Louis Aston Knight (American, 1873-1948), Sunset in the Risle Valley

Oil on canvas, signed at lower right, retaining two hand-written gallery labels to the verso, presented in a period gilt frame.

Stretcher size 26 x 32 in.; Frame dimensions 34 x 40 1/2 in.

Louis Aston Knight was an American-born painter renowned for his luminous and serene depictions of French landscapes, particularly garden and river scenes. The son of expatriate artist Daniel Ridgway Knight, he was raised in France and studied under his father as well as notable academic painters Tony Robert-Fleury and Jules Lefebvre. Knight became best known for his impressionistic renderings of the French countryside, especially the tranquil village of Beaumont-le-Roger in Normandy, where he lived and worked. His paintings, celebrated for their delicate handling of light and reflection, frequently featured flowing streams, blooming gardens, and rustic architecture.

Knight gained considerable acclaim in both France and the United States, exhibiting regularly at the Paris Salon where he won several medals, including a gold medal in 1905. He was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1924 and enjoyed patronage from prominent figures, including U.S. President Warren G. Harding, who acquired one of his works for the White House.

Faint stretcher marks; minor chipping and rubbing to frame.