MATHEWS, Arthur Frank

American (1870-1955)

Classical Subject with Pumas

Gouache and graphite on gray paper.
Inscribed on the verso “given to her by her Brother-in-Law (the artist). ARTHUR F. MATHEWS.”

9 ¾ x 6 ⅞ inches   |   24.8 x 417.5 cm.

Provenance:
Margaret Kleinhans, by gift from the artist (Margaret was married to Lucia’s brother Albert)
Elizabeth Caraker, San Francisco (purchased, August 1978)

Arthur Mathews was a leading figure in the California Arts and Crafts movement, known for his luminous decorative paintings that blend classical symbolism with the landscapes and dreamy atmosphere of the West Coast.  Classical Subject with Pumas is typical of his tonalist palette of muted green, blue and gold, and use of flat fields of color and stylized forms characteristic of the Arts and Crafts aesthetic.  Inspired early on by the French artist Puvis de Chavannes, Mathews often rendered women in idealized California settings, in the spirit of a mythic Arcadia.  The 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco was frequently depicted by the artist, and the domed, colonnaded structure and lake are reminiscent of the Palace of Fine Arts at the exposition. Gouache was his preferred medium for detailed paintings in preparation for larger murals or other architectural designs.

One almost never encounters gouache paintings by Arthur Mathews on the market, and this beautiful painting in fine condition was in a private collection for a half-century.

ᐧPlease contact gallery for price: 510-654-7910