Unique historical ink drawing of circa 1870 Los Angeles California

Fine Art : Drawings : American Southwest : California Art

 

I don't know quite how to describe this obviously unusual item.........the bottom portion is a highly detailed ink drawing of early day Los Angeles, when it was still a Spanish rancho of one story adobe huts and wide dirt streets with men on horseback......we won't ever know if this was originally a full drawing, including the sky.........because someone at some time in the past cut it silhouette style at the mountaintop line, and proceeded to paste the drawing on to a blue-gray sheet with white highlights for wispy clouds. At the bottom margin of the blue paper, in possibly 20th century hand, is written in ink at lower left "Los Angeles 1870" and at bottom right "J. Garnier". The image inside the mat measures 10 3/4" by 16 1/2"; the blue sheet is roughly 15" by 20". The detail shown in this drawing is astounding, including native American indian families, barrels, ovens, shutters, gourds, clothes drying, carriages, cacti............if you have a Mission or early California or Southwest home, this drawing will make for a real conversation piece at your next dinner party. No one else will have one quite like it. Allow for reflections in some photos. SEE HUNDREDS OF OTHER WORKS NOW IN MY SHOP.

Item ID: JB0869