🌿 Rare Early San Diego Plein-Air ~ Female Peer of Charles Reiffel (“America’s Van Gogh”)

A rare museum-worthy early California landscape by Sarah Elizabeth Truax (1872–1959) ~ one of the foundational women of the San Diego art colony. Her artworks almost never come to market; the family has kept nearly all of them for generations, and any past sales were private. This is an extremely rare opportunity. This painting stayed in Sarah’s private collection until her death. ⭐ Why this artist matters: • Art Institute of Chicago (1906–1909) - same era as Georgia O’Keeffe
• Studied with Vanderpoel, Pyle, Mucha (1906), Sorolla (1911)
• Already a professional painter before Charles Reiffel even began painting (he started in 1912)
• Moved to San Diego in 1912; medalist at the 1916 Exposition
• Secretary–Treasurer of the San Diego Art Guild for 20 years
• Taught at the Fine Arts Gallery and was a close friend and peer of Reiffel
• Family-documented: they painted together often and remained close until his death, very close friends. He would do tiny paintings as presents to her. 
• Believed by family to be the woman depicted in Reiffel’s 1930 plein-air painting Summer Session at Ballast Point
• Strong, generational family provenance from the artist’s favorite niece
• Quietly regarded by San Diego art insiders as a “special” artist whose works are rarely available publicly Subject: eucalyptus landscape with distant water
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 19.25 × 17.5 in. (not including frame) Works by historically significant early California women artists ~ especially those directly connected to Reiffel ~ are exceptionally scarce. Price: $9,500
(Comparable early California works: $8,000–$15,000+) Serious collectors only.

Condition

Used (normal wear)

Features

Signed, Framed

Size

Medium (up to 36in.)

Style

Plein Air

Medium

Oil