Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 14

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

More From This Seller

View All
Twilight of History, 1940s Original Figurative American Modernist Oil Painting
By Frederick Shane
Located in Denver, CO
"Twilight of History" is an original oil on board painting by Frederick Shane (1906-1992), created in 1947. This captivating piece depicts a powerful scene reflecting the "twilight" ...
Category

1940s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

1980s Autumn Harvest, Original Semi-Abstract Landscape Oil Painting with Figures
By Edward Marecak
Located in Denver, CO
This original oil painting, titled Autumn Harvest by Edward Marecak (1919-1993), was created in 1987. It features a stunning autumnal landscape, with seven women actively engaged in ...
Category

1980s American Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

ast Santa Cruz Landscape: Yellow Farmhouse with Storm Clouds Oil Painting
By Jon Blanchette
Located in Denver, CO
"East Santa Cruz (California)" is a captivating oil on canvas board by artist Jon Blanchette (1908-1987). The painting features a striking yellow farmhouse set against dark gray storm clouds, capturing the beauty and drama of the California landscape. The composition, with its bold contrast between the warm farmhouse and the looming storm, evokes a sense of both tranquility and tension. Presented in a custom frame, the outer dimensions of the painting measure 21 ¾ x 25 ¾ x 1 ½ inches, with the image size measuring 16 x 20 inches. This artwork is in very good vintage condition, reflecting the care and craftsmanship of its creation. Please contact us for a detailed condition report. Expedited and international shipping options are available—please reach out for a personalized shipping quote. About the Artist: Jon Blanchette, born on March 29, 1908, in Somerset, England, immigrated to Battle Creek, Michigan in 1918. He displayed artistic talent from a young age and went on to study at the Pittsburgh Art...
Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

1940s Modernist Victor, Colorado Mountain Landscape Painting, Mining Town View
By Martyl Suzanne Schweig Langsdorf
Located in Denver, CO
This original 1942 oil painting, titled "Victor, Colorado", by Martyl Suzanne Schweig (1918-2013), captures the rugged beauty of Colorado’s iconic mining landscape. The painting depicts a ghost town in the foreground with the majestic Rocky Mountains in the background, completed in vibrant shades of green, gold, and brown. Schweig painted this scene during a trip with fellow artist Adolph Dehn...
Category

1940s American Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Colorado Hill Town with Storm Clouds, 1940s Modernist Landscape, Lush Green
By Paul Kauver Smith
Located in Denver, CO
This WPA-era signed oil painting by Paul K. Smith captures a stormy summer landscape in Colorado, featuring houses and lush trees under dramatic storm clouds. Painted in rich shades ...
Category

1940s American Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil

Church in Leadville, Colorado, 1930s Framed Landscape Watercolor & Ink Painting
By Jenne Magafan
Located in Denver, CO
This rare, original WPA-era painting, Church in Leadville (1938), was created by renowned Colorado and Woodstock modernist artist Jenne Magafan (1916-1952). The watercolor and ink wo...
Category

1930s American Modern Landscape Paintings

Materials

Archival Ink, Watercolor

You May Also Like

House in Hudson, Ohio, Late 19th Century Painting by Cleveland School Artist
Located in Beachwood, OH
Ora Coltman (American, 1858-1940) House in Hudson, OH Oil on canvas Signed lower left 22 x 26 inches 27.5 x 31.5 inches, framed 21 Aurora Street is locally known as the Isham-Beebe ...
Category

Late 19th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Coastal Scene, 20th Century Seascape, Cleveland School Artist
By George Adomeit
Located in Beachwood, OH
George Gustav Adomeit (American, 1879-1967) Coastal Scene Oil on canvas Signed lower left 19 x 23 inches 21.5 x 25.5 inches, framed A major painter of American scene subjects, Georg...
Category

20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

19th Century Landscape of Shepherdess w/ Sheep & Dog, Munich, Cleveland School
By Henry Keller
Located in Beachwood, OH
Henry George Keller (American, 1869–1949) Shepherdess with Sheep and Dog, Munich, 1891 Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower left 19 x 24 inches 25 x 30 inches, framed Keller, a lead...
Category

1890s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Early 20th Century Summer Landscape, Cleveland School Artist
By George Adomeit
Located in Beachwood, OH
George Gustav Adomeit (American, 1879-1967) Summer Landscape Oil on canvas board Signed lower right 13 x 14.25 inches 18.25 x 19.5 inches, framed A major painter of American scene s...
Category

Early 20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

20th Century Landscape of a Barn with Haystacks, Cleveland School Artist
By George Adomeit
Located in Beachwood, OH
George Gustav Adomeit (American, 1879-1964) Barn Scene Oil on canvas mounted to masonite Signed lower right 16 x 20 inches 21.5 x 25.5 inches, framed A major painter of American sce...
Category

Early 20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Mid-20th Century Venetian Canal Cityscape, Italian-American artist
By Louis Bosa
Located in Beachwood, OH
Louis Bosa (American, 1905-1981) Venice Canalscape, c. 1950 Oil on board Signed lower right 11.75 x 21.75 inches 19.75 x 29.75 inches, framed Born in Codroipo, a small village only ...
Category

1950s American Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Recently Viewed

View All