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"Building a Home in Colonial America", Important Tempera Painting, Riggs, 1930s

$9,500
£7,212.24
€8,249.26
CA$13,272.88
A$14,762.34
CHF 7,708.43
MX$179,641.94
NOK 98,448.46
SEK 92,327.29
DKK 61,567.40
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About the Item

Striking and important, this scene of two Colonial era figures -- probably father and son, one with reddish hair and the other blond -- shows them sawing and splitting logs for a new home in the wilderness, tall trees to either side. Both figures are working intently and quietly, and a variety of details -- such as the father's tricorne hat hanging from a peg behind him -- give a sense of verisimilitude to the scene. The artist was Robert Riggs, who is best known for a series of quintessential Depression-era prints of boxers, workers and urban life, often featuring broad-shouldered, strapping male figures, as here. The painting is tempera on board, and may have been commissioned to illustrate a magazine. It is signed in the lower righthand corner, and retains its original bleached oak frame and linen matte. Dimensions include the matte and frame; visible painting is 18 inches high by 14.25 inches wide.
  • Creator:
    Robert Riggs (Painter)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Width: 24.5 in (62.23 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
  • Style:
    Art Deco (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Circa 1930s
  • Condition:
    Painting is in excellent condition; frame and matte show staining and wear.
  • Seller Location:
    Philadelphia, PA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU865143764562

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