102a

Original Water Color on Paper

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:15,000.00 USD Estimated At:30,000.00 - 50,000.00 USD
Original Water Color on Paper
By Well Known Artist Tom Lea. This color pencil and watercolor is one of kind piece of art because of its done in with extravagant delicate detail. The particular vitality for the distinguished greenery it has. The color and feeling for the structure of the mission. Many of his paintings depicted scenes from Texas, although his career ranged beyond his home state. During his youth, he spent many summers working on ranches in both Texas and New Mexico. He says in several interviews "he cant remember when he didn't like to draw pictures" Born in 1907 in El Paso, Texas, Tom Lea didn't start learning more about art till 1925 when he boarded a train for Chicago by the influence of parents where studied for 10 years and worked with his mentor. Drawn back to the south west in 1934 , he earned his living as an illustrator and mural painter, and he completed several collaborative projects with Texas author "J Frank Dobie" and also "Marshall Hail". But his most famous work is he also completed Saturday Evening Post and Life magazine illustrations. During World War II, Life magazine personnel hired Lea as a combat artist, and he recorded battles in Italy, the South Pacific, the China-Burma Theatre and the North Atlantic and the Arctic. For his excellent work, he received a Distinguished Service Award from the United States Navy. His mural are hung of today in the Smithsonian institute , Washington DC, The Dallas Museum of Art the Jack Planton and several others in Texas and New Mexico, This fine water color shows the view from from the artists bedroom window of an 18th century church on the hacienda. No one knows when exactly it was built but sometime in the 18th century, by Father Luis Felipe Neri de Alfaro, who, according to tradition, was called upon by a vision of Jesus with a crown of thorns on his head with blood on his face and carrying a cross. The main feature of the complex is the rich Mexican Baroque mural work that adorns the main nave and chapels. The complex remains a place of worship and penance to this day, attracting as many as 5,000 visitors every week. This water color was gifted to his best friends in 1946 because during that time "Raymond Bell owned the ranch. Dated and gifted to ray and evelyn bottom left ( "Antotonilco 1946 to ray and evelyn from your dearest friend Tom Lea" and this lot includes a Oral history book of The legacy of the old vaquero who used to shoot at the tower to try to ring the church bells during Leas stay at the mission. Signed lower right and gifted to Evelyn and Raymond Bell. Also included is a hard cover art portfolio of some of his work. With a signed book by Harper B lee that was illustrated by him Measuring 11"x7". In beautiful condition in original frame done by artist.