Friday 21 September 2012

Mona K. Gill

Mona K. Frill ?
=
Mona K. Gill 
(1908-1945)
Canadian painter and printmaker 

The picture that was here before was removed, demanded by
 Blogger after the owner complained about 
"theft" and violation of his rights.
I regret this, the removal, 
very much. To see the 
picture please 
visit Ebay 
here* 
or    
just Google: Mona K Gill
and see the woodblock print that
  besides the remarkable asking price mentioned 
in the comments, now has a correct makers name. Corrections were 
made by the, displeased by our friendly help, discussion and comments, seller. 
I will be on the look out for another copy of this print to show up in the Internet, which is just a matter of time. 

I stumbled over this very charming 1936 woodblock print in an American internet salesroom and because it is so very charming and I questioned the name the seller reads I'll share it today with you. Faithfull reader Archimandrill again, within 24 hours, helped identifying the unknown printmaker. Also I couldn't help remembering Charles last years posting in Modern Printmakers on Thomas Austen Brown (1857-1924) and this equally charming print by his wife Elisabeth Christie:

These two paintings of Texas cowboys signed and dated 1936 showing without a doubt the same signature as in the woodblock print. Both paintings were send to an exhibition in 1936 in Boston USA according to the labels.
I found one Mona K. Gill, born 28 oct. 1908, married 1933/37 Wilfred Westington, living in Orillia, Ontario, Canada and died (a mother) 7 april 1945. She was the fourth generation descending from immigrants Richard Gill and Ann Brook(e) who married 1825 in Yorkshire and left the Dales for Canada.It was stated she was a "J.A. Ayers in 1933 in Orillia" but I haven't a clue what that means. 


Information added 24 & 27 september in the comments by reader Archimandrill:
Mona K. Gill from Marblehead who married in the same year as the exhibition Mr. Edward S. Underwood mentioned as the sender on the labels of the painting is a probably the likely candidate. Cousin to the above Mona maybe ?

And further he found this painting, signed and dated Mona Underwood, 1945. 

In the Miami News from 2 april 1947: "Mona Underwood portrait painter of Boston and her mother Mrs. John Gill are welcomed as new residents at a welcoming tea party at 3610 Palmetto Ave. in Coconut Grove, Miami (a real nice area close to Key Biscane) by Mrs. Louise Batchelder. Mrs Underwood planning an exhibition next year".
Thank you again Archimandrill.

All pictures borrowed freely from the www. for friendly, educational, intellectual  non commercial use

15 comments:

  1. It looks like another hand-coloured job to me. And, like you, I think the second letter of the Christian name is 'l'.

    By the way, the second print is 'Autumn' by Elizabeth Christie Brown. It's not the husband.

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  2. Gerrie,

    very nice print! Have you got a close up of the signature? I'm not sure the first word is really part of the name...

    Klaus

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    Replies
    1. I guessed you'ld like it Claus. Sorry no close up. I sponged the picture from the internet so you'll have to use the google-zoom function.

      Delete
  3. Perhaps it's this "Mona K Gill"
    http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1718376

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    Replies
    1. You are truly amazing Archimandrill/Sherlock. I had a closer look at the name after Klaus' comment just a few minutes ago and decided it could be a name starting with a G, like Gödl. But I've found Mona K. Gill, a fourth generation Canadian (Ontaria) farmers daughter originating from British Gills.
      Watson

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  4. But I dont think that's the one. A Mona K Gill of Marblehead, Massachusetts married one Edward S Underwood of Swampscott in May 1936, and his name is also on the back of the painting of the "Texas Cowboy". So maybe we should be looking for a "Mona K Underwood" after this date.

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    Replies
    1. I've been doing some genealogical research and googled Mona Gill Underwood and found this page. Mona was born in England (Wales?) as was her father John Gill. Her mother was Maud. There is precious little information on the web hence my rather quick find of this site. Her husband was Edward Shippen Underwood who was manager of a coal company in 1940 and made $3400 (a rather good salary at the time) so she would have had free time to paint. This is very interesting and I thank you for your research.

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  5. Gerrie,

    the print showed up on ebay now - with quite a remarkable starting price.

    Klaus

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    Replies
    1. I think your comment, the remark about the asking price, which is of course to say the least, remarkable was so displeasing to the seller he demanded his pixels back.

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    2. And Charles "another hand-coloured job" didn't help either to please seller ofcourse. Seller thinks very bad about "us Europeans" btw.

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  6. Perhaps this Mona Underwood is the same artist (dated 1945, despite what the seller says)
    http://www.foundvalue.com/photo/original-oil-painting-framed-church-early-1900s-51927

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    Replies
    1. My Mona didn't marry into the Underwood family until 1938 at age 26 or 27.

      Delete
  7. Here she is again, described as a portrait painter and moving to Florida withe her mother in 1947:

    http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AlEtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZtUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2766%2C653810

    ReplyDelete