This 1901 depiction of the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, which spent much of the past century in a Weston attic, sold for $354,000 in a Dallas art auction.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A dusty oil painting of a Texas Revolution battle scene found in the attic of a Weston home sold for $354,000 during an auction in Dallas on Saturday.
"The sale went beyond our expectations," said Atlee Phillips, director of Texas art at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. "We were very excited with the outcome. It turned out to be one of the most expensive pieces of Texas art ever sold at auction."
A private citizen who seeks anonymity, for the moment at least, bought the 5-by-7 foot painting after about five minutes of spirited bidding, following an opening offer of $50,000. "It quickly came down to two strong, really serious bidders," Phillips said.
The painting's new owner "is still thinking about whether or not to go public" with the purchase, Phillips said, but for the time being "is more concerned about getting the painting to a conservator" to begin the process of restoring the grimy, but otherwise relatively undamaged painting.
The 1901 work by Irish-born Henry Arthur McCardle depicts the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, the deciding victory in Texas' struggle for independence from Mexico.
The painting was found last year in the attic of the George and Betty Bland home on Main Street in Weston. "Found," may not be the right word for the event, since the Blands, descendants of the artist and his wife, were aware of the painting's presence in their home, but not its significance or value.
Jon Buell of Sterling, Va., the Blands' grandson and the artist's great-great grandson, decided to take a closer look at the battle scene, after coming across the painting in the Blands' attic and learning more about McArdle's reputation as a well-regarded painter and chronicler of Texas and Civil War battle scenes.
Three McArdle paintings, "The Battle of San Jacinto," "Dawn at the Alamo" and a portrait of Confederate President Jefferson Davis are all on display in the Texas Senate chamber in Austin.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A dusty oil painting of a Texas Revolution battle scene found in the attic of a Weston home sold for $354,000 during an auction in Dallas on Saturday.
"The sale went beyond our expectations," said Atlee Phillips, director of Texas art at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. "We were very excited with the outcome. It turned out to be one of the most expensive pieces of Texas art ever sold at auction."
A private citizen who seeks anonymity, for the moment at least, bought the 5-by-7 foot painting after about five minutes of spirited bidding, following an opening offer of $50,000. "It quickly came down to two strong, really serious bidders," Phillips said.
The painting's new owner "is still thinking about whether or not to go public" with the purchase, Phillips said, but for the time being "is more concerned about getting the painting to a conservator" to begin the process of restoring the grimy, but otherwise relatively undamaged painting.
The 1901 work by Irish-born Henry Arthur McCardle depicts the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto, the deciding victory in Texas' struggle for independence from Mexico.
The painting was found last year in the attic of the George and Betty Bland home on Main Street in Weston. "Found," may not be the right word for the event, since the Blands, descendants of the artist and his wife, were aware of the painting's presence in their home, but not its significance or value.
Jon Buell of Sterling, Va., the Blands' grandson and the artist's great-great grandson, decided to take a closer look at the battle scene, after coming across the painting in the Blands' attic and learning more about McArdle's reputation as a well-regarded painter and chronicler of Texas and Civil War battle scenes.
Three McArdle paintings, "The Battle of San Jacinto," "Dawn at the Alamo" and a portrait of Confederate President Jefferson Davis are all on display in the Texas Senate chamber in Austin.
Texas art patron J.T. DeShields is believed to have commissioned McArdle to paint the battle scene auctioned on Saturday. Although a fee of $400 was agreed upon, McArdle kept the piece after apparently failing to receive payment for the work.
While the $354,000 painting depicts the same event as McArdle's earlier "The Battle of San Jacinto," the 1901 painting is an original "re-imagining" of the historic Texas battle, according to Phillips.
In less than 20 minutes of fighting, 630 Mexicans were killed and 730 more taken prisoner near the San Jacinto River and Buffalo Bayou when surprised by a force of about 900 Texans led by Sam Houston on April 21, 1836. Nine Texans were killed and 30 injured during the battle.
McArdle's West Virginia connection is his wife, the former Isophene Lacy Dunnington, who returned to her native state following her artist husband's death in San Antonio in 1905.
Phillips said Saturday's auction brought together both the Texas and West Virginia sides of the artist's family.
"The Texas and West Virginia cousins had a great time," she said. "They hadn't seen each other since the '50s, and their getting together and getting acquainted was one of the best parts of the day."
Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelham...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5169.
Get Connected