Morris Walton Leader (1877-1966) 2-Sided Painting, Texas Bluebonnets Landscape

Lot description

Framed double-sided oil on canvas board painting, Texas Hill Country Landscape with Bluebonnets, Morris Walton Leader (Texas, 1877-1966), verso depicting Western forest landscape with mountains in background, accompanied by a copy of an appraisal attributing the painting to Morris Walton Leader issued by Country Store Gallery, Austin, Texas, appraisal dated 1976 and signed by manager Carl G. Barho, sight: approx 15.5"h, 19.5"w, overall: approx 25.5"h, 29.5"w, 7lbs Note: Morris Walton Leader (Texas, 1977-1966) created artworks while renting a small room in this estate. This painting was left in the estate after the artist departed. Provenance: From the estate of Connie Todd (Constance Clare Todd, Austin, Texas, 1941-2024). For many years, Connie Todd was the personal assistant to prominent Austin-based book publisher, photographer, and author Bill Wittliff (William Dale Wittliff, American, active in Austin, Texas, 1940-2019). Bill Wittliff wrote celebrated screenplays such as "Lonesome Dove" (1982), "Legends of the Fall" (1994), and "Barbarosa" (2000), and founded the regionally-oriented publishing company, Encino Press, with his wife Sally in 1963. Connie Todd later served as the founding director of the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University from 1997-2010, transforming it into an internationally-acclaimed collection through noteworthy acquisitions such as the Cormac McCarthy archive. After retiring from Texas State, Connie Todd spent time traveling the world with friends and family.