68027: Edgar Alwin Payne (American, 1883-1947) The Pack

Edgar Alwin Payne (American, 1883-1947) The Pack Train, Sierra Grande Oil on canvas 31-1/2 x 39-1/2 inches (80.0 x 100.3 cm) Signed lower right: Edgar Payne PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF DAVID L. BALLARD, CROTON FALLS, NEW YORK PROVENANCE: Kennedy Galleries Inc., New York; Mr. and Mrs. Max Dreyfus, Bronxville, New York; David L. Ballard, Dreyfus family chauffeur, gift from the above; By descent to the present owner. Born in Washburn, Missouri, Edgar Payne is widely considered one of the foremost California plein-air landscape painters, best known for his majestic Sierra Nevada Mountain scenes of the early 20th century. Payne left home at age fourteen because his father objected to his son's dedication to an art career. Payne subsequently earned money painting houses, stage sets and murals, while traveling through the Ozarks, Texas, Mexico and Chicago. In Chicago, he was active with the Chicago Society of Artists and the Alumni Association of the Art Institute. Payne first visited California in 1909, and immediately found inspiration in scenes of Laguna Beach and San Francisco. During this time, he discovered the beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountains, where he returned continually throughout his career. The Sierra Nevada Mountains served as inspiration for Payne to forego his murals and stage sets, and focus exclusively on the majestic beauty of the California landscape. The Pack Train, Sierra Grande, featured in the motion picture produced and directed by Payne "Sierra Journey, " presents a vision of the American West that is both triumphant and grounded. Payne, commonly identified as the "Poet of the High Sierras," was captivated by the shadowy contrasts, brilliant light, and everchanging mood of the Sierras. Like most of Payne's large-scale paintings, The Pack Train, Sierra Grande was likely initiated as a sketch and finalized in the studio. Here we see the snowcapped mountains of the Sierra Grande dominating the composition while three riders and their pack horses navigate the rugged terrain of the mountain valley. Payne rarely incorporated figures in his California paintings as this was something that he did more often with his Southwestern work. On the occasion that Payne painted figures in his Sierra scenes, they were always shown to be in harmony with the landscape. Payne's addition of the riders to this monumental vista not only adds human interest to the composition, but conveys his belief that the journey was just as important as the destination. While the use of the automobile allowed Payne access to these grand vistas, he would often pack or hike into the remote locations allowing him to paint the most pristine of all locations. "The enjoyment of pictures aids relaxation and adds to the art of living, For pictures are consolers of loneliness, and a relief for the jaded mind, and windows to the imprisoned thought; they are books, histories, and sermons-which we can read without turning over the leaves. A thing of beauty is a joy forever," - Sir John Gilbert quoted in Payne "Sierra Journey." HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Condition Report: Unlined canvas; slight yellowing to the varnish, most noticeable along the upper three inches of the canvas; extremely faint craquelure throughout; a few small abrasions with associated loss to the lower left quadrant; under UV inspection there appears to be a few areas, none larger than 2 inches, of in-paint to the sky; in-paint also appears to be present along the left edge, most likely due to previous frame wear.