Guy Rose Took a Shot

Californian Impressionist painter Guy Rose discovered his artistic gifts the hard way. In 1876, at the age of nine, he was accidentally shot in the face during a hunting trip with his brothers. It was while he was recuperating that he began to sketch and use watercolors and oil paints.

Rose went on to become one of Californias top impressionist painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The son of a prominent California senator, he was a keen traveler, spending time in New York, Algeria and Paris, where he came under the influence of friend and mentor, Claude Monet.

On Tuesday, October 20, John Moran Auctioneers is offering bidders two chances to add a Guy Rose to their collection when they stage their California and American Fine Art Auction. Lots 81 & 101 (above) are landscapes typical of Rose, the first depicting Californian dunes, the second a bridge crossing in Rhode Island.

The California and American Fine Art Auction is full of interesting work anchored in America’s past. Lot 119, by Joseph Henry Sharp, depicts Indian Francisco Martinez, who would go on to be Chief of the Taos Pueblo. Sharp was a charter member of the Taos Society of Artists, founded the same year as his arrival in the region.

All up, 237 lots are set to go under the hammer, with the list of artists represented including George Spangenberg, Xavier Martinez, William Wendt, Arthur Grover Rider, Donna Schuster, Millard Sheets, Edgar Payne, Joane Cromwell (above), Neil Williams and Penelope Krebs. Look now at the full catalog.