Oil on basswood, 1912, signed with the artist's initials and dated at lower left, framed.

Panel 9 7/8 x 13 7/8 in.; Frame dimensions 15 1/8 x 19 1/8 in.

Private Collection, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Julia Lee Docking of Sarasota and dated December 31, 1975

Exhibited:
Sarasota, Florida, Sarasota Art Association, Manierre Dawson: Painter, Sculptor, 1887-1969, 1975, no. 20

Manierre Dawson was an American painter and sculptor recognized as one of the earliest abstract artists in the United States. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dawson pursued civil engineering at the Armour Institute of Technology, where his studies in mechanical drawing and descriptive geometry significantly influenced his artistic vision. By 1908, he had developed a geometric painting style, and in 1910, he created a series of non-representational paintings that are among the first pure abstractions ever produced, slightly predating works by Wassily Kandinsky and Arthur Dove.
In 1910, Dawson embarked on a European tour, during which he met prominent artists like John Singer Sargent and attended gatherings at Gertrude Stein's Paris apartment, exposing him to avant-garde movements. Upon returning to the U.S., he continued to innovate, producing works that combined his engineering background with artistic experimentation. Despite his pioneering contributions, Dawson remained relatively obscure during his lifetime, as he spent much of his later years farming in Michigan. It wasn't until the 1960s that his work gained significant recognition, leading to retrospective exhibitions that solidified his place in art history as a trailblazer of American abstraction.

Some minor scuffing and evidence of wear to frame; overall in very good estate condition.