Featured 19th Century Painter: LEVI WELLS PRENTICE (AMERICAN 1851 – 1935)

  • March 05, 2021 11:15

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LEVI WELLS PRENTICE (AMERICAN 1851 – 1935) NEAR LAKE PLACID, ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS, NY Oil on canvas, 11.75 x 17.75 inches/Signed lower right
Bedford Fine Art Gallery

Born in Lewis County, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains, Levi Wells Prentice began his art career, not surprisingly, painting the landscape surrounding boyhood farm. However, after moving to Brooklyn circa 1883, he eventually abandoned landscapes for still-lifes and it these for which he is best known. There are significant gaps in his biography and it is not known whether he associated with, or knew, fellow Brooklynite, noted still-life painter, Joseph Decker. It is known, however, that his resume during his time in Brooklyn included carpentry, frame-making, and teaching art. Prentice's still-life compositions illustrate his remarkable skill at rendering color, form, and texture, with dramatic contrasts between the background and foreground subject. He did not totally abandon landscape painting, as many of his still-life compositions are depicted within a landscape setting, instead of the usual table top setting. His works exhibit a 3-D quality (trompe l'oeil) as if you could pluck the fruit right from the canvas. His sketchy biography also reveals that throughout his career, in addition to the Adirondack Mountains and Lake George, artist Levi Wells Prentice either lived or worked in New York's Hudson River Valley and Niagara Falls areas, and Arizona's Grand Canyon area. Prentice was a member of the Brooklyn Art Association where he often exhibited his paintings.In addition to offering the artwork below for sale, Bedford Fine Art Gallery is also actively seeking to purchase artwork by Levi Wells Prentice.


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Bedford Fine Art Gallery

Welcome to Bedford Fine Art Gallery. Located in historic Bedford, Pennsylvania, the gallery offers a wide variety of works from some of the greatest and most well-known 19th century artists, early 20th century artists, and contemporary realism artists. You can see all of our available 19th century artwork on our Gallery page. Our current inventory boasts a wide diversity of subject matter from landscape, marine, still life, genre, American historical/political, sporting art, and animal themes. Our gallery features both American and European 19th century painters such as John Henry Dolph, George Hetzel, William Bromley III, and Barton Stone Hays, to name a few. To see more of our 19th century artists, please visit our Artists page. Good art is timeless and only you know what "wows" you. You know it when you see it and we hope you make that connection with a stunning painting from Bedford Fine Art Gallery. Thank you.

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