Mixed-media work on paper bearing a signature reading "M. Diatlema '86"

This item appears to be a mixed-media or pastel work on paper, viewed through a reflective glazing (likely glass or acrylic). The piece features a textured, expressive application of pigment with a color palette dominated by dusty reds, charcoal grays, deep blues, and subtle hints of yellow. The composition is atmospheric and abstract in nature. A prominent marking is handwritten in the lower section, bearing a signature that appears to read "M. Diatlema" followed by the year marking "'86." The signature is rendered in a dark, possibly ink-based medium in a slanted, stylized script. The surface shows a slightly granular texture characteristic of pastels or charcoal on a heavy-weight paper. Regarding condition, there are visible reflections across the surface from the glazing, and the paper itself appears slightly wavy, which may indicate it is not fully adhered to a backing. The presence of the signature and date suggests a late 20th-century origin, stylistically consistent with modern abstract expressionist tendencies of the 1980s. Without physical inspection of the substrate and media, this attribution and date remain a hypothesis based on visible markings that are themselves unverified.

I have examined the provided image of a mixed-media work on paper. Based on what I can see, the piece features an expressive, abstract composition characterized by a palette of dusty reds and charcoal grays. The work bears a signature and date reading 'M. Diatlema '86' in the lower section. It is important to note that I cannot verify the medium or the substrate from a photo alone; while it appears to be pastel or charcoal, a physical inspection is required to confirm the stability of the pigment and the type of paper used. The waviness of the paper suggests potential mounting issues or minor environmental impact, which would need to be addressed to preserve the work. This estimate is based on the hypothesis that the signature is consistent with a late 20th-century artist working in an abstract expressionist style. The valuation reflects the general market interest for unidentified or mid-market abstract works of the 1980s. I am treating the attribution as a working assumption; to confirm the authorship, one would need provenance documentation or a comparison with a catalog raisonné of the artist’s work. If this piece were found to be a reproduction or a later work 'in the style of' the signed name, its market value would likely fall to a decorative range of $50 - $100. Professional authentication and a check for acidic matting during a physical examination would be necessary to establish a more precise value.