James Chapin Boy Reading Picture on Board

Updated September 10, 2026

Portrait of a young boy absorbed in a picture book, worked in warm greens, ochres and browns on a canvas-textured board. The lower left corner is signed JAMES CHAPIN with a date that reads as 45. James Chapin (1887-1975) was an American painter known for his portraits of rural New Jersey families, with work in major museum collections. The consignor listing gave this as an oil painting, which the photos do not support: the surface reads as a printed image, and along the left edge the printed paper layer is lifting away from a pulp board core, so it is most likely a mid-century reproduction on board rather than a hand-painted oil. Against the tape measure it is about 17-1/2 inches wide and roughly 21 inches tall. Condition is fair, with edge chipping and paper loss at the left and upper right, scattered surface scratches, and heavy water staining across the brown paper backing. Sold as-is. Photos are the most accurate description of this lot. Written descriptions are a guide only and may contain errors. Please review all photos before bidding.

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