Description:

William Henry Buck
Norwegian/Louisiana, 1840-1888
"Mississippi Sound"
oil on board
signed lower right, handwritten label inscribed "Davis Point, MS" on backing paper, framed.

Provenance: Succession of Malcolm W. Monroe; Neal Auction, Apr. 4, 1998, lot 284.

Note: William Henry Buck emigrated from Norway to the United States around 1865. He arrived in New Orleans about 1870 where he worked as a clerk for a cotton factory. During the late 1870s and early 1880s, Buck studied with Richard Clague and was one of his closest followers. By 1880, Buck had opened his own studio at 26 Carondelet Street in New Orleans, where he was instrumental in defining the easel-sized painting market. Buck created the most expansive known body of work in the nineteenth century portraying the rivers, lakes, bayous and environs of Louisiana and neighboring Mississippi. His passion for capturing the landscape is evident in the exquisite and subtle luminosity and carefully composed compositions of his works.

The painting offered here relates closely to a large canvas by Buck dated 1883 sold at Neal Auction on November 18, 2017 (lot 343) from the collection of Mary McNeil and Aristide Hopkins of New Orleans and Biloxi and is perhaps an earlier plein air study. Buck's arrangement of the landscape on the edge of a shoreline with a curving wood bridge is a rare example of an asymmetrical configuration by the artist and beautifully guides the viewer's eye around the painting. The reflective surface of the water with its misty fog adds an element of lightness to the scene and highlights the natural bends in the geography. Likely depicting the Mississippi Sound along the Davis Bayou near Ocean Springs, this piece displays Buck's skillful ability to capture a natural setting and fleeting light with a keen eye. The painting has hints of the Barbizon tradition in the luminous sky and the loose, expressive brushstrokes that form the reeds and foliage in the foreground. A classic jewel of a painting from Buck's Mississippi forays, this work serves as an intimate glimpse into the artistic process of one of Louisiana's most adept landscapists.

Ref.: Lewis, Richard Anthony. "William Henry Buck." 64 Parishes. www.64parishes.org. Accessed Nov. 4, 2025; Wiesendanger, Martin and Margaret. 19th Century Louisiana Paintings from the Collection of W.E. Groves. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, 1971.

  • Dimensions: 8 x 12 in. (20.3 x 30.5 cm.), Frame: 14 x 18 x 2 1/2 in. (35.6 x 45.7 x 6.4 cm.)
  • Medium: oil on board
  • Condition: No signs of past restoration; slight warping of board; abrasions and small losses along edges from contact with frame; 3/8 in. x 1/2 in. area of scratches and small losses upper left corner; slight toning of the uneven varnish layer; light scattered scratches, pinpoint accretions and marks throughout; light surface dirt; frame has marks, losses, nicks and abrasions with old repairs in corners.

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November 21, 2025 11:00 AM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

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