Western Sunset, Bruce R. Baker (1937–2020), c.1970s, oil on canvas, 36x24 in., signed lower right.
Atmospheric American landscape painting featuring a luminous western sunset over distant water and silhouetted cliffs, rendered in saturated violet, rose, and gold with dramatic cloud formations and a high-gloss, painterly surface; an evocative mid-to-late 20th century oil on canvas by New York artist and long-time educator Bruce R. Baker.
Artwork Description
This oil on canvas captures the theatrical moment when daylight drops behind the horizon and the sky turns opalescent—bands of gold and apricot dissolve into a broad field of magenta and mauve, while heavy, violet-gray clouds press forward like a curtain. A dark, monolithic cliff silhouette at right anchors the composition and heightens the perceived glow across the distant water and atmosphere. Baker’s handling emphasizes mood over topographic specificity: softened transitions, selectively sharpened edges, and broad, blended passages create a sense of depth and suspended time. The palette is deliberately intensified—sunset color is treated as a subject in itself—while the reflective finish and smooth passages suggest a studio-composed work designed for strong visual impact in interior light. The painting is signed at the lower right.
Artist Biography
Bruce R. Baker was an American artist and illustrator born in Syracuse, New York (1937–2020). Trained formally in art education, he earned a B.S. in Art Education from what is now SUNY New Paltz (1959) and later completed an M.S. in Art Education at Syracuse University (1966). A U.S. Army veteran (1962–1964), he was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and continued to build a dual career that balanced public service and sustained studio production.
Baker’s professional life was anchored in teaching: he served as a certified New York State art educator in multiple districts—Catskill (1959–1962), Cortland (1964–1966), and most notably the Marcellus Central School District (1966–1992)—while maintaining an active private practice as an exhibiting artist and working illustrator. His exhibition record reflects deep engagement with New York’s regional arts ecosystem, including participation in group shows connected with the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute and repeated entries at the New York State Fair across multiple decades. He also exhibited in Cooperstown and appeared in the Everson Biennial, signaling a continuing public presence well beyond his early-career years.
Parallel to his painting practice, Baker contributed professional illustration and art services for multiple publishing and art-production contexts over long spans, reflecting the versatility typical of many mid-20th-century American artists who moved fluidly between fine art, illustration, and commissioned work. The result is an oeuvre that often privileges clarity of design, dramatic color relationships, and immediate visual legibility—qualities especially evident in a work like Western Sunset, where silhouette, atmosphere, and chromatic intensity are orchestrated for maximum emotional resonance.
Bruce R. Baker (American, 1937–2020), Western Sunset, c.1970s, oil on canvas, 36x24 in., signed lower right; dramatic tonalist-leaning sunset landscape by a Syracuse-born artist/illustrator and longtime New York State art educator.
Certificate of Authentication
Artist: Bruce R. Baker (American, 1937–2020)
Title: Western Sunset
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 36 x 24 inches (unframed)
Signature: Signed lower right
Date: c.1970s (estimated)
This certifies that the artwork described above is an original oil on canvas attributed to Bruce R. Baker based on the visible signature, period materials/technique, and accompanying provenance as recorded by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
Condition
Overall presentation is strong. Visible surface glare in photographs suggests a glossy varnish layer; expect normal light surface handling consistent with age (minor scuffs/swirls visible under raking light). Canvas support appears stable from the provided reverse image. Recommend in-person review under neutral light to confirm varnish evenness and to document any edge wear from prior handling or framing.
Provenance
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York, NY (acquired in NYC, United States and Europe) → Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (current owner)
Western Sunset, Bruce R. Baker (1937–2020), c.1970s, oil on canvas, 36x24 in., signed lower right.
Atmospheric American landscape painting featuring a luminous western sunset over distant water and silhouetted cliffs, rendered in saturated violet, rose, and gold with dramatic cloud formations and a high-gloss, painterly surface; an evocative mid-to-late 20th century oil on canvas by New York artist and long-time educator Bruce R. Baker.
Artwork Description
This oil on canvas captures the theatrical moment when daylight drops behind the horizon and the sky turns opalescent—bands of gold and apricot dissolve into a broad field of magenta and mauve, while heavy, violet-gray clouds press forward like a curtain. A dark, monolithic cliff silhouette at right anchors the composition and heightens the perceived glow across the distant water and atmosphere. Baker’s handling emphasizes mood over topographic specificity: softened transitions, selectively sharpened edges, and broad, blended passages create a sense of depth and suspended time. The palette is deliberately intensified—sunset color is treated as a subject in itself—while the reflective finish and smooth passages suggest a studio-composed work designed for strong visual impact in interior light. The painting is signed at the lower right.
Artist Biography
Bruce R. Baker was an American artist and illustrator born in Syracuse, New York (1937–2020). Trained formally in art education, he earned a B.S. in Art Education from what is now SUNY New Paltz (1959) and later completed an M.S. in Art Education at Syracuse University (1966). A U.S. Army veteran (1962–1964), he was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and continued to build a dual career that balanced public service and sustained studio production.
Baker’s professional life was anchored in teaching: he served as a certified New York State art educator in multiple districts—Catskill (1959–1962), Cortland (1964–1966), and most notably the Marcellus Central School District (1966–1992)—while maintaining an active private practice as an exhibiting artist and working illustrator. His exhibition record reflects deep engagement with New York’s regional arts ecosystem, including participation in group shows connected with the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute and repeated entries at the New York State Fair across multiple decades. He also exhibited in Cooperstown and appeared in the Everson Biennial, signaling a continuing public presence well beyond his early-career years.
Parallel to his painting practice, Baker contributed professional illustration and art services for multiple publishing and art-production contexts over long spans, reflecting the versatility typical of many mid-20th-century American artists who moved fluidly between fine art, illustration, and commissioned work. The result is an oeuvre that often privileges clarity of design, dramatic color relationships, and immediate visual legibility—qualities especially evident in a work like Western Sunset, where silhouette, atmosphere, and chromatic intensity are orchestrated for maximum emotional resonance.
Bruce R. Baker (American, 1937–2020), Western Sunset, c.1970s, oil on canvas, 36x24 in., signed lower right; dramatic tonalist-leaning sunset landscape by a Syracuse-born artist/illustrator and longtime New York State art educator.
Certificate of Authentication
Artist: Bruce R. Baker (American, 1937–2020)
Title: Western Sunset
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 36 x 24 inches (unframed)
Signature: Signed lower right
Date: c.1970s (estimated)
This certifies that the artwork described above is an original oil on canvas attributed to Bruce R. Baker based on the visible signature, period materials/technique, and accompanying provenance as recorded by Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
Condition
Overall presentation is strong. Visible surface glare in photographs suggests a glossy varnish layer; expect normal light surface handling consistent with age (minor scuffs/swirls visible under raking light). Canvas support appears stable from the provided reverse image. Recommend in-person review under neutral light to confirm varnish evenness and to document any edge wear from prior handling or framing.
Provenance
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York, NY (acquired in NYC, United States and Europe) → Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (current owner)
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