George Inness in Italy... a must-see for me!

"Twilight on the Campagna"

George Inness in Italy (through May 15, 2011), now at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, features ten oil  paintings that survey Inness’s Italian subjects dating from 1850 to 1879. A canonical figure in American painting,  Inness (1825–1894) is widely admired as the pioneer of Tonalism, which is notable for its soft focus and translucent layers of paint.

Twilight on the Campagna, Inness's first major work completed in italy, was recently conserved and has not been on view at the museum since 1952. I have long admired his landscapes, especially as the artist settled  in my home state of New Jersey and painted many familiar scenes in and around Monclair (The Montclair Art Museum houses an impressive collection of his work). Looking forward to viewing this latest exhibit.

Important American Paintings at Christie's Auction

George Inness, "Near Peekskill"

Christie's New York will hold an important auction of American Paintings on September 29, 2009. Spanning the country’s most significant historical periods, for this event they will bring together Modernist, American Impressionist, Surrealist and Western works by many of the most celebrated names in American art. Emil Carlsen, Reginald Marsh, George Inniss, Edward Kemeys, Sally Michel Avery, Richard Schmid and William Aiken Walker are but a sampling of artists represented. Previews begin September 25 through 28th. Admission is free!