An impressive and large-scale mid-20th-century oil on canvas still life by William Skilling (1862–1964), presented in its original, hand-painted artist's frame featuring faux-marble graining created by Skilling himself.
This can ship, UPS, but extra cost for wood crate or custom cardboard box.
Executed in the dramatic pronkstilleven (ostentatious still life) style of the 17th-century Dutch Masters, the rich composition features a vibrant boiled lobster on a platter, fresh fish spilling from a heavy copper fish poacher pan, a bowl of lemons, cabbages, and a woven basket of mussels set alongside an ornate silver-gilt ewer and Kraak-style blue-and-white porcelain. Measuring nearly 5 feet wide in its custom 2 1/8-inch deep frame, the work demonstrates Skilling's masterly control of light, shadow, texture, and grand scale. Signed lower right Skilling.
Artist Biography: William Skilling (1862–1964)
William E. Skilling was a British-born American painter who became one of mid-century California’s most sought-after decorative artists. Following his service in World War I, Skilling established his residence and primary studio in San Francisco, actively exhibiting in regional venues such as the Oakland Art League. He executed his grand decorative series (including his animalier works, Old Master homages, and trompe-l'œil still lifes), until his death in 1964.
While Skilling initially built a reputation executing fine portraits and landscapes, he achieved lasting renown during the mid-20th century for his grand-scale, highly technical compositions. His repertoire was defined by monumental animalier subjects alongside masterful homage paintings in the manner of historical masters—most notably 17th-century Dutch still-life painters, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, and American folk artists like Edward Hicks.
A complete artisan, Skilling was known not only for his meticulous brushwork and dramatic control of light, but also for personally hand-crafting and hand-painting bespoke frames—such as faux-marble, burl, and tortoiseshell moldings—designed specifically to complement the Old Master illusion of each canvas. Today, his large-scale canvases are highly prized by interior designers and fine art collectors for their decorative authority and exceptional scale.
Dimensions:
Framed Size: 59" W x 37 7/8" H x 2 1/8" D
Canvas Sight Size: 53 1/2" W x 32 1/2" H
Details:
Artist: William Skilling (American/British, 1862–1964)
Medium: Oil on Canvas in Custom Hand-Painted Frame
Period: Mid-20th Century (Circa 1950s–1960s)
Subject: Dutch / Flemish Master Banquet Still Life (Lobster, Copper Fish Poacher, Fruit, Ewer)
Signature: Signed Skilling lower right
Condition:
Excellent vintage condition overall. Crisp colors, rich impasto, and strong canvas tension. The original hand-painted faux-marble frame shows light age-appropriate wear and minor scuffing to edges, preserving its authentic vintage character.
These artists worked in a similar grand-scale, decorative, or trompe-l'œil homage style during the mid-20th century:
Giuseppe Arcimboldo (Skilling famously painted direct homage works after Arcimboldo)
Edward Hicks (Another artist Skilling frequently referenced in his decorative period works)
Piero Fornasetti ( Dramatic, classical-inspired mid-century decorative statements)
Claude Venard or Bernard Buffet (Cross-appeals to mid-century art collectors looking for grand dining room wall statement pieces)
Keywords: William Skilling still life, large William Skilling painting, Willem Kalf style, Abraham van Beyeren manner, Jan Davidsz de Heem inspired, Dutch Master style still life, lobster still life oil painting, oversized still life painting, 17th century style banquet painting...
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Canvas Wall Decorations
MaterialsCanvas, Wood, Paint