This amazing late 1800's oil on canvas was said to have been rescued from the attic of an Indiana Masonic lodge and shows it's history of neglect. Measuring an impressive 36 1/2" x 31", it depicts a colorful Arab astride his camel smoking a pipe as they traverse a colorful and hilly landscape. As the close-ups show, the canvas is rich in details and jewel tones and will be a real attention getter when restored. The surface is stable and grimy and it appears the canvas was reduces by 1 1/4 on the bottom edge and the stretcher bar was even cut!
There is a line of gold paint top and sides from a touch up of its former frame, now lost. There is a large tear in the sky with minor loss and a canvas loss in the lower right corner.It appears to have been target practic for some ornery boys as there are numerous small penetrations in the canvas with accompanying loss that look suspiciously like BB holes. (The last darkish photo is an image of the canvas backlit and the tiny white spots is light shining through) There is pronounces crazing and some nicley textured areas to this work.
A real project, but a fine oil!