Mid-20th-century style watercolor painting of a man on a donkey

This artwork appears to be a watercolor or gouache painting on paper, depicting a man wearing a wide-brimmed sombrero and a green and yellow striped serape, seated atop a grey donkey or burro. The figure is rendered in a stylized, almost caricatured manner, consistent with mid-century tourist art or commercial illustration from the Western or Mexican folk-art tradition. The work is signed in the lower-left corner with a cursive signature that appears to read 'Jose', though without closer inspection, this remains an unverified attribution. The color palette consists of muted earth tones—greens, yellows, and grays—against a pale, washed background representing a simple horizon line. The piece is housed in a simple, gold-toned metallic or painted wood frame under glass. Visible condition issues include some slight rippling or buckling of the paper substrate, potentially from humidity, and minor wear to the frame's finish. The execution shows consistent brushwork and a clear use of color blocking, common in mid-20th-century decorative illustrations. Because the signature is a common first name and no further documentation is present, the identification is based purely on stylistic features and remains a hypothesis pending expert verification.

Based on the image provided, I have examined this watercolor illustration of a man on a donkey. The work bears a signature consistent with 'Jose' in the lower-left corner; however, I cannot verify the specific artist's identity from a photograph alone, and this remains a working hypothesis. The style is characteristic of mid-20th-century Mexican folk-art illustration or tourist-market decorative art. The execution shows competent color blocking and stylized linework typical of the era's commercial fine art. My estimate of $150 to $350 reflects the market for mid-century regionalist works if the attribution to a specific, albeit currently unverified, illustrator is maintained. From what I can see, there is visible buckling of the paper, which suggest moisture exposure; the frame also shows minor finish loss. I cannot determine the exact medium or paper quality without a physical inspection. This value is predicated on the piece being a period-correct work; should it be a later mechanical reproduction or a modern 'in the style of' copy, the value would likely fall below $50. To confirm the piece's status, an in-person examination by a specialist in Latin American illustration is necessary, along with provenance documentation or a forensic analysis of the pigments and paper. The current market for mid-century Mexican decorative art remains stable, though value is heavily driven by the ability to link the work to a known studio or artist. Without such a link, the piece is valued primarily for its decorative and historical appeal.