"Home to Roost" - Original Oil on Canvas by Steve Le Bailly

"Home to Roost" - Original Oil on Canvas by Steve Le Bailly

A captivating and atmospheric oil painting titled "Home to Roost" by the late Seattle-based artist and historian Steve Le Bailly (d. 2024). This work features a medieval German castle, rendered with a rich, expressive palette of deep violets, golden ambers, and moss greens. Le Bailly’s historical expertise shines through in the architectural details of the central fortification, which includes a timber-framed gallery and defensive arrow slits. The painting is executed with a mix of bold impasto and delicate scumbling, creating a misty, timeless quality.

A remarkable feature of this piece is the original study drawing by the artist, which remains attached to the reverse of the canvas. This sketch includes Le Bailly’s handwritten process notes—such as "warm up destroyed wall" and "enlarge roof"—offering a rare, "behind-the-scenes" look at the evolution of the composition.

Dimensions:
Height: 24 inches
Width: 20 inches
Depth: 1.5 inches (Gallery Wrapped)

Provenance:
Acquired from the artist’s estate in the Pacific Northwest. The work is signed "Steve Le Bailly" in the lower-left corner and is titled and labeled by the artist on the reverse.

Condition:
Excellent Vintage Condition. The canvas is structurally sound with perfect tension on original wooden stretcher bars. The paint layer is stable, vibrant, and free of craquelure, flaking, or previous restoration. Minor "rubbing" is present on the extreme edges, consistent with an unframed work of this age. The reverse of the canvas is clean, showing no signs of moisture or environmental damage.

This evocative painting is a perfect find for collectors of architectural art or those looking to add a touch of Old World European charm to a modern interior. With the inclusion of the artist's original process sketch, "Home to Roost" is not just a painting, but a unique historical document of the artist's creative journey.