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1940s Modernist Oil Painting – Adobe Church Landscape, New Mexico Southwest Art

circa 1940

About the Item

This evocative vintage oil painting from the 1930s–1940s captures a classic adobe church in New Mexico, likely inspired by the historic San Francisco de Asís Mission Church in Rancho de Taos. Painted by Denver modernist Paul K. Smith, the scene is rendered in warm earthen tones—reds, browns, and ochres—set against a striking blue sky with soft, drifting clouds. Accents of blue, white, red, and yellow bring the architecture and atmosphere to life in a distinctly modernist style. Although unsigned, this piece comes directly from the artist’s estate and is guaranteed authentic. The artwork is beautifully presented in a custom metal leaf gold frame with a hand-painted wood mat and anti-reflective museum glass. Medium: Oil on canvas Framed Dimensions: 26 x 22 x 1 inches Image Size: 17 ½ x 21 ½ inches Provenance: Estate of Paul K. Smith About the Artist: Paul K. Smith studied at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts and later under modernist pioneer John E. Thompson at the Denver Academy of Fine and Applied Arts. A key figure in Colorado’s early modernist movement, Smith became a prominent instructor, exhibitor, and member of groups such as the American Artists Professional League and the influential avant-garde collective, The Colorado Fifteen. His work is part of the Denver Art Museum’s Anne Evans Collection and was featured in their Western Heritage exhibition catalog.
  • Attributed to:
    Paul Kauvar Smith (1893 - 1977, American)
  • Creation Year:
    circa 1940
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 26 in (66.04 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Frame Included
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
    Good vintage condition, Custom frame with archival materials has recently been added.
  • Gallery Location:
    Denver, CO
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: DCG-129251stDibs: LU2737248042

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