Diana Watson

'Rondo II', Contemporary classic Floral Oil painting on linen canvas, 2020

2020

Oil on canvas still life painting of a wine bottle along with a lobster. Signed lower left. Circa 1880. The painting is housed in its original monumental wood gesso and gilt Victoria...

Very fine example of the artistry of the master still life painter of his day, Edward Chalmers Leavitt. Signed lower left and dated 1875. Condition is very good. Provenance: Christie’s Auction, New York, December 2, 1992, lot 228. Overall in period replica gold leaf deep cove gallery frame 25.75 by 17.75 inches. Edward C. Leavitt (1842-1904) worked in Providence but is also associated with the Fall River School of still life painting through the influence of, and affinity of his style to, the work of Robert S. Dunning. Leavitt was a student of landscape painter James Morgan Lewin, a founder of Providence’s artistic “group of 1855.” Leavitt’s work is known for its realism, rich coloration, sharp focus and careful finish. His paintings of fruit and flowers incorporate ornate decorative pieces such as silver or bronze ewers, salvers, tankards, or plates on carved and polished tables. Leavitt was a prolific artist, exhibiting frequently at the National Academy of Design, the Boston Art Club, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. His work inspired other still life painters in Providence, resulting in that city’s own still life tradition, including artists such as John Clinton Spencer, Bryant Chapin...