This atmospheric Thames scene by Louis Aston Knight (1873–1948) captures the artist’s extraordinary sensitivity to water, light and reflection. French-born and American by nationality, Knight was born in Paris in 1873, the son of the celebrated American expatriate painter Daniel Ridgway Knight. He received his early artistic training from his father before studying with the French painters Tony Robert-Fleury and Jules Lefebvre.
Knight made his Paris Salon debut in 1894 and went on to achieve remarkable success there. He received an honorable mention in 1901, followed by gold medals at the Salon in both 1905 and 1906—the latter two awards earning him the distinction of being the first American to win gold medals at the Paris Salon in consecutive years.
This painting is particularly interesting because it is dated 1905, placing it in the very year Knight received his first gold medal at the Paris Salon. Signed lower right and dated 1905, it represents the artist at an important point in his mature career.
Water was one of Knight’s great specialties. He was celebrated for his ability to convey transparency, reflections and movement, and his landscapes frequently incorporated streams, rivers and other bodies of water. While he became particularly associated with the waterways and cottages of Normandy, his subjects extended beyond France, including Venice and other European locations.
Knight enjoyed extraordinary popularity with American collectors during his lifetime. In 1922, President Warren G. Harding purchased his painting The Afterglow for the White House, and President Calvin Coolidge later held a private exhibition of Knight’s work during his presidency. His work has continued to perform strongly at auction, with A Cottage Along the River achieving $108,000 at Sotheby’s New York in 2005.
A memorable quality of this painting is its focus on the relationship between architecture and water. The bridge provides a strong structural element while the river creates movement and atmospheric depth, allowing Knight to demonstrate the particular skill for which he was admired.
The painting is oil on canvas, signed lower right and dated 1905. Its elegant scale and sophisticated treatment of the Thames make it especially appealing for a traditional, English, European or collected interior.
Measurements: 22” × 26” framed and 17” × 21” unframed.
Condition: Very Good.
This atmospheric Thames scene by Louis Aston Knight (1873–1948) captures the artist’s extraordinary sensitivity to water, light and reflection. French-born and American by nationality, Knight was born in Paris in 1873, the son of the celebrated American expatriate painter Daniel Ridgway Knight. He received his early artistic training from his father before studying with the French painters Tony Robert-Fleury and Jules Lefebvre.
Knight made his Paris Salon debut in 1894 and went on to achieve remarkable success there. He received an honorable mention in 1901, followed by gold medals at the Salon in both 1905 and 1906—the latter two awards earning him the distinction of being the first American to win gold medals at the Paris Salon in consecutive years.
This painting is particularly interesting because it is dated 1905, placing it in the very year Knight received his first gold medal at the Paris Salon. Signed lower right and dated 1905, it represents the artist at an important point in his mature career.
Water was one of Knight’s great specialties. He was celebrated for his ability to convey transparency, reflections and movement, and his landscapes frequently incorporated streams, rivers and other bodies of water. While he became particularly associated with the waterways and cottages of Normandy, his subjects extended beyond France, including Venice and other European locations.
Knight enjoyed extraordinary popularity with American collectors during his lifetime. In 1922, President Warren G. Harding purchased his painting The Afterglow for the White House, and President Calvin Coolidge later held a private exhibition of Knight’s work during his presidency. His work has continued to perform strongly at auction, with A Cottage Along the River achieving $108,000 at Sotheby’s New York in 2005.
A memorable quality of this painting is its focus on the relationship between architecture and water. The bridge provides a strong structural element while the river creates movement and atmospheric depth, allowing Knight to demonstrate the particular skill for which he was admired.
The painting is oil on canvas, signed lower right and dated 1905. Its elegant scale and sophisticated treatment of the Thames make it especially appealing for a traditional, English, European or collected interior.
Measurements: 22” × 26” framed and 17” × 21” unframed.
Condition: Very Good.
