Oil on panel, Xanthus Smith United States, 1839-1929 Swiss Alpine Landscape

Xanthus Russell Smith (United States, 1839-1929) Chalets at Zwing Uri, Valley of the Reuss, Switzerland (1882) Oil on wood panel, mahogany or American walnut. Signed at the bottom right "Xanthus Smith" and richly annotated on the back. Exhibited at the famous American Exhibition in London in 1887. Handwritten inscriptions on the back of the panel, in brown ink: "Chalets at Zwing Uri, Valley of the Reuss, Switzerland. Painted by Xanthus Smith 1882. From sketches made by myself & my mother in 1852. Famous for his spectacular naval scenes of the Civil War, Xanthus Smith delivers here a rare and intimate work. As indicated by the moving handwritten inscription on the back, this Swiss landscape was created in 1882 from sketches the artist had drawn 30 years earlier, in 1852 (when he was only 13), during a trip to Europe with his mother, the painter Mary Russell Smith. This painting was selected to represent American art at the famous American Exhibition in London in 1887, as evidenced by the original exhibition label still present on the back of the work. Animated alpine landscape located in the canton of Uri. Presence on the back of a glued kraft paper exhibition label, printed and completed in ink: "For American Exhibition, London, 1887. Title: Chalets at Zwing Uri, Valley of the Reuss, Switzerland. Artist: Xanthus Smith. 1020 Chestnut St. Philadelphia Pa." Presence of inventory markings in white chalk. Perfect condition of the paint layer. Marie-Louise showing some cracks; restoration of the Marie-Louise visible at the bottom left (small loss filled and repainted). Gilding of the frame very well preserved. Framing in gilded wood and stucco. Mouldings and outer frieze sculpted with stylised floral motifs. Marie-Louise in precious burl veneer (of the type thuya or amboyna burl). Frame measurements: • Width: 78 cm. • Height: 58 cm. Visible measurements: • Width: 55 cm. • Height: 35 cm.