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Rare painting of the Saginaw River
www.askart.com | Staff

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.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Business/Economy; History; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: award; history; michigan; painting; renfrewshire; robertclunie; saginaw; scotland; scotlandyet
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To: Utah Binger
How deep is the river where they crossed?

I am not sure, but they had Indian help who knew where the rocks were I reckon.

21 posted on 10/13/2015 3:42:09 PM PDT by Slyfox (Will no one rid us of this meddlesome president?)
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To: cripplecreek
My daughter went to Hillsdale and as a student happened to use the Will Carleton Loan.

Fifty bucks cash and when she paid it back it was fifty dollars plus fifty cents.

22 posted on 10/13/2015 3:45:36 PM PDT by Slyfox (Will no one rid us of this meddlesome president?)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

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.


23 posted on 10/13/2015 3:46:24 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (Diversity is Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sharing the same jail cell.)
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To: Fester Chugabrew

Painting was made in 1936.


24 posted on 10/13/2015 3:55:44 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Ancestral Puebloan Xeroid)
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To: Fester Chugabrew

Sign on top of the red building says “Swan Ice Cream Company”. The one on the right is “BEANS” Michigan Bean Company.


25 posted on 10/13/2015 3:59:14 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Ancestral Puebloan Xeroid)
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To: Slyfox

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


26 posted on 10/13/2015 4:00:05 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.)
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To: Utah Binger

does this painting have a name ? I can’t get any useful information off the source site.


27 posted on 10/13/2015 4:10:03 PM PDT by PLMerite (The Revolution...will not be kind.)
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To: PLMerite
Saginaw River, Michigan
28 posted on 10/13/2015 4:27:23 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Ancestral Puebloan Xeroid)
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To: Utah Binger
The USS Edson is a museum on the Saginaw river today.


29 posted on 10/13/2015 4:32:28 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.)
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To: Utah Binger

That’s a nice accessory.

Congrats on the acquisition of such a beautiful painting!


30 posted on 10/13/2015 4:33:41 PM PDT by MUDDOG
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To: Utah Binger
Wiki has more info.
31 posted on 10/13/2015 4:34:06 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Ancestral Puebloan Xeroid)
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To: Fester Chugabrew

This it?

32 posted on 10/13/2015 4:57:59 PM PDT by RckyRaCoCo
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To: Utah Binger

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.


33 posted on 10/13/2015 5:08:19 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (Diversity is Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sharing the same jail cell.)
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To: RckyRaCoCo

BINGO! IMO. Move to the left some to be where Clunie was at the time.


34 posted on 10/13/2015 5:09:39 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (Diversity is Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sharing the same jail cell.)
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To: MUDDOG

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.


35 posted on 10/13/2015 5:53:55 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: cripplecreek

Thanks! loved the painting!


36 posted on 10/13/2015 5:54:27 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: Utah Binger

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.


37 posted on 10/13/2015 6:24:53 PM PDT by nd76
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To: MeshugeMikey

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.


38 posted on 10/13/2015 6:39:37 PM PDT by Utah Binger (Ancestral Puebloan Xeroid)
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To: Utah Binger

As I didnt read an accompanying articcle....i did get the size

Thank you.


39 posted on 10/13/2015 6:45:57 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: cripplecreek

She’s a nice looking vessel. I have always had a soft spot for that class, built by BIW...:)


40 posted on 10/13/2015 7:00:00 PM PDT by rlmorel ("National success by the Democratic Party equals irretrievable ruin." Ulysses S. Grant)
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