John Moulton (from Montana) had a cult following in his later years; his paintings were admired for their warmth, simplicity, and “down to earth” style; portraying rural settings and country scenes that people living there could relate to.
This painting features a white boarded farm house, fronted by a green lawn, with adjacent barn; post and barbed wire fence; a stone walkway and a dirt path through a wheat pasture, and of course, the grey buckboard. Green trees, a blue sky, and puffy cumulus clouds, complete the scenery. His signature is prominent in the lower left. I would guess Moulton lived here as a child. The painting is in excellent and all original condition; no flaws. no over-paint or touch-up; signed lower left corner.
Simply a lovely picture!
As is stated on the rear of the painting by the original owner; and I will reiterate;
“John Moulton” 1906-1998
Painting depicts a barnyard scene “Homestead Near Big Timber Montana C.1918”
“Moulton, an amateur painter, painted about 3000 pictures, giving them all away. He used left over paints, found at good will etc. He made all his own frames. His father was run over by this buckboard in this picture—having one leg amputated eventually died from the accident. Moulton lived in a cabin near Rich (Montana) in his latter days”.
The image he was painting here must have left a strong and lasting impression as he was painting this about 20 years later, recollecting from when he was 12 years old.
I live in Nevada and have seen two other paintings by Moulton; neither one for sale.
Dimensions: Actual painting 13″ high x 20″ wide
17″ high x 24 1/4″ wide x 1 1/4″ deep (With original walnut wood fluted frame)
Provenance: From the original owner in Montana to my own American folk art collection in 1990.
Note: I am a second generation antiques dealer and have been dealing in fine quality decorative arts, furniture, jewelry, and paintings for more than 50 years; I am also a member of several prestigious antique associations. Thus, I am well qualified to inspect and evaluate the products I offer for sale and I guarantee this to be authentic and as I have described.