Late 19th Century American Landscape on Academy Board, Wadsworth Howland Label, Circa 1880–1900

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This late 19th-century landscape is painted on original academy board, a professionally prepared support favored by academically trained artists in … Read more This late 19th-century landscape is painted on original academy board, a professionally prepared support favored by academically trained artists in the latter half of the 1800s. The composition depicts a serene waterside scene with rocky terrain, distant mountains, and a small rustic structure set among trees and a sailboat in the distance rendered in a soft, atmospheric palette typical of the period.

The painting displays confident, fluid brushwork and subtle tonal transitions, reflecting the European academic tradition that strongly influenced American landscape painters of the era. The work balances careful observation with a restrained romantic sensibility characteristic of late 19th-century landscape studies.

Affixed to the reverse is the original artist-supply label from Wadsworth, Howland & Co., a prominent Chicago firm active in the late 1800s as importers and manufacturers of fine artists’ materials. The label identifies the support as academy board and references English, French, and German materials, providing strong material evidence for a late 19th-century date, circa 1880–1900.

Subtle ornamental surface decoration—likely originally applied or integrated into the ground—remains faintly visible beneath the aged finish and becomes apparent upon close inspection (see photos). This detail adds visual depth and historical interest without distracting from the composition.

Based on the materials, label, and technique, the work was likely produced in the United States, though the subject retains a timeless, Old World quality. The painting presents beautifully as-is and offers collectors an authentic example of late 19th-century American academic landscape work. See less