Charles Ephraim Burchfield 1893 - 1967

Frank K.M. Rehn Galleries, New York, by 1970
Sid Deutsch Gallery, New York
Private Collection, Los Angeles
Kennedy Galleries, New York, 1996 (acquired from the above)
Bernadette and William M.B. Berger, Denver, Colorado, 1997 (acquired from the above)

New York, Andrew Crispo Gallery, Ten Americans: Masters of Watercolor, May-June 1974, no. 25
Portland, Maine, Portland Museum of Art; Marietta, Georgia, Marietta/Cob Museum of Art; Denver, Colorado, Denver Art Museum, Winslow Homer Facing Nature, May 1998-April 2001

Joseph S. Trovato, Charles Burchfield: Catalogue of Paintings in Public and Private Collections, Utica, New York, 1970, no. 1131, p. 258
J. Benjamin Townsend, ed., Charles Burchfield's Journals: The Poetry of Place, Albany, New York, 1993, pp. 259, 679n36

This work is in very good condition. There is some slight discoloration at the edges due to light exposure, and scattered pindots of foxing, primarily at the lower center.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Executed in 1955, At “The Maples” North of Little Valley depicts a grove near Maples, New York and is an example of the dynamic watercolor landscapes for which Charles Burchfield is best known. The artist returned to this site on several occasions, describing one of these visits in a journal entry: “A wonderful day, such as happens seldom–in spite of physical discomforts, I was completely in tune, and the natural elements put on one dramatic moment after another … Parked at Great Hill for a brief reconnaissance [sic] then north to the Maples. Here I decided to spend the day. First took my lunch in. The deep grass still wet from a morning shower–Hot and steamy–I soon was wet all over from sweat. While eating I watched a tiger-swallowtail sporting over the meadow. He used the various air-currents for his aerial acrobatics–seldom flapping his wings. To float he set them stiffly at 45° angles upward. He loved to dive almost to the ground, and would rise form such a descent just as quickly without any effort–a lovely creature” (J. Benjamin Townsend, ed., Charles Burchfield's Journals: The Poetry of Place, Albany, New York, 1993, p. 259).