Had this painting been correct, its replacement value would have approximated $500,000.00 in December 1992. Fortunately a gallery in the process of compiling the catalogue raisonne of Frank W. Benson’s oils, watercolors, drawings and pastels responded to my inquiry. They pronounced the above “a copy of Calm Morning, a well-known oil by Benson in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.”
This oil on linen version of Calm Morning was replete with yellowed varnish embedded with dirt.
Initially Calm Morning residing in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston as well as a study for Calm Morning were noted. Until the individuals preparing the catalogue raisonne concluded the subject painting was a copy, not by Frank W. Benson, I didn’t know the subject painting wasn’t another investigation by Benson of the same subject matter.
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Corinne Cain of SavvyCollector.com