Description: This is a whimsical and interesting Vintage Old American Folk Art Outsider STATE FAIR Carnival Oil Painting on Masonite, portraying either the California State Fair or the Texas State Fair. The horse racing track in the background suggests that it may be in California, however the numerous attendants wearing cowboy hats and Western attire suggest that the setting may be in Texas. Perhaps you recognize the location? This piece was painted by Los Angeles California Mid Century naive painter, Alice Pike Larsen (1915 - 1997,) who was notably a direct descendant of American Pioneer, Jebediah Smith (1799 - 1831.) This artwork depicts a Ferris wheel, a large circus tent topped with American flags, a hot air ballon, a gazebo housing an orchestral band, with numerous seated spectators, a horse racing track, a cotton candy stand, and a white & red checkered clown, handing a ballon to a small child. There is a lot to see in this eclectic, colorful and wonderful Folk Art painting. Signed: "Alice" in the lower left corner. Additionally, this piece is signed and dated in the lower left corner of the verso: "Alice Pike Larsen, 1971." Approximately 29 x 38 inches. Good - Fair condition for over 50 years of age and storage, with moderate, scratches, scuffing, edge wear, and paint chipping throughout. Additionally, the Masonite board has warped around the edges and is not perfectly flat (please see photos carefully.) Acquired in Los Angeles County, California. If you like what you see, I ecnourage you to make an Offer. Please check out my other listings for more wonderful and unique artworks! About the Artist: ALICE P. LARSEN was born 2 August 1915 (in California) and died 16 November 1997. Museum Accused of Disinterest in Pioneer back to a sellers' market. (The Los Angeles Times, July 17, 1988) Warren F. Jones As Alice Pike Larsen explains, "For 20 years I've painted and sold Landmarks of Los Angeles. A new, $25-million landmark building is being built in Griffith Park, the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum. After being contacted and interviewed by the museum, I find them lacking interest in a great American hero, Jedediah Strong Smith, the first American to come overland to Los Angeles in 1826! This disinterest in recorded history defames Autry's image and dishonors our City of the Angels. I can't understand this oversight." ALICE PIKE LARSEN of Los Angeles is a great grandniece of Jedediah Strong Smith. Museum Says It Was Interested in Pioneer L.A. Times Archives July 31, 1988 12 AM PT A letter from Alice Pike Larsen (July 17) called into question the judgment of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum. It seems inappropriate for such a letter to be published without verifying the museum’s point of view. Jedediah Smith is, of course, a historical figure of the American West. That is the precise reason why Mrs. Larsen was contacted by the museum. It is a shame that she has no artifacts of her ancestor’s life; such material would be of great interest. Mrs. Larsen painted a portrait of Smith, but the museum expressed no interest in buying this work because as a modern work it does not have historical significance to qualify it for exhibition alongside the great Bierstadt, Remington, Catlin and other works to be shown at the museum. The Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum is dedicated to the collecting of quality artifacts, which allow us to interpret significant elements of the history of the West. Perhaps other readers of your column have such items which should be preserved for future generations. JAMES H. NOTTAGE Los Angeles (Nottage is curator of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum.) "This oil painting of Jedediah Strong Smith was made in 1942 by his great grand-niece Alice Pike Larsen, a Los Angeles artist. In this primitive style work, Ms. Larsen adopted techniques used by nineteenth-century American folk painters, including simplified shapes and flattened perspective. Because no photographs of Jedediah Smith were available, Ms. Larsen worked from an image of a descendent of Eunice, Jedediah Smith’s sister. Jedediah Smith as depicted by his descendent Alice Pike Larsen."
Price: 475 USD
Location: Orange, California
End Time: 2024-09-08T02:51:37.000Z
Shipping Cost: 45 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Artist: Alice Pike Larsen
Signed By: Alice Pike Larsen
Size: Large
Signed: Yes
Period: Contemporary (1970 - 2020)
Material: Oil, Masonite
Region of Origin: California, USA
Framing: Unframed
Subject: Boys, Children & Infants, Circus, Cityscapes, Community Life, Concerts, Costumes, Country Shows, Cowboy, Equestrian, Figures, Horse, Horse Racing, Hotels & Restaurants, Ladies, Landscape, Men, Musical Bands & Groups, Musical Instruments, Seasons, Silhouettes, States & Counties, Texas, Tourism, Tree, USA, Women, Working Life, World's Fair, Clowns
Type: Painting
Year of Production: 1971
Original/Licensed Reproduction: Original
Item Height: 29 in
Style: Americana, Figurative Art, Folk Art, Naïve art, Outsider Art
Theme: Americana, Amusement Parks, Architecture, Art, Cities & Towns, Continents & Countries, Events & Festivals, Exhibitions, Famous Places, Fashion, Food & Drink, History, Hobbies & Leisure, People, Sports, Travel & Transportation, Western
Features: One of a Kind (OOAK)
Production Technique: Oil Painting
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Item Width: 38 in
Handmade: Yes
Time Period Produced: 1970-1979
