Figures Dining Outdoors (Luncheon on the Grass)
Painting on panel or paperboard • Attributed to Hagel (signed lower right)
Style & Movement
Folk Art / Naive Art with Post-Impressionist influences
Medium & Technique
Oil on support with visible impasto and wet-on-wet application; naive/folk art execution
Creation Period
Early 20th Century (possibly circa 1910-1940 based on signature and style)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12 x 16 inches (estimated visually); Landscape format
Subject Description
A social gathering featuring three figures (two men and one seated woman with her back turned) dining at an outdoor table. The background shows a waterway with a person in a small boat. The composition is reminiscent of Manet's 'Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe'.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair; visible aging, darkening of varnish, and edge wear under the frame
Estimated Market Value
$400 - $800 USD (as a decorative folk art piece)
Auction Estimate
$300 - $600 USD
Provenance History
Unknown; includes a possible artist signature 'Hagel' lower right, indicating a private origin, likely European or American school
Art Historical Significance
Representational of mid-century vernacular art where untrained or 'naive' artists reinterpreted classical Impressionist themes through a personal, simplified lens
Notable Features
Distinctive incised vine-and-leaf pattern on the gilded frame; unusual signature 'Hagel' with a possible date that is partially obscured
Condition Issues
Significant darkening of the paint film (likely due to oxidized varnish), minor pigment loss at the board edges, and potential surface grime
Conservation Recommendations
Professional surface cleaning and varnish removal/replacement to recover luminosity; re-securing the substrate within the frame