Sunset Over Horseshoe Falls
Art work by  Theodore Gegoux  (1850 - 1931)

"Sunset Over Horseshoe Falls" Oil on board, about 17.25 inches by about 28.5 inches, signed.   and dated 1925. Photographs by Shirley Iverson   © Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved   From the estate of Jack Sargent of Hebo, Oregon.

 
Dear Mrs. Iverson,  
  Here is some information about your painting.  
  First, I agree with your first impression that this is Niagara Falls.  More specifically the view of American Falls and Horseshoe Falls from the perspective of the suspension bridge.  The orientation of the picture is to the southwest ... hence the name "Sunset Over Horseshoe Falls".  
  Your painting was documented by Elisabeth Walton Potter in 1979, during her visit to the home of Jack Sargent in Hebo, Oregon.  
  The Gegoux paintings of Jack Sargent were sold out of the back of his garage in the summer of 1988, as Jack was being readied for his move to a nursing home.  His niece was down from Canada and it is believed that all nine of Mr. Sargent's Gegoux paintings were sold on that one day.  Your estimation of your acquisition date also fits approximately with date it was sold by Jack Sargent.  There may have been only one intermediate owner.  These paintings can be traced back to a sale that Gegoux offered from the Memorial Building at Champoeg in about 1925.  
  Your painting was originally acquired by Guy Victor Abernethy from the artist sometime in early 1925.  After Guy's death in the early 1950's, Mrs. Guy Abernethy remarried to Mr. Fredrick "Jack" Sargent.  The painting was willed to Mr. Sargent and became his after Mrs. Abernethy's death in 1962.  
  Regarding the composition of this work, Gegoux was likely copying a photograph of an image of Niagara Falls.  He was known for copying photographs and perhaps did this for a client.  His Fire Scene painting, also from 1925, was a commission for Mrs. Eldriedge of Champoeg.  The fire scene image was copied from a calendar photo.  There is no evidence that Gegoux traveled to New York in 1925 or that he ever saw Niagara Falls.  
  Regarding Gegoux's treatment of the leading edge of American Falls he did not completely capture the texture of the precipice.  Frederick Church's rendition from 1867 shows the contour of American Falls in better detail.  The subtle nuances and ethereal details that we would hope for in a Niagara Falls painting are also not present.  This is often the case when the artist attempts such a copy from a photograph and has not been there himself to view the landscape.  
  Gegoux does capture the spacing of the Bridal Veil Falls and some turbulence in face the American Falls quite accurately.  This and the "Maid of the Mist" boat depicted in the painting are signal to Niagara Falls images.  The sunset is also accurately placed for late summer at Niagara.  Gegoux well uses the sunlight effects, which he studied in France from Jules Breton's painting "The Blessing of the Wheat at Artois" 1857.  
  Gegoux's sunlight technique here is similar to the "Sunrise at Castle Rock" also from 1925.  
  At age 75, Gegoux was using a more impressionistic style ... which it has been said ... artists sometimes take up late in life as they loose some of the facility of youth.  In a Niagara work ... Niagara being arguably one of the most photographed places on earth ... an artist has little leeway for creative impression that varies too much from realism.  
  Nonetheless, Gegoux has rendered a pleasant painting of a recognizable settling with pleasing earthy colors and a nice sunset.  The frame appears to be original to the work and similar to others seen on Gegoux paintings.  The state of conservation is difficult to estimate from the photos, but superficially looks good.  
  Gegoux's works are not common or well known among the art communities.  As a life's project I have cataloged 204 works by Gegoux.  To my knowledge, no one else has a catalog of Gegoux's work.  There does not seem to be many surviving examples of Gegoux's work ... despite the fact that he earned a living as a painter for over 50 years.  I am contacted about only one or two Gegoux paintings each year.  Demand is not very keen for Gegoux's works ... because he is such an unknown.  Having said that ... Gegoux did landscape paintings, which were typical of the genre of his day.  As such, the Gegoux works tend to vary in value more based on composition rather than his name recognition.  
  Sincerely,  
Ted Gegoux  

---

 
Dear Mr. Gegoux,  
  I am so glad to hear from you.   I have taken some additional photos and they are attached.  You also requested some measurements of the painting and they are: 17" X 28" inside the frame.  I have not taken it out of the frame, although the back is open.  The entire piece is 23 1/2" X 34 1/2" framed.  
  We purchased the painting in Oregon.  We are racking our brains to remember the location.  It hung over our mantel for 8 years and now graces our hall as we are in a different home.  We bought it about 15 years ago. We love paintings of water and that drew us to purchasing the painting.  
  As to what it depicts, well I at first thought Niagara Falls!  But it could be the Willamette River in Oregon City, it could be the Columbia River before dams.  It could be many locations on Oregon rivers that have been lost to dams.  We read through the online biography and tried to guess from his physical location what he would have been painting!  As far as California, and where he resided, I cannot picture a river scene as depicted here.  
  We chatted about our painting tonight.  Here is what we both remember.  We bought it in Portland, OR in an antique shop on NE Killingsworth that was only open on Saturdays, and only a couple times a month.  As I said, this was a hobby of ours to go searching for antiques as we started a home together.  Eventually the shop closed and to clear their merchandise you were allowed to leave a silent bid on items.  We bid on several paintings, prints, watercolors, etc.  To our amazement we were the high bidders on about 7 works of art.  Not only to our amazement but our financial shock as we were buying items in the $50 - $100 price range then.  So finding the cash for 7 pieces of art was a stretch!  
  It is painted on a composition board.  
  Thank you again for all your assistance,  
Shirley Iverson