AUGUST HERMAN OLSON ROLLE (Minnesota/ Washington, D.C., 1875-1941). SPRING ON THE POTOMAC, stamped signature lower left, signed titled and estate stamped verso, circa 1925-1935. 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, 30 in. x 36 in. Estimate $50,000-75,000
PROVENANCE: Purchased directly from the artist's estate represented by Colonel August Goodyear (Rolle's son- in -law) in the 1970
Illustration: Back cover color illustration for Mr. Fastov's Catalogue for an Exhibition entitled "An Early Impressionist's View Of Southern Maryland: The Seascapes And Waterviews Of August H.O. Rolle." Calvert Marine Museum, Solomon's Maryland, June 20-October 20, 1992. Illustration: This painting was also a color illustration for the relatively extensive article and very favorable review of The Calvert Marine Museum Exhibition written by Sarah Wildberger on September 18, 1992, at p. B1 of the Journal, a publication of the Journal Newspapers of Fairfax, Va., that was distributed and sold the suburbs of Washington, D.C.. A copy of this newspaper article with this color illustration of "Spring on the Potomac" will be furnished to the purchaser of the painting. Mr. Fastov believes that this painting shows Rolle's truly euphoric response to a very beautiful spring day on the Potomac, and that his marvelous, original coloring, which is the hallmark of Rolle's later oeuvre, with the whole sky suffused with different shades of light Naples yellow is an artistic and emotional response to his euphoria and his best and most original painting.
