Featured Post-impressionistic style? painting - thoughts?

On masonite or some other type of pressed hardboard - visible area is about 20" width x 20.5" height.

In person this painting really comes alive - practically swims with movement if you stand back from it 8 feet or so and take it all in at once. No visible signature although I think the frame is obscuring about 1 inch all the way around. Will take it out of frame soon. Hope to get some better pictures in indirect sunlight tomorrow as the lights in my office at night don't do it justice. I can't tell if the figure in the archway in the back of the picture is wearing a sombrero type hat or if it's something sticking out from the column/wall.
It certainly casts a certain feeling over you. Thoughts and ideas on where this might be from and age/quality of the painting itself - I know the pressed board/ masonite limits it to be at the oldest in the first quarter of the 20th. Not sure if it was framed/reframed some time later.

Thanks for taking a look!

 

Wonderful picture, Aaron, I like it.
If I would have to put a label on it, Fauvism would be my first thought. But this is later than the Fauvist period. Painterly, maybe?

Looks like a sombrero, which also fits in with the woman in black on the other side of the archway, also Mexican looking. It seems through the archway is what looks like a very radiant Madonna, miraculous maybe? A lot of candles?

Love the abundant courtyard garden, I'm sure there is some symbolism there.
Do you have any idea what the altarboy is carrying?

 

I like it too.

 

A thurible, I'd think.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thurible

Debora

 

If so, I hope it isn't hot, because he has the censer part almost in his hands.

 

Agree, That would also be my best guess - it appears to be a thurible, and there aren't really any clues to suggest that it's anything else.

 

Like this one as well. Frame style suggests late 50s-60s.

 

Agree with date.

Debora

 

I would take something down to hang that gorgeous thing up ! I get more of a 1930s feel,almost surreal with a hint of German Expressionist . The more I look at it the more I see.I love it!

 

Thanks Johnny! I see the hint of expressionist too. I just took it out of the frame, and turns out it's canvas laid down on the pressed board - and unfortunately still no signature:

 

Certainly someone working in a Post-Impressionist style -- exposed canvas, impasto and emotion over mimesis. Custom 1950ish frame; I'd think contemporary to work. This was a period when U.S. tourism to "Old México" greatly increased due to the opening of the Pan-American Highway. Question is... Is it a fantasy setting or an actual Colonial church? (Cala lilies in foreground; so strongly associated with México.)

Debora

 

Thanks again Debora Probably won't ever be able to determine if a scene from a real location or just out of the artist's head... seems like garden filled courtyards surrounded by arches are not an uncommon thing in Mexico - at least according to my google image search - there seem to be loads of them!

 

Setting appears to be the cloister or claustro of a Spanish Colonial church. Typically they contain formal gardens so I suspect a fantasy.

Debora

 

Could be an actual colonial church with embellished cloister garden. Latin America is a part of the world where the surreal is often part of reality.

 

It's joined my "modern art that hangs over my desk in my office" gallery - population 2.

 

I only WISH I had 2 ! Its lovely,and looks right at home!

 

Thanks AJ I agree about the painterly - and in my opinion there's some Fauvist elements for sure.

 

That's the start of a very interesting collection.

Debora