George Elmer Browne (American, 1871-1946)

George Elmer Browne (American, 1871-1946) , "The Slave Market", oil on panel, signed lower left, "Chapellier Galleries, New York, NY" label with artist and title en verso, 35 in. x 36 in., framed . Provenance: Schwitz Collection, Franklin, LA. Note: George Elmer Browne was an impressionist painter highly regarded in both the United States and France, where he was named a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor in 1926. He took frequent tours of Europe to paint landscapes in oil and watercolor. In the painting offered here, Browne presents a genre scene of a Middle Eastern slave market. Two nude figures draw the eye of both the depicted crowd and the viewer, as they stand in sharp contrast to their surroundings and hint at influences of classical sculpture. The dramatic sky owes perhaps to the work of John Constable with a strong impression of three dimensional volume and tonal hues. Combining the suggestion of details with broad swaths of color was a particular skill of Browne, and one on ample display in this masterful market scene.