B. W.", or even a slanted "Bill", with maybe a "Cr----" starting the last name... any thoughts?

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October 12th, 2010, 01:34 AM	#2
roger1 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Posts: 171	Hi, It's a familiar scene but can't recall where I've seen it. The sig is very obscure - does it begin CK Chri...... Do you think it's an English scene? An interesting and pleasant painting. Roger.

October 12th, 2010, 10:02 AM	#3
John John Malyon, host Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,401	I agree, a good painting with nice light in it, but I can't say much about the signature. What about putting the painting carefully on a scanner and scanning the signature? I tried scanning a painting once with terrible results, as some layers of underpainting showed right through, but you might be able to find a setting that makes it work.

October 12th, 2010, 08:37 PM	#4
artea_sedai Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 3	Hi again, Roger: Your guess is as good as mine, as far as the signature goes, sadly. i do think the first letter is a "C.", and while I thought the second letter was an "M.", I can see very much how it could be a "K." In the end, I don't really know... As for the scene, it does look English, now that you mention it. I don't think, though, that my great great grandmother went to England, at all, and her family was very old money in New York. One of the other paintings that my mom has of her's was most likely from a rural painter in the New England area, so I'm guessing that this maybe was a farm scene of that surrounding area? John: I wish I had thought of the scanning option while I was where this painting is - anything to make it easier to read. Unfortunately, the painting is at my great uncle's house, which is in another state - I was visiting him last weekend, and happened to get a chance to take pictures. I'll have to see what I can come up with using the pictures I took, since he and his family are not the best technologically. Another side note: my great uncle and his wife paid, about 30 years ago, to have the painting professionally cleaned (professionally according to them, though I have no idea the techniques used). Apparently when they did that, the cleaners also put brown paper on the back of the frame (which is original). My grandma, who the painting was originally supposed to go to, says that she recalls that there might have been information on the back of the canvas, but now it's not visible. I didn't feel up to talking my great uncle and aunt into removing the paper, as it would probably not have turned out well anyway, but... the main reason I mention all this, is to ask: is it a common occurrence that there is information on the backs of canvases, or is it just supposition?