LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 December Signature Texas Art #657  / 

36245

C. R. PARKER, Portrait of Steven F. Austin

Currency:USD Category:Art Start Price:145,000.00 USD Estimated At:150,000.00 - 200,000.00 USD
C. R. PARKER, Portrait of Steven F. Austin
<B>C. R. PARKER (1799-1849)</B></I><BR><I>Portrait of Stephen F. Austin</B></I><BR>Oil on canvas<BR>30 x 25 inches (76.2 x 63.5 cm)<BR>Signed center left<BR><BR> C. R. Parker was a New Orleans-based portrait painter of the Old South. He first appeared in Louisiana in 1825. He was commissioned by the Louisiana legislature to paint portraits of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. His paintings of Washington, Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin were displayed in 1826 at the State Legislature Hall in New Orleans.<BR><BR>Immediately after the sale of these portraits, Parker left New Orleans for England where he studied until 1832. He exhibited with the Free Society of Artists and at the Royal Academy. In 1828, he painted a portrait of John James Audubon who had arrived in London that August. Subsequently, Parker joined Audubon on a trip to Paris. Audubon would be the first artist to visit Texas a few years later in 1837 while working on sketches for, <I>The Viviparous Quadrupeds of North America.</B></I><BR><BR>Parker returned to New Orleans in 1832. Between 1832 and 1835, Parker was making frequent trips throughout the south seeking new clients for portrait commissions. His patrons were typically wealthy, powerful, or politically connected. Parker was active in Natchez, Mobil, Montgomery, Huntsville, Charleston, Columbus, and Milledgeville, the home of Mirabeau Lamar (five of Parker's portraits hung in the Georgia State Capitol).<BR><BR>This portrait of Stephen F. Austin is believed to have been painted from life sometime before 1835. There are only nine other known paintings of Stephen F. Austin thought to be painted from life.<BR><BR>This painting was authenticated by Gregg Cantrell, Ph.D., the Erma and Ralph Lowe Chair in Texas history at Texas Christian University. Dr. Cantrell is the leading expert on Stephen F. Austin and wrote the book, <I>Stephen F. Austin, Empresario of Texas,</B></I> Yale University Press 1999. A complete report is available for review. According to the report, Dr. Rick Stewart of the Amon Carter Museum and Sam DeShong Ratcliffe, author of, <I>Painting Texas History to 1900,</B></I> have seen this portrait and report and agree with the conclusion of the author Dr. Gregg Cantrell.<BR><BR>This is a rare opportunity to obtain a historically important portrait of Texas' founding fathers, and one of the earliest Texas paintings in existence!<BR><BR>Provenance:<BR>Helena Liebel<BR>Margot Liebel Overby<BR>Robert Overby<B>Condition Report:</B> Relined. Scattered inpainting. Minor repaired holes or tears to background areas. Period frame in excellent condition.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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