Bella Mansion Painting Appraisal

Original Landscape Painting of Bella Mansion Grounds by Juanita Green Williams

This is an original oil or acrylic painting on canvas depicting the pastoral grounds of the Bella mansion in Tennessee. The artwork features a prominent ivy-covered stone tower or outbuilding set amidst a lush landscape of mature deciduous trees and rolling lawns. The composition uses a sophisticated play of light and shadow, with dappled sunlight hitting the grass and dirt paths. The color palette is dominated by earthy greens, warm ochres, and soft blues in the sky, reflecting an Impressionistic influence in the brushwork and atmospheric perspective. The painting is housed in a substantial gold-tone ornate wooden frame featuring scrolled decorative moldings and a beveled inner edge. Notable features include the heavy impasto and textured application of paint, suggesting a mid-20th-century creation consistent with the tenure of art professor Juanita Green Williams. The condition appears fair to good, with some visible surface grime and slight yellowing of the varnish, which is common for its age. The frame shows some minor gesso loss and wear on the edges, typical of antique or vintage framing. The piece demonstrates high-level craftsmanship and academic rigor, likely intended to capture the historical essence of the Tennessee landmark.