An original antique oil painting on canvas by Eugene Lawrence Vail (French-American, 1857-1934), depicting an interior scene of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, a subject reminiscent of Vail's celebrated work The Flags. The painting captures Vail's Impressionist style, with soft brushstrokes and rich color blending to create a grand, atmospheric scene. Central to the composition is a large, flowing Italian House of Savoy flag, which draws attention to the architectural beauty of the cathedral and the gathering of figures beneath it. The work is signed by the artist in the lower right and is presented in an ornate gilt wood frame. The verso features old labels and a hand-inscribed but illegible note. Created with SnapGenie Work Size: 36.5 x 25.5 in. Dimensions: 43.5 X 32.5 X 1 in. Condition: Good to fair overall antique condition with average age-related surface wear, including paint loss primarily along the edges of the work. The frame shows average storage wear with some losses to edges and corners. Estate fresh to the market. Shipping: Hill Auction Gallery does not offer in-house shipping for this item. Gallery will refer third party shippers for all domestic and international buyers. Purchaser pick up available upon request. Local Delivery: Florida door-to-door hand delivery service available for this lot; contact Toti@Zemaqua.com for an estimate.
EUGENE LAWRENCE VAIL (FRANCE/US, 1857-1934) Study for "Jour de Fete a Venise", circa 1904, oil on canvas, signed lower right, housed in a Impressionist style gold frame with linen liner, OS; 24" x 27", SS: 14 1/2" x 17 1/2', cleaned and relined.
Eugene Lawrence Vail (American/French, 1857-1934) Neige à St. Moritz Oil on canvas Signed Eugene Vail, titled and located Engadin, Switzerland on stretcher
EUGENE LAWRENCE VAIL (FRENCH-AMERICAN 1857-1934) La femme du pecheur, oil on canvas 82 x 61 cm (32 1/4 x 24 in.) framed dimensions: 96 x 74 cm (37 3/4 x 29 1/8 in.) signed lower right
Eugene Vail (1857-1934, French/American) "Les Femmes de Venise no. 10" Oil on canvas Signed lower left: Eugene Vail; titled verso 44" H x 84" W Provenance: An indistinct, round, ink stamp near the upper right corner, verso
Eugene Vail (1857-1934, French/American) "Les Femmes de Venise no. 10" Oil on canvas Signed lower left: Eugene Vail; titled verso 44" H x 84" W Provenance: An indistinct, round, ink stamp near the upper right corner, verso
Eugene Lawrence Vail (American-French, 1857-1934), Continental Square with Bell Tower oil on board, inscribed "Eug. Vail" to verso, presented within a Florentine style frame. Panel 8 1/4 x 10 1/2 in.; Frame dimensions 14 1/2 x 16 in. Private Collection, North Carolina Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.lelandlittle.com
EUGÈNE LAURENT VAIL (1857-193 4) Fillettes au bord de l’eau Huile sur toile Signée et dédicacée «To my mama in law/affectionate souvenir/Eugène Vail» en bas à droite Oil on canvas, signed and dedicated «To my mama in law/affectionate souvenir/Eugène Vail» lower right 61 x 46 cm - 24 x 18 1/8 in. PROVENANCE Vente, Mes Perrin-Royère-Lajeunesse, Versailles, Hôtel des Chevau-Légers, 15 novembre 1987, lot 20 Collection particulière, France
Eugene Laurent Vail (1857-1934) 'Leonie' Etaples c.1887 or 1893 Oil on canvas, 65 x 54.5cm (25½ x 21½'') Original exhibition label verso with artist's name, title and number 26 Eugene Vail was a cosmopolitan artist of American-French background. He was one of a close-knit circle of young painters in the ateliers in Paris and at the artists' colonies of Grez-sur-Loing, Concarneau and Etaples during the 1880s. He was a close friend of Irish artists Frank O'Meara and John Lavery. His pictures enjoyed great success at the Paris Salon and he was awarded the Legion d'Honneur. Eugene Laurent Vail was born of an American father and French mother in St. Servan, near St. Malo, Brittany, in 1857. He gained and engineering degree at the Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey. He worked as a cartographer on a scientific expedition in the West of America. Vail was also a keen sportsman and had an interest in theatre and art. He began to study at the Art Students' League, New York, in the studios of William Chase and Carol Beckwith. He travelled to Paris c.1882 and became a pupil at the Academie Julian. He became a close friend of John Lavery's there. In March 1882, he entered the Ecole des Beaux Arts, studying in the atelier of Cabanel. He was also a pupil of Collin and Dagnan-Bouveret. Vail first exhibited in the Paris Salon in 1883. In common with many of his contemporaries, Vail was impatient to paint from nature. Many years later, Lavery acknowledged the influence of his comrade in introducing him to Grez: I came to know Gres-sur-Loing through Eugene Vail. We were both at the Academie Julian and we decided to go there to spend the weekend. I remained there for nine months. Hawkins also met Frank O'Meara there. In 1883, Vail first exhibited at the Paris Salon. In the same year he visited Brittany: Pont-Aven, and Concarneau, in the company of American students Harrison and Simmons. Vail favoured marine and harbour subjects. His best-known Breton painting, 'Le Port de la Peche, Concarneau' (Musée des Beaux Arts, Brest), is a large, low-key study of the harbour and fishing boats. Although sombre in tone, there is a glowing twilight atmosphere, that was, perhaps, to influence Charles Cottet's paintings of Brittany. The picture was exhibited at the Salon in 1884. It was purchased by the French State for the Musée Luxembourg. In 1887, Vail moved to Etaples, Pas-de-Calais. He spent the winter there, lodging with his friends from Grez, O'Meara and Scottish artist Middleton Jameson. Although less well known than the great art colonies, and less picturesque than Concarneau, Etaples was convenient to reach, being close to Boulogne, and living was cheaper there than at Grez. O'Meara wrote: Etaples is a very convenient place - lots of motifs about, plenty of models and studios to be had cheap. French artist, Cazin, a native of Pas-de-Calais, gained inspiration from the landscape around Etaples. Amongst the artists there in Vail's time were Jameson and O'Meara, French painters Boudin and Tattegrain, the Belgian Faradyn, the Americans Walter Gay and Birge Harrison, Dudley Hardy and a contingent from Cork: William G. Barry, Egerton Coghill and Edith Somerville. Sarah C. Harrison was there in 1890 and E.M. Synge and Frida Moloney in 1909. A large number of British and Australian artists continued to work there up to the First World War. While O'Meara studied figures at the harbour and Barry and Coghill painted woodland scenes, O'Meara wrote to Lavery that: Vail is painting the deck of a fishing boat in a heavy sea, life-size, and I think that it will be very fine. Vail exhibited at the Salon again in 1886 and in 1888, when he was awarded a 3rd class medal. His work was praised by Albert Wolff, art critic of 'Le Figaro'. Vail served on the international jury of the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1889. Four of his pictures were also exhibited there and he received a gold medal. Some of Veil's paintings were known for their dark tonality. Like Welden Hawkins, some of his subsequent work became more decorative and Symboliste, showing the influences of Whistler, Japonisme and the Nabis. Vail may have visited Etaples again c.1893, for his painting 'Soir d'Automne Etaples', which was exhibited at the Salon in 1894. Veil was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 1894. Six of his paintings were exhibited at the Salon Nationale in 1899 and his work was praised by Gabriel Mouray in 'The Studio'. The present portrait shows an attractive young woman, wearing a headscarf or bonnet and she is viewed in profile. On the reverse of the stretcher, the words 'Leonie' and 'Etaples' are written, probably by the artist himself. Leonie evidently is the name of the model. The word 'Etaples' and an art supplier's stamp 'Caron Cousin. Peintre Couleurs et Toiles - Etaples' on the back of the canvas, indicate that the picture was painted in this town, probably c.1887 or c.1893. Leonie has a fine profile and healthy red cheeks, set against the simple white costume which she is wearing. Vail enjoyed a profile view, as can be seen in 'A Breton Sunday', c.1890 (National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution), which shows a pious woman in scarf, standing in front of a harbour. On the one hand, 'Leonie' has the heroic quality of a peasant woman viewed in profile by Realist painter Jules Beton, for example 'Repose', 1864 (Musée des Beaux Arts, Arras) and 'Jeanne Calvet', 1865 (Francine Clarke Art Institute, Williamstown). But, on the other hand, Leonie is an ordinary country girl, whose rosy colouring reveals her hardworking, healthy life in the open air and by the sea. Her face is well modelled, with the dress indicated in a simple manner, with relaxed, criss-cross brushstrokes. Vail follows the 'Academie Julian' manner, combining a carefully represented face against a more sketchy treatment of clothing. But this relaxed manner also suggests the influence of Impressionist painters, such as Manet and Berthe Morisot. Julian Campbell
Eugene Vail French/American, 1857-1934 The Delft Bowl Signed Eugene Vail. (lr) Oil on canvas 25 1/4 x 21 1/4 inches Provenance: Carey Ellis, Houston, TX C Property of an American Corporation
Eugène Lawrence VAIL (1857-1934) Village en Bretagne au bord de mer Huile sur toile. Il s'agit sans doute d'une esquisse. Signée au dos sur le châssis. 29 x 21 cm
Eugene Lawrence Vail French/American, 1857-1934 St. Moritz, A Sunny Corner Signed Eugene Vail (ll) and (lr), inscribed St. Moritz (ll); signed Eugene Vail and inscribed as titled on the stretcher Oil on canvas 21 1/4 x 25 1/2 inches (54 x 64.8 cm) Provenance: Berry-Hill Galleries, New York
EUGENE LAURENT VAIL (American, 1857-1934) Feeding the Geese Oil on canvas 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm) Signed lower right: Eugene Vail THE JEAN AND GRAHAM DEVOE WILLIFORD CHARITABLE TRUST
Eugène-Lawrence VAIL (1857-1934) La femme du pêcheur Huile sur toile, signée en bas à droite et datée Paris 1894 100 x 80 cm Né d'une mère bretonne et d'un père américain, Vail est l'illustration...
Enfants et Leur Mere/Children with Their Mother Signed and dated "Eugene Vail 1897" l.r., identified on the reverse. Oil on canvas, 53 x 53 in. (134.6 x 134.6 cm), framed. Condition: Repaired puncture, retouch, craquelure. N.B. Raised in the United States, Vail spent much of his adult life in France and Italy. He studied with William Merritt Chase in New York, and then studied in Paris. The majority of his works are images of peasants and fishermen, done in the formal academic style. Late in his career, Vail's style became looser and more impressionistic, with a lighter palette.
Enfants et Leur Mere/Children with Their Mother Signed and dated "Eugene Vail 1897" l.r., identified on the reverse. Oil on canvas, 53 x 53 in. (134.6 x 134.6 cm), framed. Condition: Repaired puncture, retouch, craquelure. N.B. Raised in the United States, Vail spent much of his adult life in France and Italy. He studied with William Merritt Chase in New York, and then studied in Paris. The majority of his works are images of peasants and fishermen, done in the formal academic style. Late in his career, Vail's style became looser and more impressionistic, with a lighter palette. His numerous paintings of Venice exhibit this later style.
St. Moritz, A Sunny Corner, circa 1920 signed and inscribed “Eugene Vail S. Moritz” (lower left) signed again “Eugene Vail” (lower right) signed and inscribed with title (on stretcher) oil on canvas
"PORTRAIT - ARTIST'S DAUGHTER" Signed l.l., identified (with provenance) on collector's label on the reverse. Oil on canvas, 15 x 13 in. (38.1 x 33.0 cm.), framed. CONDITION Good. PROVENANCE Private collection, Central Massachusetts.
