Radiant 19th Century Oil on Canvas Still Life, Pile of Fruit on Stool weathered sign American I believe

American I believe

and have sat on it thinking I would take it to an appraiser

and an 1873 letter from George R

but I think its got a bit of a pretty strong  Arts and Crafts sensibility from a hundred years prior

I'd be willing to bet this was the stand for presenting a prize rooster

Radiant 19th Century Oil on Canvas Still Life, Pile of Fruit on Stool weathered sign American I believeI shot this large ish 19th c. oil on canvas still life in two different lighting conditions to try to give a good sense; the tone of the ground shifts a bit depending, but either way it seems lit by an internal light; that watermelon, especially, is just radiant! I love an old still life painting of fruit s in many forms, but especially love how this arrangement watermelon, peaches, plums, pears and grapes, I believe are so compactly arranged in a