William Henry Buck (Norwegian/New Orleans, 1840-1888) , "Bayou Teche", 1885, oil on canvas, signed and dated lower right, 28 in. x 20 in., framed . Provenance: Private Collection, LA; thence by descent. Note: Throughout his career William Henry Buck created the most expansive known body of work in the 19th century portraying the rivers, lakes and bayous of New Orleans and its surrounding areas. Buck's passion for capturing the Louisiana landscape is evident in the significant work offered here through the exquisite and subtle luminosity and carefully composed composition. This rare vertical scene of exhibition size is dominated by cypress trees curving through the foreground and lining the bayou to the distant vanishing point. Cypress knees and stumps punctuate the water while Buck's attention to detail can be seen in the inclusion of a small figure in a pirogue mid-right and in the careful placement of the petite white egrets. Buck's distinctive use of lighting effects adds to the drama and evocative atmosphere of this commanding work depicting the legendary Bayou Teche, a remarkable masterwork by one of Louisiana's greatest landscape painters.