George Rodrigue (American/Louisiana, 1944-2013) , "Swamp House #2", 1969, oil on canvas, signed lower left, titled, artist stamp and inscribed "#9" en verso, artist stamps on stretcher, 8 in. x 12 in., framed. Note: In March of 1967, George Rodrigue returned to his hometown of New Iberia, Louisiana from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, where he had been studying traditional painting techniques, abstract expressionism, pop art and hard edge painting. As he explored his own path forward as an artist, Rodrigue’s earliest landscapes from 1967 to 1970 often included elements such as cabins and small figures. As his unique vision of Louisiana developed, he abandoned these additional components in favor of the oak tree alone – his symbol of his home state. The silhouetted oak tree in the background, cropped at the top, and a rich, dark foreground dominated his compositions. As he began to develop local supporters, Rodrigue was introduced to the famous Louisiana architect, A. Hays Town, and his advice to the young artist further transformed Rodrigue’s approach. Town told him to “treat each painting like a jewel, because if it is precious to you, it will be precious to others as well’. The two canvases from 1969 offered in these lots with their rich palettes and meticulous details are both jewels and windows into the early development of an artist that would come to define twentieth century Louisiana landscape painting. Ref.: Rodrigue, Wendy. “Early Oak Trees and a Regrettable Self-Portrait.” Life & Legacy Foundation & Tour. Oct. 14, 2009. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Dec. 30, 2020; Rodrigue, Wendy. “Remembering Lafayette’s Advocates for the Arts, Circa 1969.” Life & Legacy Foundation & Tour. June 22, 2010. www.legacyarttour.org. Accessed Dec. 30, 2020