AUGUST HERMAN OLSON ROLLE. (Minnesota/Washington, D.C., 1875-1941). THE SPIRIT OF WASHINGTON, label on stretcher and estate stamped on stretcher. Oil on canvas.
See Mr. Fastov's extended supplementary text here, which he had originally intended to be used solely as a prefatory essay for all of the Rolle works of art, that he prepared, without assistance/supervision/ editing/proofing from Sloans & Kenyon, specifically for this auction of a very large collection and smorgasbord of a wide variety of beautiful Impressionist landscapes by August Herman Olson Rolle (`Washington, D.C. 1875-1941). Such essay contains detailed Rolle biographical information and an extensive analysis of why Rolle is properly regarded as the leading Washington, DC Impressionist landscape painter of the early 20th century. This is predicated initially on the fact that Rolle and Benson Bond Moore were the only 2 D.C. Impressionist artists and 2 of only 12 Southern Impressionists selected by Professor William Gerdts, for inclusion in his very popular, scholarly, well-written, trailblazing book American Impressionism, published in 1984, which is still in print and selling well, and Rolle's unsurpassed Impressionist brushwork and freely imaginative coloring; diverse landscape subjects and compositions; his impeccable and highly sensitive depictions of the impact of light, shadow and weather of the 4 seasons on different kinds of water, land, buildings, trees, etc.; and other artistic components of his style, that he produced continuously throughout his life in the Impressionist style from c. 1905-1941 in the Potomac River Valley, the Washington, D.C. area and other locales. Mr. Fastov also discusses the high respect in which he was held by D.C. art community, as evidenced by his election and long time service as President of 2 of the 3 leading D.C. art organizations of the early 20th century, The Landscape Club of Washington, D.C. (1919-1932, except 1925) and the Washington Watercolor Club (1930-1937). Finally, Mr. Fastov discusses the economic value of Rolle's art. - Framed, 27 1/4 in. x 30 1/4 in. Estimate $40,000-50,000
CM Ex. illustrated as NE11, at p. 15.
Note: This painting and view of the Lincoln Memorial (left), Washington Monument (center) and the U.S. Bureau of Printing and Engraving (right) in Washington, D.C. is taken from the perspective of a construction site near the Mall in Washington, D.C., possibly the Jefferson Memorial construction site, as Rolle was still an active artist when, per Wikipedia, construction began on December 15, 1938 and the cornerstone was laid on November 15, 1939, by President Franklin Roosevelt. However, Mr. Fastov thinks that he recalls this painting to have been exhibited at a D.C. city-wide exhibition c. 1935. The painting manifests Rolle's patriotic feeling and love of and pride in his home city and country; which was prompted by the explosion of activity and growth of the U.S. Government that vitalized and opened up new cultural, social and economic change and vistas in the previously relatively sleepy Southern city of Washington, D.C., in response to the Depression of the 1930's. This painting also manifests Rolle's bravura Impressionistic high key pastel coloring and brushwork; and his artistic, imaginative license in composing and depicting the locations and spatial relationships of the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument and to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving in order to demonstrate the historic dynamism, vitality and sense of history in D.C. and the c. 1935 vigor and driving energy of Washington via his depiction of the simultaneous smoke puffing energy of the many pieces of construction equipment busily operating on the construction site in the foreground of the painting.
Note 1) Colonel Goodyear told Mr. Fastov that Rolle was very proud of this painting and toward the end of his life, he hung this painting (frame has been changed) in the dining room of his house at that time.
