Smith, (William Thompson) Russell (Scottish/American, 1812-1896), The Summit, Allegheny Mountains, 1853, oil on canvas, signed with initials and dated lower left, additionally signed, titled, and dated on reverse, 12 x 18 inches, framed 15.5 x 21.5 inches. Provenance: The Estate of the Artist; David David, Inc., Philadelphia, 1981; a Western Pennsylvania corporate collection. Exhibited: Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA , et al., 1998, Russell Smith: Pennsylvania Views. The son of Scottish social reformers, William Thompson Russell Smith came to America as a young boy in 1819. His family established a home in Pittsburgh, where Smith undertook his first formal instruction with James Reid Lambdin. Smith's painterly skills were further honed by the years he spent as a painter of theatrical scenes and stage curtains, a pursuit that led him to Philadelphia in 1835. By that time, the artist had already exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in that city and was earning commissions from theaters throughout the East. He also executed portraits and, increasingly, landscapes informed by a romantic aesthetic. In generally good condition, with some minor planar distortion. Merchandise will be packed and transported by the purchaser at their own risk and expense. A list of recommended shippers is on our website: https://www.conceptgallery.com/auctions/shipping/ .