Grand Teton Peak from the Valley
Original painting on canvas • Lee Barley (signed lower right)
Style & Movement
American Regionalist / Western Landscape school, characterized by a representational style with post-impressionist influences in color and light.
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing alla prima painting techniques with visible brushwork, impasto in the foliage, and atmospheric perspective in the distant mountain peaks.
Creation Period
1939 (dated lower right)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 20 x 24 inches (sight), horizontal rectangle landscape format.
Subject Description
A panoramic vista of the Teton Range, featuring a prominent, snow-dusted peak (likely the Grand Teton) under a clear blue sky. The foreground contains sagebrush and a rustic log buck fence, giving way to a golden meadow and a dense grove of quaking aspens in early autumn color. The composition uses the fence as a horizontal anchor against the verticality of the mountain.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Very Good. The paint film appears stable, though the surface shows typical aged characteristics.
Estimated Market Value
$800 - $1,500 USD
Auction Estimate
$600 - $1,200 USD
Provenance History
Likely acquired in the American West / Wyoming region; there is a visible signature and date 'Lee Barley 1939' suggesting it was a contemporary acquisition or commissioned piece during the pre-WWII era of Western travel.
Art Historical Significance
This piece represents the mid-20th-century American fascination with the Western frontier and the National Parks. While Barley is not a widely known 'Old Master' of the West, the work demonstrates high-quality regional craftsmanship and captures the specific aesthetic of 1930s plein air painting.
Notable Features
Distinctive 'buck and rail' fence which is iconic to the Wyoming landscape; specific date of 1939 makes it a late Depression-era cultural artifact; the artist's use of purple and mauve tones in the mountain shadows is a classic Western landscape technique.
Condition Issues
Minor surface Grime and yellowing of the varnish layer; slight craquelure consistent with age may be present; the frame shows minor abrasions and finish wear; potential for minor canvas slackness.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional surface cleaning and a new coat of archival varnish would brighten the colors. The painting should be housed in a climate-controlled environment away from direct sunlight. The current gilded wood frame appears original and should be preserved.