Winter Cattle Drive
Painting on canvas • Modern Western Illustrator / Cowboy Artist (Style reminiscent of the 'Cowboy Artists of America' circle)
Style & Movement
Western Realism / American Illustrative Realism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing wet-on-wet techniques with expressive impasto in the snow and atmospheric glazing in the background mountains.
Creation Period
Late 20th Century (circa 1970–1990)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 18 x 24 inches; Landscape format; Housed in a traditional carved wooden 'Western' frame with a linen liner.
Subject Description
The composition depicts cowboys on horseback managing a herd of Hereford cattle through a snowy landscape. The narrative emphasizes the harsh reality of ranch life, featuring a calf in the foreground to symbolize vulnerability. The background features hazy blue mountains that create deep perspective.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Very Good; The canvas appears taut with no visible sagging, though the varnish may have slight yellowing consistent with age.
Estimated Market Value
$1,500 – $3,500 (dependent on confirmed artist signature)
Auction Estimate
$1,000 – $2,000
Provenance History
Unknown; Likely acquired through a gallery specializing in Western Americana or directly from a regional art show typical of the American Southwest or Mountain West.
Art Historical Significance
A representative example of late 20th-century Western Art that continues the tradition established by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell, focusing on the documentation of contemporary ranching labor.
Notable Features
Features a distinctive linen-on-wood inner frame liner popular in the 1970s and 80s Western art market; signature appears to be in the lower right corner, though partially obscured by the frame lip.
Condition Issues
Minor surface dust; potential slight craquelure in the heavier white impasto areas; some minor abrasions to the outer wooden frame edges.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional surface cleaning and a fresh coat of archival UV-protective varnish; maintain in a climate-controlled environment away from direct sunlight.