Help need with old painting - Does this say Monet?

Just kidding!

This has a signature but I can't make it out. I tried using magnified photos but that only made it worse. It looks like there is an R and the last 2 letters may be ET. After the signature there is a small # 75. I have more photos of the signature that I made lighter and darker and from different angles. You can see them at this link to my photobucket album - password is painting

http://s173.photobucket.com/user/Mi.../Art Oil Painting/Art Oil Painting Large Pics


What style would you call this? Tonalism? The painting is 10" by 5 1/2" and the frame is 15" by 10 1/2". The frame looks old. Unfortunately, it has vertical cracks appearing in the wood. There is a brighter gold paint visible, especially in the lower left corner of the frame. Do you think this was the original color and the rest is dirty or, is the paint having some type of chemical reaction? The painting is very dirty, it looks brighter in my photographs because of the bright lights I use.

I removed the paper on the back that was obviously replaced at some point. The board is very rough as you can see in the photograph. Do you think 1875 could be the date? This is my first post and first time uploading photographs, I'm not sure why my first photo is showing twice. Sorry about that. Thank you, I look forward to your thoughts.

 

I can't make out any signature at all from the photos. The style of the frame is consistent with the 1875 time frame. The painting itself is vaguely Hudson River School style but really looks more commercial. I would have thought the painting later than the 1875 date but if someone was emulating the Hudson River School style as a contemporary, it fits. Can't tell the material of the board. If rough sawn wood, it also fits the 1875 date. You might want to check to see if it is just a thin wood backing.

 

Another look at the back shows contemporary nails used. This along with the newer paper back makes me think the painting is not original to the frame. It really needs to be examined outside the frame to see what we are dealing with.

 

Thank you Brad. I will post some photographs tomorrow after I remove it from the frame.

 

To me it looks like a routine late 19th C. landscape, 1875 is quite believable and I'd catalogue it as 'British School, 1875' although since it is in America it may not be British.

'British School' is simply something you say when you have no better idea.

Over here I'd expect to pay the equivalent of about $100 for it.

 

I removed it from the frame. The painted board is pasted to the rough wood board. I found another set of holes in the frame under the paper. Maybe an old hanger?

Here is a link to the pictures on photobucket. Password is painting.

http://s173.photobucket.com/user/Millcovetreasures/slideshow/Art Oil Painting/Removed from Frame

 

The artist board pasted to the wood is not typical. Looks like I see a "ghost" of framing on the bottom of the painting and at right but not on the other two sides. I believe the painting to be cut down and probably later than the frame. Stylistically it says late 19th or early 20th century to me. Any success in deciphering the signature now that it is out of the frame?

 

I have a couple of Hudson River paintings and it looks very much like that style. That's what I'd call it if I were to list it - Hudson River Style. Early 20th century

 

Thanks Brad and Bev. Sorry I didn't get back on last night.

No luck with the signature. I had someone else look at it and they said they think the last 4 letters are riset or the t could be an f.

 

It looks like there are seven or eight letters - the first few underneath globs of paint. It looks like an S followed by several letters and then et. You may find it's not a known artist anyway.

 

I do like the colors, but I think it's an amateur painting.

 

I suppose it's sacrilege to suggest, but if you get rid on the top half of it, with the sky, hills, and those looming trees, you have a much more powerful and pleasing painting, from a decorative if not artistic point of view, IMHO. - cheers