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Conrad BuffTahoe Vista, c. 1945c. 1945
c. 1945
$7,500
£5,729.26
€6,582.91
CA$10,723.39
A$11,814.68
CHF 6,115.99
MX$142,251.75
NOK 77,443.25
SEK 72,753.03
DKK 49,149.72
About the Item
Consigned to the gallery, Pasadena, California; By descent to a private collector, Encino, California; Acquired in 1997 by a private collector, Palo Alto, San Carlos, and Oceanside, California; From Butterfield & Butterfield Auctions
Description
Conrad Buff, a Swiss-born American modernist, was celebrated for his distinctive interpretation of the Western landscape. By the mid-1940s, Buff had reached his mature style—marked by geometric simplification, crystalline planes of color, and an almost mosaic-like structuring of form. In Tahoe Vista, Buff distills the Lake Tahoe region into a bold composition of saturated blues, sunlit golds, and deep earth tones. The view captures the sweep of the lake and surrounding hills, as viewed through Buff’s disciplined abstraction and rhythmic arrangement of shapes.
Here, the serene expanse of Lake Tahoe is rendered not as a literal transcription but as a poetic synthesis: granite outcrops become sculptural forms, pine-covered slopes rise in angular silhouettes, and the lake itself lies like a luminous panel of reflected sky. The palette, cool sapphire and cerulean blues contrasted with warm ochres and umbers, conveys both the clarity and quiet grandeur of the Sierra Nevada. Buff’s approach reflects the influence of European modernism yet remains deeply rooted in the drama and harmony of the American West.
Location Information
Lake Tahoe, straddling the California–Nevada border, has long been an iconic subject for California artists. Buff’s chosen viewpoint, Tahoe Vista, is located on the lake’s northern shore in Placer County, California. Known for its brilliant blue waters and surrounding mountain vistas, this location offers a dynamic interplay of light and shadow throughout the day—qualities Buff distilled into his stylized palette and forms.
Historical Significance
Conrad Buff’s work represents a pivotal bridge between California Impressionism and mid-20th-century modernist abstraction. His mature paintings from the 1940s, such as Tahoe Vista, reveal a confident fusion of structured design and vibrant color relationships that distinguished him from many of his contemporaries.
Buff’s unique approach was recognized by major cultural institutions; the Bowers Museum holds two of his works in their California Bounty: Image & Identity, 1850–1930 exhibition, which contextualizes the state’s evolving visual heritage. His interpretations of the West, particularly the Sierra Nevada and desert landscapes, helped shape a modern visual language for California art, influencing subsequent generations of painters.
Frame
Presented in a mid-20th-century, solid carved wood frame with warm reddish-brown tone and a rich patina. The design of the outer molding is in low-relief with hand-carved wave and foliate motifs. Inner gilt liner is likely original to the work, enhancing color vibrancy. The robust frame visually reinforces the painting’s structural strength and bold palette.
UNFRAMED: 15.5" x 23.75" FRAMED: 20" x 28" x 2.25"
Signature: Lower left corner
Condition
Excellent original condition. The surface retains its original texture and vibrancy.
Exhibited
Scenic Route: A Half Century of California Discovery, 1900-1950, American Legacy Fine Arts, Pasadena, California, August 15 - October 11, 2025
- Creator:Conrad Buff (1886-1975, Swedish)
- Creation Year:c. 1945
- Dimensions:Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)Width: 28 in (71.12 cm)Depth: 2.25 in (5.72 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Pasadena, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: CB-00011stDibs: LU588316681422
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