I purchased this work of art at an anitique store in Las Vegas back in 2002 or 2003. The art work attracted me from the start. For some odd reason I remember from childhood that there was an artist who painted red roof scenes from Europe.
The seller stated that they acquired the artwork from an estate sale in Vegas and knew nothing else. There is no certificate of authenticity available nor any provenance.
The painting is an etching with water coloring applied for color.
This piece is signed but I can not decipfer the signature. It is mounted on a wood board permanently and when getting it professionally matted and framed we could not remove the paper to see if there were any additional markings. The only mark from what I can tell is on the lower right hand side. It is of  the letter " V " facing this way " > " To be honest I am not sure if this is an extra marking or just part of the actual painting.
The piece hangs in my living room and has not lost any color from what I can tell due to the fact I keep it away from direct sunlight.
It measures 24" long by 20" wide.
Any help in indentifying the artist or any other information would greatly be appreciated.Â
Re: Mystery Red Roof Etching
Well with a bit of research and some really wonderful museum contacts in amestrdam I was able to find out that the name of the artist, where he is from and how long he lived.
JULIEN VAN SANTEN (Belgian / 1893-1936)
The Belgian painter-etcher Julien van Santen was apprenticed to the Brussels engraver Jef Codron. From 1926-1934 Julien van Santen had his studio at 24 rue Godecharle, Brussels. A tormented man with failing health, Julien van Santen died in 1936 at the age of 39; many web sources give his date of death as 1959 but we believe this to be erroneous. Julien van Santen's most significant work as an artist is his set of 17 colour etchings with aquatint for Les Villages Illusoires by Émile Verhaeren, published in 1929 by Les Éditions d'Art Devambez under the artistic direction of Édouard Chimot. Julien van Santen printed all 230 copies of these complex prints himself, on a hand-press in his lodgings at 162, Boulevard du Montaparnasse.Â
The Museum Plantin-Moretus has a set of these prints for Les Villages Illusoires.
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Now the hunt for value !
I have seen prices from $75.00 to $450.00.
Will see stay tuned!
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