American Oil Painting "Autumn Landscape" by Frederick John Mulhaupt (1871-1938)

Up for sale from a recent client in Honolulu Hawaii this early 20th century American unframed oil on canvas painting that is titled "Autumn Landscape" and depicts a country road with chickens and a forest in the foreground and a village in the distance and is by Frederick John Mulhaupt (1871 - 1938). The painting is unsigned but the original frame had a metal plaque attached that is now attached to the back of the stretchers. The full provenance information will be part of the sale but in short the painting was purchased by a Doctor in Queens, New York in the 1930s, from a gallery that carried the artists work. It was gifted to the current owner in 1977 and they took it to Maui, Hawaii. For the past 25 years the painting was stored in a storage facility. Some months ago the storage was closed out and the painting was taken to Honolulu and found its way to me. The frame and stretcher bars were completely termite eaten and discarded. The canvas that was overall in good condition was given to me and I had the pieces re-stretched and cleaned and lightly varnished. The conserver suggested to reline the canvas to get it completely flat but the appraiser I asked was opposed to it - he pointed out due to the unsigned work the canvas is a proof of the age of the painting. I followed his suggestion and will leave it up to the buyer of the piece to frame it and reline it if so desired. Similar works of the artist have sold upwards of $20,000 in passed years. I am excited to be able to offer it at a much lower reserve. There are photos available from before the re-stretching and cleaning.

Measurements:

Canvas 27.75 inches high x 36.25 inches wide

More information about the artist:

Known for his skillful depictions of the landscape and seascapes of Cape Ann, Massachusetts, Frederick Mulhaupt was very much a part of that region's art community in the early part of the 20th century. His paintings, especially the working harbor scenes, captured the essence of the area, which was already a favorite spot of famous painters such as Winslow Homer and Fitz Hugh Lane.

He was born and raised in Rock Port, Missouri by prosperous German parents, and he had an early job as manager of a newspaper and magazine in Dodge City, Kansas but found it too lawless so he moved to Kansas City. There he apprenticed to an itinerant painter, enrolled at the Kansas City School of Design, and then at the Art Institute of Chicago. He earned much respect as an artist, and in 1895 was one of the founding members of the Palette and Chisel Club. He stayed in Chicago for many years, eventually becoming an instructor in figure classes at the Art Institute.

In 1904, he moved to New York and lived at the Salmagundi Club and then

spent several years in Paris, exhibiting at the Paris Salon and enjoying the exploration of modernist art movements. The influence of Impressionism is obvious on his work.

He returned to the United States and again lived at the Salmagundi Club where he associated with some of the foremost artists of his day. Although based in New York, he spent his summers in Gloucester, Massachusetts from 1907, and in 1922 became a year-round resident. It was there that he came into his own as an artist.

He was active in the Boston North Shore Art Association, and his work was sold through galleries. He exhibited at the major museums including the National Academy of Design, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. I n 1926, he was elected an associate member of the National Academy of Design and remained a vital part of the New York art world even when he lived elsewhere.

He married Agnes Kingsley, a teacher, and they had one son. He supported his family by teaching workshops and selling his paintings.

Condition: 

Painting was cleaned and re-streched, frame and old stretchers were completely bug eaten, painting was not relined, very minor touch up's in places, cracking of paint throughout but stable, painting is unsigned but the original metal plaque was attached to the stretchers in the back, Provenance information included in the sale