What is the meaning of this painting?

[Naranjo]

I bought this painting a while back, and it puzzles me. It's dated 1965, can't find anything about the artist on the internet despite intense googling.

I assume it is a psychedelic trip inspired scene. But then also wonder if it is has some mythological meaning I'm missing. The lion-dog, and the crow, the demon and the flower...they look like they might be referencing something.

Any ideas?

It was quite fashionable to paint like this in the 60s. I come from a family of artists - wouldn't read too much into it. It really looks to me like imagery from the 50s Alice in Wonderland, with a bit of fun with the devil thrown in.

I bet he was watching it on TV at the time he was sketching!

Interesting, I have early Alice in Wonderland pictures up on my wall too.

No idea sorry but I completely love it and would love to know the artist

The artist is 'Connely'. I've googled loads (on every variation of the name) but cant find them.

The dog and dragon remind me of Chinese Zodiac signs…

Looks like a Last Unicorn cover picture.

The crow looks a lot like the one in the sleeping beauty Disney film from 1959.

My guess would be a psychedelic Garden of Eden - the tree being the tree of knowledge, with the woman woven in, and the lion representing Adam. The raven symbolises bounty in the Bible.

It really does look like the crow in Sleeping Beauty (Diablo, as I've just found out it's called) and the year fits - 1959, so 6 years before the painting.

The garden of Eden is an interesting reading of it as well, never thought of that.

Several artists with surname Connely pop up when you google that name. Have you tried contacting any of them to see if the painting is by one of them?

Where did you buy it? Could they fill you in a bit? It's very of its time, but I rather like it.

Also, what size and medium is it?

I've looked at all the Connely artists on the internet - none of them match up either because of age of artist, style, or signature doesn't match (and style didn't either).

I bought it on ebay, it came from South West England.

It's painted on board (a rough kind of hardboard) and I'm fairly certain it's oil. It's about 35cm x 60cm.

I think it's by a confident painter, I'm surprised I can't find anything on them.

I've found the auction house it came from before it reached ebay, that didn't give an extra clues.

TBH board + ebay suggests something fairly amateur, in the sense not in an established art circuit not that it's no good! Maybe the auction house could help with provenance if you contacted them? feel free to PM me the name, you've really piqued my curiosity!

Long shot but there was an American artist called Ruth Connely who would have been around the right age in the 1960s... she worked on Native American themes, maybe your work has that sort of feel? I can potentially see a sort of trippy cactus hallucinogenic vibe.

@KeflavikAirport I just tried to find the auction house again and can't, I guess they've taken it off the site. I tried a reverse image search as well, but not there.

Do you have any links to Ruth Connely's work, I can't find anything?

It puzzles me. The signature and the year are confidently done, as if it were one of many. It's well painted, in a rough way. I guess it was someone who painted a lot but probably not professionally.

I can't even decide if it was done by a man or woman - I feel woman, but would a woman sign with just her surname?

You can see some here: www.google.com/search?q=%22ruth+connely%22+artist&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBuZvRn5b1AhVFhqQKHX5ADjIQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1093&bih=526&dpr=1.25 I think it's unlikely to be her though if I'm being realistic.

The painting is very much like Eastern European book illustrations of the era. Perhaps widen your search to children’s book illustrators too?

I don't know but it'd give me nightmares

It looks like "where the wild things are" illustrations

Thanks Keflavik - I can't see enough examples to be sure but yes, seems unlikely. I think some of her work is weaving, not painting, though the colour is similar to my painting.

It is very like Where the Wild Things are, I've thought that about the demon before. Where the wild things was 1963 so is a possible influence.

I'll have a look at Eastern European illustrations.

As for nightmares...I'm not that keen on the fact that between the mountains is a sort of face with glasses. But I love the painting, I look at it a lot!

I think I'm coming to the conclusion of - amateur who painted a lot, influenced by films at the time like Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty and books like Where the Wild Things are. I still think they liked psychedelic tripping though as well.

I was wondering if it's something to do with the Hesperides. They were Dryads who guarded the golden apples (one of the apples started the Trojan war) maybe that why the tree has a females face? I also vaguely remember a story about a dragon guarding the tree too and Hercules, who wore a lions skin went to get an apple. Also even vaguer memory of story about a Crow in the tree and a golden feather? I had similar pictures in story books in the 60s and 70s lots of trippy artists with Chinese and Indian inspired styles.

I’d assume it was depicting a folk tale.

I’m with @KeflavikAirport

I studied art history. Board medium, even with oil, wouldn’t be something ‘pro’ it would be good ameteur/hobbiest, although this does have a nice feel.

I am not at all being critical - art is down to who loves it (I love Miro and frankly half of that is completely crackers) but it’s not very refined work. It definitely has influences of Chinese culture (the dog creature, and that on the right hand ‘mountain’), but the colours are more trend worthy for the era painted.

Enjoy it for what it is - I think - a really interesting piece which I am sure the artist would be happy you enjoy so much.