The following description has been prepared entirely by the current owner, Roberts S. Fastov, Esq., and, at the collector’s request, has not been edited by Sloans & Kenyon

Note 1) Howard F. Johnston has no records of auction sales. Johnston was a practicing architect at the turn of the 20^th Century apparently in California, including Los Angeles. He wrote an article entitled "Placing Concrete By Conduit" at pp. 57-61. of the magazine "Architect and Engineer, of California--Pacific Coast States" June, 1908. His artistic talents and precise architectural drafting techniques are manifest in this watercolor, as are his architect's effective sense of perspective in painting the Cahors Valentré bridge and ramparts from their side travelling, from their beginning to the two towers in mid-distance and the city houses in the distance. This is a very charming watercolor with a high blue sky and an unusual and very precise take on painting Cahors, not the usual frontal view showing all of the bridge, ramparts and towers painted from a position facing them, as opposed to the side view selected by the architect Johnston. This choice and Johnston's excellent draftsmanship, perspective and watercolor technique permits him to lead the viewer's eye over the carefully painted stone facing of the bridge and ramparts and the facing and reddish roofs of the towers to the houses and mostly reddish roofs of the little medieval city of Cahors in the distance on a beautiful sunny day with a high blue sky, with nary a significant cloud in it. The presale estimate of $150-$400 is a reasonable figure for such a fine watercolor, which is over 100 years old, but in good condition.