Hernando Villa Through a Spanish Arch Watercolor and Pencil 1938 P2727
Wonderfully and mysteriously and somewhat mystifyingly there are several notations and dates to the work and on the back. This is the original pencil and watercolor art for a print later mounted and presented to a friend of the artist. The work is titled "Through A Spanish Arch" and dated 12-38. On the mount-surround the artist has also written "This is the original drawing - H Villa Feb 9 1945". He goes on lower down "To Red, a good sport best of good wishes. -Villa". Now at the back is preserved Villa's business card and then in large handwriting the date March 1st 1916 below which is written "Robert E Lee 2861 CHMU (or V) Los Anges 90023 who set the first Metes (meters?) for the Dept of Water and Power and the city of Los Angeles Calif This 29th Day of Sept 1964." Plenty to puzzle over.
What is clear is that this is a lovely small work by Villa, in beautiful condition and very nicely framed. Art measures7" x 9" and the frame is 14" x 18".
Hernando Gonzallo Villa (1881 - 1952) was active/lived in California. Hernando Villa is known for Hispanic and Indian figure, missions.
Born in Los Angeles, CA on Oct. 1, 1881, the son of Esiquia and Miguel de Villa. His parents came to Los Angeles from Baja California in 1846 when the area was still part of Mexico. Raised in an artistic milieu, his mother was an amateur singer and his father an artist with a studio on the Plaza. Villa studied locally under Louise Garden-MacLeod at the School of Art & Design in 1905, and later taught there after studying for one year in England and Germany. He established a studio in Los Angeles and worked as a commercial artist and illustrator for the Santa Fe Railroad for 40 years. He died in Los Angeles on May 7, 1952. Equally facile with oil, watercolor, pastel, and charcoal, he produced scenes of the Old West, Indians, missions, and the Mexican vaqueros. Villa's most famous work is the emblem of the Santa Fe Railroad, The Chief. Exh: Alaska-Yukon Expo (Seattle), 1909; PPIE, 1915 (gold medal for mural); Royar's Frame Shop (LA), 1934; El Paseo Inn (LA), 1935
Source: Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Southern California Artists (Nancy Moure); Artists of the American West (Samuels); Calif. Design, 1910.
