Ransome Gillet Holdredge, Mountain Landscape under Storm Clouds, Signed Oil on Canvas, American, 19th Century
Viridian Eclection
The Piece
A steep, overgrown slope fills the foreground, a valley falls away to the left, and the peaks beyond are half lost in a moving bank of storm cloud. Light breaks through in a few places and catches the wet green of the hillside. The palette is held to moss green, slate and silver gray, the low, misty key that California critics noticed in Holdredge's work after his years in France.
The handling is that of a trained draftsman turned atmospheric painter: the structure of the land is firm and measured, while the sky is laid in softly and left to move. It is presented in a gilt frame with a walnut outer moulding.
History & Provenance
Signed "R G Holdredge" in red at the lower edge. Ransome Gillet Holdredge (c. 1844 to 1899) came to San Francisco from New York with his family in the 1860s, was listed as a draftsman in 1865 and as a landscape painter by 1869. He showed at the Mechanics' Fair in 1868, painted California on Canvas, billed in 1870 as the first panorama painted in the state, and exhibited at the first reception of the San Francisco Art Association in 1871.
In 1874 he and Hiram Bloomer auctioned seventy-four paintings to pay for passage to Europe. He painted in France at Grez-sur-Loing, near the forest of Fontainebleau, and exhibited Environs of Grez, France in Boston in 1878. Back in California by 1879, he became a director of the California Palette Club in 1885 and painted the Sierra, the Wasatch, Mount Shasta, Clear Lake and the Russian River until his death in Alameda in 1899. His work is held by the Oakland Museum of California, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the Crocker Art Museum. The mountains in our canvas are not identified, and we catalogue it by what it shows.
Read the full documented history on our Ransome Gillet Holdredge artist page.
Product Details
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Object | Original mountain landscape painting under storm clouds |
| Origin | American, San Francisco school |
| Form | Framed painting on stretched canvas, gilt frame with walnut outer moulding |
| Material | Oil on canvas |
| Marks | Signed "R G Holdredge" in red at the lower edge |
| Era | Late 19th century, c. 1870 to 1899 |
| Condition | Age-consistent toning and fine craquelure, minor paint wear and a small loss in the dark lower field. Frame with light wear to the gilding. Ready to hang. Condition Guaranteed. |
| Availability | One of a Kind — 1 Available |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
This is a nineteenth-century painting with weather in it. Its gray-green light suits a library, a study or a dining room with dark wood, leather and old brass, and its long horizontal format sits well above a mantel or a sideboard. It holds a wall on its own and rewards a closer look.
Hang it out of direct sun and away from heat and humidity. Dust the frame with a soft, dry brush and leave any cleaning of the paint surface to a professional conservator.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
