Red Barn

Watercolor on paper

1938

Signed and dated lower right
Titled “Red Barn” verso and prices at $150.

The barn depicted in this watercolor is the same as in another watercolor by Dehn published in color in Life Magazine, August 11, 1941 on page 42, entitled "Threshing in Minnesota" . In the illustration caption, the artist indentifies the image as being near his home town, Waterville, MN.

Provenance Mamdouha and Elmer Holmes Bobst
Elmer Holmes Bobst (1884–1978) was an American businessman and philanthropist who worked in the pharmaceutical industry. His wife, Mamdouha, was also well known philanthropist.
Bobst was born in Lititz, Pennsylvania. He aspired to become a doctor, but instead, he taught himself pharmacology. After his first wife Ethel composed his interview letter, he became manager and treasurer of the Hoffman-LaRoche Chemical Works by 1920. When Bobst retired from the company in 1944, he was one of the nation's highest paid corporate executives. In 1945 he took charge of the ailing William Warner Company (later Warner–Lambert) and he remained board chairman until his retirement.
Bobst had close connections to President Dwight Eisenhower, but was also a close friend of President Richard Nixon.
Note: This watercolor is closely related to a lithograph by Dehn, entitled Threshing near Kilkenny, (MN), made in 1939. It has the same barn and pile of wheat as seen from the far side of the barn as it is depicted here.

Displayed in an original wormy chestnut frame, most probably from the AAA Dehn 1940 watercolor exhibition.

Image: 14 1/2 x 21"
Frame: 25 x 31"

FA9954

$8,500.