Signed Abstract Expressionist Landscape “Mid-Day Shower” 20th Century

“Mid-Day Shower,” a vibrant signed abstract landscape painting on paper, dating to the latter half of the 20th century.

Executed with expressive, gestural brushwork, the composition transforms a traditional landscape into broad passages of saturated color. Deep forest and emerald greens, cobalt and navy blues, rust, ochre, burgundy and muted earth tones sweep across the foreground and distant hills, while a softly rendered atmospheric sky in pale blue, gray, cream and lavender suggests the changing light and moisture of an approaching or passing rain shower.

The work is particularly successful in its balance between landscape painting and abstraction. Rather than describing the terrain literally, the artist uses energetic strokes, overlapping fields of color and changes in pigment density to evoke movement, weather and depth. The resulting composition has a distinctly Abstract Expressionist and Color Field sensibility, while remaining recognizably rooted in the landscape tradition.

The painting recalls the gestural landscape abstraction associated with artists such as Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, Richard Diebenkorn, Wolf Kahn, Elaine de Kooning and Grace Hartigan. These names are provided strictly as stylistic references; the present work is not attributed to any of these artists.

Signed by the artist at the lower right.

The reverse bears the handwritten title “MID-DAY SHOWER,” together with the notation “124615” and what appears to be an earlier price or inventory notation of “300–.” These inscriptions provide an interesting record of the work's previous cataloging or ownership history.

The artist's signature has not presently been conclusively identified. Accordingly, the work is being offered as a signed, unidentified 20th-century American-school abstract landscape rather than with an unsupported attribution.

A particularly decorative example of postwar landscape abstraction, Mid-Day Shower would work beautifully in a Mid-Century Modern, contemporary, organic modern or transitional interior, either retained with its understated matting or reframed in a minimalist gallery-style frame.

Condition:
Vintage condition with age-appropriate wear. The sheet and reverse show areas of toning, discoloration, handling marks and scattered staining consistent with age. Minor marks and pigment transfer are visible on the reverse. The painted surface retains strong, saturated color. Please refer to the detailed photographs.

Dimensions:
Artwork / sheet: 18 in. H × 26.25 in. W
Overall with mat: 22 in. H × 29.75 in. W
Unframed.