Description:

William Henry Buck (Norwegian/New Orleans, 1840-1888) , "Stately Home under the Live Oaks along a New Orleans Avenue", oil on canvas, unsigned, 12 1/4 in. x 20 1/8 in., framed Provenance: Acquired from the artist in New Orleans, Henry Harrison Bankston (1820-1902), first mayor of Amite City, LA; his daughter, Mary Ann Bankston Watson (1855-1940); her daughter, Syrena Watson Sanders (1889-1981); her son, Kenneth Ivan Sanders (1923-2004); thence by descent. Note: By 1880 William Henry 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 19th century portraying the rivers, lakes, bayous and environs of New Orleans and its surrounding areas. His passion for capturing the Louisiana landscape is evident in the exquisite and subtle luminosity and carefully composed compositions of his works. While his rural bayou landscapes are perhaps his best known, rare urban scenes of New Orleans and its suburbs also appear in the artist’s oeuvre, portraying a unique glimpse into life in the city during an exciting period of growth and transformation. In the work offered here, Buck depicts a stately home under his iconic moss-draped trees, with the composition built around a strong diagonal of white fence lines – a technique noted in many of his canvases. The roadway in the forefront of the canvas hints at what are likely streetcar tracks. In 1860, New Orleans was home to the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad Company, which ran horse or mule-drawn streetcars along four routes throughout the area in the “American” Quarter above Canal Street. Between 1861 and 1873, the number of New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad Company street railways increased from four lines to nine lines; over one hundred street cars ran along these tracks. By the early 1870s, experimentation with steam power had begun in order to provide an even faster streetcar that did not rely upon horses and mules for power, and in 1890, the last remaining mule car line was shut down as the electrification of the streetcar lines began. Likely completed sometime in the 1880s, this canvas was acquired by Henry Harrison Bankston, first mayor of Amite City, LA. Of Swedish roots, Bankston was active in the Scandinavian community of New Orleans, where he perhaps would have encountered Buck, who was born in Norway and immigrated to the United States around 1865. While the exact location of the structure depicted here remains a mystery, the elegant architecture with colonnade, red roof and expansive grounds is reminiscent even today of New Orleans’ grand avenues. Ref.: Wiesendanger, Martin and Margaret. 19th Century Louisiana Paintings from the Collection of W.E. Groves. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, 1971

  • Condition: Condition is NOT stated in the description of the lot. The absence of a condition report does not indicate the lot is free of damage or condition issues. Available Condition Reports will appear as an additional image. Condition Reports and photographs may be requested on items until the Wednesday prior to the auction. Bid accordingly. All sales are final, no returns are accepted on the basis of condition.

Shipping Options

Invaluable Shipping

  • Expert Care packing and Shipping
  • Shipment Protection
  • Real-time tracking

Arrange your own

  • You will coordinate with us to arrange your own shipping

Local pickup

  • You will coordinate with us and arrange pick up time after payment.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

November 20, 2021 11:00 AM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

Neal Auction Company

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 28% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $29,999 $1,000
$30,000 $49,999 $5,000
$50,000 $99,999 $10,000
$100,000 + $20,000