Early 20th Century Original Oil Painting Landscape -- High Sierras Alpine Meadow by Frederick Carl Smith

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Early 20th Century Original Oil Painting Landscape -- High Sierras Spring Alpine Meadow by Frederick Carl Smith

This painting is … Read more Early 20th Century Original Oil Painting Landscape -- High Sierras Spring Alpine Meadow by Frederick Carl Smith

This painting is a classic example of early 20th-century American landscape painting rooted in the traditions of the California plein air movement by Frederick Carl Smith (American, 1868-1955), circa 1920. With luminous snow-capped peaks rising above a verdant alpine meadow, Smith captures the grandeur of the American West in this finely rendered landscape. His impressionistic brushwork and delicate handling of light reflect the influence of the California plein air tradition, evoking a serene yet majestic natural world. The composition centers on the majestic snow-capped Sierra Mountains rising dramatically behind a lush alpine valley. A gentle stream winds through the grassy meadow, its still water reflecting hints of the surrounding scenery. Wildflowers bloom in the foreground, adding subtle pink and violet accents, while groves of golden aspens and green conifers line the midground.

Medium: Oil on stretched linen :
Artist: Frederick Carl Smith (signed lower left corner "F. Carl Smith")
Condition: Good; wear and craquelure consistent with age and use.
Framed with period frame.
Canvas size: 20"H x 26"W
Framed size: 26"H x 32"W

Smith employs a painterly realism, using impressionistic brushwork and vibrant color contrasts to capture the crisp light and atmospheric depth of the mountain landscape. His handling of light on snow and reflections in water demonstrates a keen observational skill, while the layered Sierra mountains recede into soft blues and lavenders, creating a sense of depth and distance.

Frederick Smith is known for Portrait, marine and landscape painting. Known as a portrait painter, Frederick Carl Smith was born in Cincinnati and studied at the Cincinnati Art School, the Ohio Mechanics' Institute, and the Academie Julian in Paris with Bouguereau, Ferrier and Constant.

For 17 years, he worked in Washington D.C. as a portraitist and then moved to Pasadena, California in 1917. There he was active in the Laguna Beach art community and a founding member of that art association. He also painted marines. See less