Artist James King Appraisal

Autumnal Landscape Oil Painting by James King

This is a mid-to-late 20th-century landscape oil painting, likely executed on canvas or board, depicting a tranquil autumnal scene. The composition features a cluster of deciduous trees with reddish-brown and mauve foliage flanking a winding dirt path that recedes into a hazy, atmospheric background. The palette is dominated by muted earth tones, soft grays, and ochre, evoking a late afternoon or overcast seasonal mood. The artist's brushwork appears textured, particularly in the rendering of the delicate, stippled tree canopies and the grassy foreground. The piece is signed 'James King' in the lower right corner in a dark, cursive script. The artwork is housed in a substantial multi-tiered wooden frame featuring a metallic gold-toned inner fillet, a wide linen or fabric-wrapped liner, and a dark brown outer moulding. The overall construction suggests a style prevalent in the 1970s or 1980s. The condition appears to be good with no obvious signs of surface cracking, paint loss, or foxing visible in the image, although there is a slight patina of age on the fabric liner. The level of detail in the branching and the atmospheric perspective indicates a skilled hand, typical of commercial gallery-grade traditional landscapes of the era.