James Swinnerton 1966 Oil on Canvas Board "Saguaro Cactus Near Mexican Border"
Item Details
James Swinnerton
Saguaro Cactus Near Mexican Border
oil on canvas board
Signed
James Swinnerton (American; 1875 – 1974)
Saguaro Cactus Near Mexican Border, 1966
Oil on canvas board
Inscribed in ink ‘An old saguaro cactus near Mexican border’ to lower right
Signed ‘J. Swinnerton’ to lower right
Signed ‘J. Swinnerton’ and dated ‘May 15th 66’ to verso
15.75’ W x 11.75’ H
An oil painting on canvas board titled Saguaro Cactus Near Mexican Border by well-listed American artist James Swinnerton (1875 – 1974), created in 1966. Signed to the lower right, a handwritten inscription in ink provides the subject matter of the work. The painting is presented in a Louis XV style gilt and gesso frame with a canvas liner. The work is also signed and dated to the verso. A couple labels from Christie’s and a label from Heritage Gallery are adhered to the verso.
Before being recognized as a renowned painter of desert landscapes, James Swinnerton first developed a career as an illustrator and cartoonist. Among his popular comic strips and cartoons are Little Bear, Little Jimmy, Little Tiger, and Canyon Kiddies featured in William Hearst’s newspapers and magazines. After establishing himself as a comic artist in New York, he mentored several illustrators and comic artists including Harold Von Schmidt, Darrel McClure, and Robert Ripley. In the first decade of the 20th century, Swinnerton moved to Arizona where he began his interest in painting the Arizona desert, the Grand Canyon, Navajo scenes, and California landscapes. Over time, he developed friendships with several notable artists of the American west such as Edward Borein and Carl Eytell.
Condition
- faint stains, scratches, and small spots of accretion scattered throughout painting; wear in frame includes small chips, stains, and finish loss scattered throughout; canvas board is loose in frame and needs securing.
Dimensions
- measurement of frame; canvas board measures approximately 15.75" W x 11.75" H.
Item #
18DCC471-044
