Add to this Discussion Board
Please Note: Your comments will be posted on these pages for the
public to read. Please do not use for contacting AskART staff
or attempting to buy or sell artworks.
|
 |
|
Note:
This space is made available for contributions of information
our viewers would be willing to share about this artist. If a controversy develops in the future about any Discussion Board content, we
may remove any posting without notice.
Rules to post:
Messages to buy or sell artwork are not permitted in the Discussion
Board. (If you wish to sell an artwork, please
click here.) Offensive language or defamatory comments are
not allowed. AskART may remove any bulletin not complying with these
rules at any time.
|
02/29/2012
Gene Meier
HARRY MINER'S AMERICAN DRAMATIC DIRECTORY 1884-5
Philadelphia,Academy of Music,Russell Smith,p.299,300
09/09/2006
Kevin Murphy
Russell Smith Signatures
I have done extensive research on the life and work of Russell Smith and have one of his earliest paintings--done in Pittsburgh around 1830--in my collection.
According to his biographer, Virginia Lewis, Smith signed some of his early paintings "W T RS" with spacing as shown. More frequently--as on my painting-- he signed them "RS" and added a date. Later, after moving to Philadelphia in 1935, he did much larger paintings of public buildings, like the Court House, and signed them "Russell Smith," and usually added a date.
One fascinating thing about Smith's dating--it is really meaningless. He often did a sketch in 1832 and then didn't finish the oil pasinting until 1876, so he would double date the paitning "RS 1832/1876." He did all sorts of strange things with the dates. For example, my painting is signed "RS 1878," when the painting was clearly done at a time when he still used kahki green in his skies-- prior to 1835.
If you read Virginia Smith's biography, I think you will find that TR Smith is a very unlikely possability for the works of Russell Smith. However, please do not allow me to disuade you from researching this matter further and, hopefully, coming to a more satisfactory conclusion.
Best of luck.
Kevin in CT
05/17/2006
Bannered
Russel Smith
How Did Russel Smith Sign his paint? Did he camophage his name in the painting? Did he use TR Smith? Just how are the other paint signature was done. Did he cross his T's in smith or did he leave them uncrossed? I have a painting that is labeled TR Smith 1841 ' The Mill at Catskill. I would like to know is this the same TR Smith.
|
|
|
|