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For collectors searching fine art oil painting, Frank Ellis of the SMS is a dependable choice. Painted in layered oils on canvas after Frank Tenney Johnson, this vintage work reads equally well as classic canvas wall art and as a thoughtful housewarming gift.
1929
Oil on canvas
During an interview with a Los Angeles radio station Johnson said, “Frank Ellis was riding for the SMS outfit at the time I was there. Just an old-time broken down cowpuncher, he called himself. One eye missing and some tell-tale scars on his leathery hide. Perhaps you know about the notorious Billy the Kid, who is claimed to have killed at least 21 men…. But far be it from me to have accused Frank Ellis of having been one of the outlaws that figured in the famous Lincoln County War—because he and I were good friends. I used him in several of my best paintings…”
According to Harold McCracken in The Frank Tenney Johnson Book, “The sprawling SMS Ranch was named after Svante Magnus Swenson, who came to Texas from Sweden in 1838, and became a prosperous merchant in Richmond and Austin. He bought land grants on the West Texas frontier; and following the Civil War he opened a banking house in New York, engaging in international enterprises. In the late 1870s, his two sons began developing the family Texas land, becoming among the first to change from the old ways of longhorns to better stock. … At the time of Frank’s visit the SMS consisted of 280,000 acres covering parts of nine counties. “Frank Tenney Johnson’s stay at this big ranch was one of the most rewarding of his experiences. He had a great abundance of colorful material to sketch and photograph; and a good many of the SMS cowboys and horses appear in his later paintings.”
As entryway wall decor, the piece pairs naturally with other vintage wall art and with warm neutrals, timber, and soft natural light.
From primer to varnish, the work is done manually on artist-grade canvas. The absence of digital printing is deliberate: it keeps the fine art brushwork visible and gives the vintage oil painting wall decor a museum-like finish.
As entryway wall decor, this canvas brings color and texture without visual noise. It scales well from a small study to a large entryway feature wall, and it is a reliable choice when shopping for fine art oil painting as a gift.
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| 20 X 24 in | $87.98 |
| 24 X 36 in | $134.48 |
| 30 X 40 in | $185.98 |
| 36 X 48 in | $238.48 |
| 48 X 72 in | $481.48 |
The sizes shown are the reproduction canvas sizes we paint to order. The dimensions given in a work's description refer to the original artwork and will differ from the sizes offered here. Not sure? Read the size guide or e-mail us.
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Every canvas is painted by hand in oils on artist-grade stretched canvas, with an extra blank border left for framing. How to care for your painting.
Measurements are on the size guide, or e-mail [email protected] and we reply within one business day.
