"“She caught him by the knees” illustration for In the Carquinez Woods" Lot no. 3213
By Alice Barber Stephens (American- 1858-1932)
1896 (Estimated)
23.25" x 14.75", Framed 27.25" x 18.75
Oil on Canvas
Signed and Dated Lower Left
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Story illustration for “In the Carquinez Woods” by Bret Harte, published in the book The Writings of Bret Harte, Volume IV: Stories of California and the Frontier II (Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. 1896), facing page 120.
The full caption reads: “She caught him by the knees, and lifted her face imploringly to his.”
Bret Harte's 1883 story, In the Carquinez Woods, transports readers to the heart of the American frontier, vividly capturing the spirit and complexities of its inhabitants. This compelling tale delves into the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of those who dared to carve out a life in the untamed wilderness of early California.
This image depicts a pivotal moment: the frontiersman, Low Dorman, reencounters Teresa, a woman wanted for murder, who has just escaped her captors. As they flee both their pursuers and a raging fire that threatens to consume them within the dense shadows of the Carquinez Woods, their fates become inextricably intertwined. Alice Barber Stephens's compelling illustration masterfully captures the complex interplay of connection and tension between the characters against the backdrop of a beautiful yet foreboding natural environment.
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See all original artwork by Alice Barber Stephens
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sincerity and good taste, as well as technical excellence, make the illustrations of Alice Barber Stephens a pleasure to look at. The early discipline of her work as a wood engraver for Scribner's was in some measure responsible for her fine draftsmanship. She was most successful in quiet settings, with humble subjects. Among her best is a series of pictures of old men and women, inmates of the Philadelphia almshouse.
She was trained at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts under Thomas Eakins, and at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, where she later taught portrait and life classes.
Among her many awards were the Mary Smith Prize, from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in 1890; Bronze Metal, Atlanta Exposition, in 1895; and a Gold Medal in London, 1902.