Jack Wilkinson Smith

Mountain Landscape – Sierra Nevada, c. 1927

• Oil on panel
• 20" x 24", artwork
• 27" x 31" x 1.875", framed
• Historic

$26,000

Provenance
Consigned to American Legacy Fine Arts by private collectors.

Description
Jack Wilkinson Smith, originally a New York-based illustrator, moved West around 1906 in search of the fabled Western experience. Settling in the San Gabriel Valley town of Alhambra, he became a central figure in the local art colony known as Artists’ Alley. This evocative oil painting, dating from circa 1927, presents a sweeping Sierra Nevada vista. A winding trail ascends through a rocky slope dotted with pine trees, leading the viewer’s gaze toward a distant mountain shrouded in a soft atmospheric haze. The artist’s bold yet fluid brushwork, combined with a harmonious palette of earthy greens, warm ochres, and cool blue-grays, captures both the rugged spirit and tranquil beauty of California’s high country. Smith’s adventurous sensibility is evident, recalling his own words: Why go elsewhere? Where are mountains nobler than the Sierras?

Historical Significance
Jack Wilkinson Smith was a co-founder of the California Art Club in 1909 and one of the most respected landscape painters of his generation. His Sierra Nevada subjects are among his most sought-after works, reflecting the early 20th-century California Plein Air movement’s dedication to capturing the grandeur and diversity of the state’s wilderness. Smith’s art bridges the tradition of American landscape painting with the distinctly luminous and atmospheric qualities that define California Impressionism.

Frame
Presented in a substantial, hand-carved, period-style 22-karat gold giltwood frame with a warm, lustrous finish. The molding features crisp linear elements accented by understated decorative motifs, subtly echoing the composition’s structure. Its craftsmanship enhances the painting’s historical presence while harmonizing with the rich, natural tones of the palette.

Condition
The painting is in excellent condition, with no visible craquelure, losses, or restorations. The canvas is taut and well-stretched. The surface exhibits a stable varnish layer that enriches color saturation and depth.

On Verso
"Katherine Norris F.A." taped on frame
“American Legacy Fine Arts” label
White card with title and artist's name
Hanging tag, possibly for auction, ID # "37152-B10"

Exhibited
Scenic Route: A Half Century of California Discovery, 1900-1950, American Legacy Fine Arts, Pasadena, California, August 15 - October 11, 2025

Early California Masters: Paintings from the Katherine A. Norris Legacy Collection, American Legacy Fine Arts, Pasadena, California, November 12 - December 19, 2021

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