Julian Onderdonk (1882–1922), a Texas Impressionist whose work hangs in major museums and in the homes of presidents, is often called “the father of Texas painting.” He studied under William Merritt Chase; and Chase’s father, also an artist, was so influential he became known as the “Dean of Texas Artists.”
That is why we urged the Georgia-based owner of this remarkable painting to consign it with us after one of America’s best-known auction houses gave it a woefully modest estimate and a reserve of just $5,000.
Onderdonk’s celebrated palette is on full display here. His luminous blues, usually associated with his iconic bluebonnet scenes, are deployed in a subtler, more atmospheric way. What compelled us to guarantee double our competitor’s reserve, however, was not only the painting’s scale (at 25 by 40 inches, likely among the two largest sizes that Onderdonk produced) but also its impeccable provenance. The consignor’s grandfather is identified and annotated on the reverse, accompanied by period family notes describing the precise location depicted, including the unmistakable silhouette of the Pearl Brewery in the distance.
Confident in both scholarship and market, we set a reserve fully double that of our big-city counterpart and guaranteed the result.
Intimate yet mesmerizing, evocative yet grand, this painting exemplifies why serious collectors increasingly look to regional auction houses like ours who are more attentive to the work and provenance rather than larger auction houses who discount the history for the commodization.
We were honored that the consignor chose our regional auction house to present this extraordinary family treasure to our international audience.
