Who painted vintage Impressionist style flower market oil painting

My husband’s great uncle passed away and left numerous interesting furniture items (including Stickley dressers) and Art Deco lamps, clocks, lighters, etc. He had a large (24” x 36”, larger with frame) oil painting of an Impressionist style couple in a flower market in what looks to be a European village. We don’t think it has much value, but he did keep it in a prominent place in the home, and it had a painting light attached to the top. He was from New York but moved to Los Angeles after WWII, and we do not know where and when he bought it.

The back of the frame is marked Made in Mexico. The artist’s signature is in a brownish/reddish paint.

Compositionally, the painting is very similar to this for sale on eBay (by a Randoni; for sale for $99); the artist’s signature, while different, is even in the similar brownish/reddish paint as ours:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224922485558

 

Maybe @Aquitaine can perform some of her magic with the signature?

 

That does appear to be a decorative painting, rather than fine art. The type of work produced by a nameless "artist" in an "art factory" and meant to be hung and enjoyed. The "Made in México," inventory number and "reddish" signature are all hallmarks of decorative paintings. Also the fact that there are lots of similar works, all with a variation of the same colorful and pleasing formula, to be found on the internet.

Debora

 

Thank you! Apparently the best place to have a flower market is close to a stone arch structure!

 

I think it's even the law in some countries.

Debora

 

Definitely!

 

HAHAHA!!! And MAYBE she can't!!! Lord knows I tried, but I agree, some just might want to remain anonymous!!! BUT, tried to enlarge, sharpen, isolate and copy over in a different color, but I couldn't make anything of it......my results, which I'm NOT THE LEAST BIT HAPPY WITH!!!! OH, and inverting the image this time, did NOT help, as it sometimes does.....


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Great effort. But yes the signature is probably purposefully ‘done’ that way. Never meant to be figured out.

 

Love to see the Stickley pieces someday.You should also get the lighters evaluated-lighter collectors can be very enthu$iastic !

 

Very funny about the signature!

The Stickley pieces are very well made. We have a number of other furniture items from our various grandparents, of the similar era, and the Stickleys are better made in every possible way.

Over the years I’ve sold some of the lighters to various antique dealers. I had a single Marathon brand lighter; about five years ago, one of the dealers didn’t want it, but recently another one did. Design popularity changes over time; an Art Deco lighter dealer told me that presently, young women want the Deco cigarette cases to hold their MJ joints! So, more “feminine” designs are in.

 

I've been rockin' out in this 1910 L&JG Stickley for 40 years and it barely squeaks ! Extraordinary quality and a great family heirloom.