Acrylic landscape painting signed 'MC' (not authenticated)

This is an acrylic painting on a stretched canvas depicting a serene mountainous landscape featuring a body of water, tall evergreen trees framing the scene, and a lone deer standing near the shoreline in the foreground. The physical characteristics include textured brushwork, layered color palettes ranging from deep blues and purples in the distant mountains to warm golden yellows on the water's surface, and vibrant greens in the grassy foreground and towering pines. The painting bears a small signature in the lower right corner reading 'MC'. The overall condition appears to be well-maintained with clean edges and vibrant pigmentation, showing no apparent structural damage, craquelure, or fading visible from the image. The style is consistent with a contemporary representational nature scene. The attribution in the name rests on the visible initials in the lower right corner. The owner supplies additional context that this is an unverified 16-inch by 20-inch acrylic on canvas by Mary Chesney; however, this specific maker attribution remains unverified by physical inspection or documentation.

Based on the image provided, I have evaluated this acrylic landscape painting. The owner identifies this as a 16-inch by 20-inch acrylic on canvas by Mary Chesney, featuring a mountainous scene with a body of water and a lone deer. Based on what I can see, the painting displays textured brushwork, vibrant pigmentation, and clean edges, suggesting a well-maintained contemporary nature scene. It bears a small signature in the lower right corner reading 'MC'. However, I cannot verify from a photo whether this is an autograph work by Mary Chesney, as visible markings can be misread or forged, and I would need physical inspection to confirm the materials and execution. The estimate of $300-$500 assumes the attribution to Mary Chesney is correct, reflecting typical market behavior for similar contemporary landscape works of this scale. If the attribution is incorrect and the piece turns out to be a reproduction, a decorative copy, or simply 'in the style of' an unknown hand, the value would decrease significantly, likely falling into the $75-$150 range as a purely decorative artwork. To better approach a potential confirmation of authorship and value, one would need in-person physical examination by a qualified fine art expert, a thorough review of provenance documentation, and evaluation of brushwork and substrate under magnification.