- 2 Frassetto Way - Lincoln Park, NJ 07035
September Uncurated: Art, Furnishings, and Estate Discoveries
Lot 37:
Description
John R. Houston (Scottish, 1849-1934), RSW. Oil on canvas, old man reading a newspaper. Signed lower right, John R. Houston R.S.W. The canvas is housed in a large, ornate gilded frame featuring reeded channels and foliate ornamentation at the corners and edges. The inner gilded slip at the bottom center is inscribed JOHN HOUSTON R.S.W. Sight: 13 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. Framed: 22 1/4 x 18 3/8 in.
Condition report:
The oil on canvas exhibits significant craquelure across the entire paint surface, which is most severe in the darker passages. A small puncture is visible in the canvas to the left of the subject\'s beard. The surface is covered in aged, yellowed varnish and accumulated surface dirt. The frame shows significant structural cracking, instability, and losses to the gesso and composition ornamentation, particularly at the corners and along the lower edge. The gilding displays wear and a darkened patina. The verso has remnants of a tattered paper backing and old adhesive residue.
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