Modernist1929
Private SellerUSA
About Artist:
Will Sparks was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1862, where he completed his first painting at the age of 12. Sparks trained to be a doctor, but upon finishing his studies chose art instead and enrolled in the St. Louis School of Fine Arts. Further study followed in New York and in Paris at the academies Julian and Colarassi. While in Paris Sparks supported himself as an anatomical illustrator for Louis Pasteur. Sparks returned to St. Louis and at the 1886 Exposition there met Mark Twain, whose stories of the American West inspired Sparks to move to Denver and ultimately California. In 1891 Sparks opened a studio in San Francisco. Sparks specialized in the historic Spanish colonial ruins of California, and his works often feature the crumbling moonlit adobes and missions. Sparks was also a co-founder of the Del Monte Art Gallery in Monterey with fellow nocturne painter Charles Rollo Peters. Will Sparks died in San Francisco in 1937.
Will Sparks
Boromeo Mission
- 1913
- 14 x 12 inches
- Fine Art Category: paintings
- Medium: Oil / Panel
- Origin: USA
- Provenance: This is from the Estate of Clyde Cohen. He purchased this painting in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay area.
- Signed: Signed lower right
- Comments:
Will Sparks is known for his tonalist nocturnal landscape paintings of missions and this is an exemplar of his work. The coloring of the sky, the reflection of the mission on the water in the foreground, and the depth to the painting are all exquisite and reflect why Sparks became one of California’s premier artists of his time.
This signed oil on board painting depicting the Borromeo Mission in Carmel, California is referenced on the back to be dated February 7, 1913 and measuring 12” x 14 1/2” but the work is actually slightly larger and is mounted within a substantial handmade gold leaf frame. With Frame the piece measures 20.5" x 17.5" and weighs 4lbs 3.2 oz. This paining is unretouched and in good condition.
Truly an excellent piece from this very popular artist. - Price: $4,500.00 USD
- Seller: Modernist1929, USA
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- Artplode ID: 6061
- Artplode Seller ID: 14850
About Artist:
Will Sparks was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1862, where he completed his first painting at the age of 12. Sparks trained to be a doctor, but upon finishing his studies chose art instead and enrolled in the St. Louis School of Fine Arts. Further study followed in New York and in Paris at the academies Julian and Colarassi. While in Paris Sparks supported himself as an anatomical illustrator for Louis Pasteur. Sparks returned to St. Louis and at the 1886 Exposition there met Mark Twain, whose stories of the American West inspired Sparks to move to Denver and ultimately California. In 1891 Sparks opened a studio in San Francisco. Sparks specialized in the historic Spanish colonial ruins of California, and his works often feature the crumbling moonlit adobes and missions. Sparks was also a co-founder of the Del Monte Art Gallery in Monterey with fellow nocturne painter Charles Rollo Peters. Will Sparks died in San Francisco in 1937.
