Figures with Horses (Landscape with Animals)
Painting on canvas or board • Attributed to Maurice Brazil Prendergast (1858–1924)
Style & Movement
American Post-Impressionism / The Eight / American Modernism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas (or panel) with heavy impasto and stippling technique, creating a mosaic-like surface
Creation Period
Circa 1910–1920
Dimensions & Format
Landscape format; approximately 10 x 14 inches (based on detail crop ratio)
Subject Description
A pastoral scene or park setting featuring stylized figures and horses. The composition uses flattened perspective and rhythmic brushwork typical of the artist's late style, where figures blend into a decorative tapestry-like background.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; there is visible cracking and potential structural instability at the lower edge where the pigment meets the frame.
Estimated Market Value
$50,000 - $150,000 (assuming authenticity confirmed)
Auction Estimate
$40,000 - $80,000
Provenance History
Signature 'Prendergast' in lower left. Likely acquired via North American art market; further history would require examination of the reverse for labels from Kraushaar Galleries or similar frequent handlers of his work.
Art Historical Significance
Prendergast was a bridge between 19th-century realism and 20th-century modernism in America. His mosaic-like application of paint was revolutionary for its time, influenced by French Nabis and Cézanne.
Notable Features
Distinctive blocky 'Prendergast' signature; specific 'tapestry' style brushwork characteristic of his late period oils; unique painterly texture that mimics a decorative frieze.
Condition Issues
Significant craquelure throughout the paint film; some loss or instability of the ground/paint layer near the frame rebate; potential yellowing of varnish.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning and stabilizing of the paint layer (consolidation) to prevent further flaking; UV-protective glazing; climate-controlled environment to minimize expansion/contraction of the support.