As the Canoe Swept By

Details

FRANK EARLE SCHOONOVER (1877-1972)
As the Canoe Swept By
signed and dated 'Frank E Schoonover/1950' (lower right)—dated 'April 1950' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
28 x 46 in. (71.1 x 116.8 cm.)
Painted in 1950.

Provenance

The artist.
Mr. and Mrs. William Stanier, commissioned from the above, 1950.
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen K. Leech, by descent.
Alma Leech, by descent.
Darryl Leech, Atlanta, Georgia, by descent.
Schoonover Studios, Ltd., Wilmington, Delaware.
Private collection, 2005.
Bonhams, San Francisco, California, 11 December 2012, lot 203.
Private collection, acquired from the above.
Christie's, New York, 19 May 2016, lot 56, sold by the above.
Acquired by the late owner fron the above.

Literature

L.Y. Erskine, "Why Craig Laughed," The American Boy—Youth's Companion, May 1940, original version illustrated.
H.C. Pitz, “Frank E. Schoonover: An Exemplar of the Pyle Tradition,” American Artist, November 1964, p. 65, illustrated.
F.E. Schoonover, The Edge of Wilderness, Toronto, Canada, 1974, p.156, illustrated (as The Canoeists).
J. Schoonover, L.S. Smith, L. Dean, Frank E. Schoonover: Catalogue Raisonne, vol. II, Newcastle, Delaware, 2009, pp. 655, 702-03, no. 2450, illustrated.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Tylee Abbott Senior Vice President, Head of American Art

tabbott@christies.com +1 212 707 5925

Lot Essay

The present work was reproduced as an illustration for Laurie York Erskine's "Why Craig Laughed" in the May 1940 issue of The American Boy—Youth's Companion. The work depicts the moment when, "As the canoe swept by, Tom caught a glimpse of Crawford, but what he saw sent through him a chill of horror."

Unfortunately, on March 2, 1950, the original painting was destroyed in a cabin fire in Vermont. That same year, at the request of the work's owner Mr. William Stainer, Schoonover painted the present version to replace the lost work.

More from Stewards of the West: The Knobloch Collection

View All