Duck and Fish Decoys, Folk Art, Art Glass, Decorative Arts and Furniture

Ben Austrian, Chicks in a Basket, print, 1919

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Start price: $10

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Description

This print by American artist Ben Austrian (1870-1921) depicts a group of approximately ten chicks, a subject for which the artist is widely recognized. The composition features the birds in various shades of yellow, black, and brown, arranged around a shallow woven straw basket. The work is executed in a realistic style, utilizing fine, blended brushwork to capture the soft, downy texture of the chicks against a dark, moody background. The painting is signed and dated in the lower right corner, reading Ben Austrian 1919. It is presented in an ornate, multi-tiered gilded frame with scroll and foliate motifs. The verso is sealed with a brown paper dust cover and fitted with a hanging wire.

Outer frame dimensions: 16.375 x 18.5 inches.


Condition report:

The painting is in excellent overall condition, with the paint surface well-preserved and no visible evidence of craquelure or restoration. The gilded frame shows minor rubbing and light wear to the finish at the corners and edges, consistent with age.