Original Oil Painting by John Douglas Patrick

This is an original oil on canvas painting attributed to the American Impressionist and educator John Douglas Patrick (1863-1937). The work features a vertical composition with a complex, figurative narrative scene rendered in an expressive, painterly style. The palette is dominated by earthy tones, deep browns, and muted reds, with highlights of pale yellow and white in the background. The brushwork is thick and vigorous (impasto), characteristic of Patrick's Academic training in Paris and his subsequent Impressionist influence. The scene appears to depict multiple figures in a cavernous or dark landscape, possibly a mythological or biblical allegorical study. Regarding condition, the canvas shows significant signs of age and distress including craquelure across the paint surface, edge fraying, and minor paint loss, particularly at the corners and bottom edge. The surface appears to have a layer of grime and darkened varnish, suggesting it has not undergone recent professional cleaning. This piece likely dates to the late 19th or early 20th century, representing the artist's exploration of form and light outside his well-known portraiture and landscape work. The craftsmanship exhibits a high degree of technical skill in figure placement and dramatic lighting, consistent with a trained master of the Kansas State Art Institute period.