Granville Redmond 1871-1935

Private Collection, circa 1920 (acquired directly from the artist)
By descent in the family to the present owner (his grandson)

This painting is in very good, original condition. There is an area of uneven glazing above the tree on the left, due to the artist's materials and technique. UV examination reveals a normal fluorescence of the artist's pigments with no prior restoration visible.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

With an uncanny ability to develop pictures imbued with a sense of silence and solitude, Granville Redmond spent more than 30 years painting the California landscape, ranging from the coastal area near Laguna Beach and up to Marin County. Unlike other landscape painters of his time who sought to present and celebrate the grandeur of the West, and California in particular, Redmond set out to capture the more accessible elements of the land. Mary Jane Haley writes, “His sense of the land was formed during a boyhood spent in the gentle coastal hills and valleys, and the golden land near the coast was intimate rather than sublime. He was a keen observer of the line of these hills, the forms and masses of the trees, the bright grasses and flowers brought on by winter rains, the rich tones of the hills browning in the long dry season, and the special atmospheric effects indigenous to various parts of his range” (Granville Redmond, Oakland, California, 1988, p. 20).

Born in Philadelphia, Redmond's health was greatly impacted when at the age of two he contracted scarlet fever, which ultimately left him deaf for the remainder of his life. In 1874 his family moved to San Jose, and Redmond attended the California School of the Deaf in Berkeley. Redmond distinguished himself, winning a prestigious art award, and in 1893 was provided funds from the California School of the Deaf, allowing him to study in Paris at the Académie Julian. In 1898, he returned to California and settled in Los Angeles.

By the late 19th century, Carmel, California was fast becoming a favorite painting locale for California based artists as well as for painters such as Childe Hassam and William Merritt Chase. Defined by its rising cliffs and rugged coastline, this area along the Pacific offered a dramatic view of the distinctive landscape. In Carmel Coast, Redmond focuses on the extraordinary terrain, highlighted by two wind swept Monterey Cyprus trees, which he paints with his characteriscally bold impressionistic brushwork.