Posted on 10/13/2015 2:38:31 PM PDT by Utah Binger
Robert Clunie was born June 29, 1895 in Renfrewshire, Scotland. He began painting outdoors in his native Scotland at the age of 13 and was accepted to the Royal Scottish Academy. However, he cancelled his enrollment choosing instead to go to America.
In 1911, he and his older brother William boarded the S.S. California for New York. Upon their arrival to the United States, they joined relatives in Saginaw, Michigan. In January 1918, wanting to escape the dark cold Michigan winters, Clunie boarded a train to Pasadena, California. It was on this return train trip back to Saginaw that he first saw, and fell in love with, the Sierra Nevada, taking the northern route over Donner Pass from San Francisco. By the end of 1918, he and his older brother drove to California.
I am not sure, but they had Indian help who knew where the rocks were I reckon.
Fifty bucks cash and when she paid it back it was fifty dollars plus fifty cents.
Yes. The face of the red building on left, I think precludes a view looking West. I’d like to find the location on Google Earth, using clues from this painting. Definitely pre-dates the Zilwaukee Bridge.
Painting was made in 1936.
Sign on top of the red building says “Swan Ice Cream Company”. The one on the right is “BEANS” Michigan Bean Company.
Local Hillsdale judges used to send vagrants to the poor house (Farm really) where they could earn meals, a roof over their heads, and a place to sleep.
Will Carleton was a pretty prolific poet. I’m not a big fan of poetry but his is interesting and different.
http://www.poetrycat.com/will-carleton
does this painting have a name ? I can’t get any useful information off the source site.
That’s a nice accessory.
Congrats on the acquisition of such a beautiful painting!
This it?
Thanks for those clues. I am going to posit the following coordinates as the painter’s location/perspective:
43°26’9.01”N
83°56’24.53”W
I am also going to surmise it to be an afternoon view during the summer months when the sun *could* light up the north side of a building. The opposing sides of the Swan Ice Cream Company and the Michigan Bean Company are both given light. The bridge would be Genesee Ave.
I’ll leave it to others to confirm or deny my take on this. Thanks for posting this work of art. I find it remarkable that you are able to view it closely, and have enjoyed taking it in visually.
BINGO! IMO. Move to the left some to be where Clunie was at the time.
I always wonder how many sittings such paintings required.
the light is very consistent so its hard for me to tell whether the painter completed his work in one sitting or several.
Thanks! loved the painting!
The elevator on the right hand side of the river is still there, with the “Beans” sign on top. I was in Saginaw about a year ago and took a photo of it. Saginaw was part of my six year field trip to all 83 county seats in Michigan, the state where I grew up. I hope some day to get my photos processed and organized so that I can put up an e-book.
I suspect he made several studies over a few days. The painting is an obvious studio piece based on size alone.
This approach is called “American Scene” which was all the rage during the WPA period. I don’t know if Clunie had that in mind when he made the painting, however it has that feeling.
As I didnt read an accompanying articcle....i did get the size
Thank you.
She’s a nice looking vessel. I have always had a soft spot for that class, built by BIW...:)
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