Afternoon Lights

(1854-1932)

Size: 16 1/4 x 12 1/4 inches (41.3 x 31.1 cm)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Signed lower right: W. L. Palmer
Why We Love It

It's no surprise that Palmer was named "the painter of American winter." Indeed his best and most acclaimed paintings were his winter scenes. In Afternoon Lights, Palmer uses subtle touches of color to softly illuminate the white snow and radiant sky. The influence of Impressionism is clear in the delicate and insubstantial quality of the light as well as the gossamer effect of the brushwork.

The Value

Walter Launt Palmer's paintings, particularly of winter, are widely collected. His consummate skill and commitment to his art earned him high standing during the height of his career. But like so many artists of his generation, his contribution to American art history was eclipsed by the advent of Modernism. Over the past 10 years his reputation was fully rehabilitated and his paintings commanded high numbers both at auction and privately. We have had the opportunity to place some of Palmer's best work in important collections.