Frederick Blanchard Signed Antique Watercolor Gouache Ca Figures Affair

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This is a fantastic Antique Original Watercolor and Gouache Painting on Paper by listed California artist Frederick Winslow Blanchard (1878-1948). … Read more This is a fantastic Antique Original Watercolor and Gouache Painting on Paper by listed California artist Frederick Winslow Blanchard (1878-1948). Colorful, beautifully executed, and genuinely funny, the painting captures the dramatic discovery of what appears to be an illicit affair.

Blanchard renders the scene with wonderful detail and character. Elaborate costumes, patterned textiles, a colorful tiled floor, expressive faces, and richly decorated surroundings give the work an almost theatrical quality. Transparent watercolor washes are combined with areas of opaque gouache, creating beautiful variations in color, texture, and depth throughout the composition.

The result is an exceptionally engaging narrative painting and a fabulous conversation piece. The longer you look at it, the more amusing details emerge—and the expressions and gestures of the various characters make the unfolding scandal unmistakable.

The work is signed “F. Blanchard” along the lower edge and appears to retain a date beside the signature - possibly 1919 but it's hard to make out exactly.

The painting remains housed in its older dark wood frame under glass and retains a vintage Morcom's “The House of Beautiful Things” label from Oakland, California, on the reverse, adding an interesting piece of California history and provenance to the work.

A wonderfully unusual antique California painting combining fine art, humor, narrative, and a delightfully scandalous subject!

• Condition: Very good antique condition with age-appropriate wear. Painting has not been examined outside of the frame. The vintage wood frame and original backing show wear consistent with age, including scratches, marks, and losses to the backing paper. Please see photographs for complete condition details.

• Measurements: Approximately 14" x 22" framed See less