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Pastoral Landscape with Farmstead and Flowering Tree, Pastel on Paper, c. 1920-1940

A pastel painting of a rural farm with a white flowering tree and cows under a cloudy sky, housed in a wide black frame. - view 1
1/2

Estimated value

$150 - $450

Rarity

Average(4/10)

Category

Paintings

Era

Circa 1920-1940

Origin

🌍 International

Authenticity

Moderate(65%)
52

PASTORAL LANDSCAPE WITH FARMSTEAD AND FLOWERING TREE, PASTEL ON PAPER, C. 1920-1940: IDENTIFICATION

This work is a representational landscape executed in soft pastel on paper, depicting a rural farmstead sheltered by a large, white-blossomed tree in the foreground. The composition employs a traditional tiered structure: a reflective body of water in the immediate foreground, a middle ground featuring a thatched-roof cottage with a hayrick and grazing livestock, and a muted, atmospheric sky. The artist utilized a limited palette of earth tones, greens, and whites, applying the pigment with soft blending techniques characteristic of mid-20th-century regionalist styles. A faint, illegible signature is visible in the lower right quadrant in a dark pigment.

Compare with other paintings in the archive: Surrealist Painting by William Vandenjoc, Abstract Expressionist Landscape Painting, Winterzon by Ansje Siel (2023).

PERIOD & ATTRIBUTION

The aesthetic of this piece aligns with the European and North American pastoral tradition of the early 20th century, specifically echoing the Dutch Laren School or similar regionalist movements that romanticized agrarian life. During the period of 1920-1940, many artists turned to these ...
The aesthetic of this piece aligns with the European and North American pastoral tradition of the early 20th century, specifically echoing the Dutch Laren School or similar regionalist movements that romanticized agrarian life. During the period of 1920-1940, many artists turned to these 'tranquil' subjects as a counterbalance to the rapid industrialization of the era. The depiction of the thatched roof and specific haymow structure suggests a Northern European, possibly Low Countries, influence or origin.

SCARCITY

Average55-70%
CommonLegendary

Typical antique shop fare. Requires some searching but regularly available. This is where most genuine antiques fall.

Rarity 4/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 42 paintings items at rarity 4 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

  • Standard antique shop items
  • Regularly available
  • Moderate collector interest

Confidence Factors

  • Illegible signature prevents definitive artist attribution
  • Later 20th-century framing may obscure original labels or stamps on the reverse
  • Prolific production of similar amateur and semi-professional pastoral scenes in this era
How does authenticity detection work?

THE ART SPECIALIST'S TAKE

Museum-Trained Art Historian

Connoisseur

The identification of medium and style is stable, but the lack of a legible signature and provenance information limits the ability to provide a more narrow valuation or specific artist attribution.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Compositional tiered structure typical of early 20th-century landscape schools
  • 2Soft pastel medium identification based on matte texture and light-handling
  • 3Architecture of the cottage suggests a Northern European stylistic influence
  • 4Signature placement in the lower right quadrant is standard for the period

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •Signature is too faint in current images to cross-reference with known registries
  • •Frame appears significantly newer than the artwork, potentially hiding provenance clues

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Photograph the signature with raking light for better legibility
  • →Inspect the reverse of the frame/mounting for gallery labels or artist's notes
  • →Check for the presence of a mat between the pastel and the glass to prevent moisture damage

CONDITION & GRADE

Good

Grading breakdown

Visible paper waviness and minor color fading in the upper sky region; frame retains structural integrity but is a later 20th-century replacement.

Condition

The pastel appears stable with no visible 'dusting' or pigment loss on the glass interior. There is evidence of slight tonal shifts consistent with light exposure, and the paper support shows minor undulation likely due to humidity changes over time.

ART MARKET VALUATION

$150 - $450

Updated: May 11, 2026

Who buys this

Collectors of early 20th-century landscapes and interior decorators seeking traditional, atmospheric focal pieces.

What increases value

  • •Identification of the signature
  • •Condition of the paper support (absence of foxing/spots)
  • •Subject matter appeal (flowering trees are a high-demand motif)

What lowers value

  • •Significant fading due to UV exposure
  • •Moisture damage to the pastel if it touches the glass directly

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Provenance from a recognized estate or gallery
  • •Technical mastery of 'scumbling' in the sky and water reflections

Grade & condition

Paper acidity, pigment stability, and evidence of light-fastness.

Rarity & demand

AverageModerate demandModerate liquidity
Browse similar paintings objects

For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

FROM THE CABINET OF

RE

rebecca
Wonderseeker•1 item

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