JULIAN ONDERDONK (American, 1882-1922). Bluebonnets at Late Afternoon. Oil on board. 9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm). Sig...

Description

JULIAN ONDERDONK (American, 1882-1922)
Bluebonnets at Late Afternoon
Oil on board
9 x 12 inches (22.9 x 30.5 cm)
Signed lower left: Julian Onderdonk
Inscribed verso: Blue-bonnets at Late Afternoon / San Antonio - Texas

PROVENANCE:
Private collection, San Antonio.

Julian Onderdonk is commonly known as THE "Texas Impressionist" for his beautiful landscapes. He was a native of San Antonio and the son of the artist Robert Jenkins Onderdonk. In 1901, at the age of nineteen, Julian moved to New York City and attended several art schools. He then studied plein-air painting with William Merritt Chase at his summer school in Shinecock, New York. After returning home to Texas in 1909, Onderdonk enjoyed considerable success during his lifetime. He became best known for his paintings of bluebonnets, but he also loved to depict the Texas Hill Country in all its incarnations. Unfortunately, he suffered an early death at the age of forty. His work can be found in museums and important private collections across the country. In 2008, the Dallas Museum of Art held an exhibition entitled Bluebonnets and Beyond: Julian Onderdonk, American Impressionist, which has further established his work as the most admired and sought-after of the early Texas artists.

Bluebonnets in the Afternoon is a charming example of his classic bluebonnet paintings. Rich light saturates the spring afternoon, giving the beautiful greens, blues, lavenders, and yellows a stunning richness. The painterly style only increases the sense of joy and vitality that such vibrant use of color invokes. When viewing this picture it is easy to see why the demand for Onderdonk's paintings of bluebonnets continues to grow.


More information about JULIAN ONDERDONK. See also: Onderdonk, Julian, Julian Onderdonk Artist.

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