John Falter (American, 1910-1982) Nighttime Farm Landscape

Description:

John Falter (American, 1910-1982)

Nighttime Farm Landscape
Signed "JOHN FALTER" l.l., numbered "P1083" on the reverse.
Oil on canvas, 27 x 24 in. (68.5 x 60.5 cm),framed.
Condition: Craquelure, drying cracks, minor frame abrasions, subtle canvas rippling, varnish discoloration, surface grime.

Provenance: Collection of Robert Fuoss, former editor of The Saturday Evening Post; then by descent within the family.

Literature: Cover image, The Saturday Evening Post, January 12, 1946.

N.B. Describing the cover illustration, The Saturday Evening Post wrote, "In John Falter's memory-evoking painting of milking time at sundown, when lights gleam in the barn and kitchen, and supper is on the stove, there is a devil trap, if you know where to look. The decorations on the barn are traditional in Falter's neighborhood, which is Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and date back to the days when a gloomy belief in 'hexing,' or witchcraft, was general. The stars came into favor as an antihex mark, or witch repellent, a kind of countermeasure, like carrying a rabbit's foot. They jinxed the hex, if you follow. The arches painted over the barn window represent a foxy scheme to give the devil a headache. Seeing the arches - it was originally believed - the devil would mistake a small window for a big one, and crack his head when he tried to fly inside." (Vol. 218, No. 28, p. 2).

Please note that the copyright for this image is held by The Curtis Publishing Company, owner of The Saturday Evening Post.
Estimate $10,000-15,000

Possible pentimento of another chimney at the house roof.

Framed dimensions are 30 1/2 x 27 1/2 x 1 3/8 inches.

No additional condition issues to report.


Items may have wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging. Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Skinner shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.

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