Coats, Randolph Landscape (Title Unknown), No Date

Information

Randolph Coats was born in Richmond, in Wayne County, Indiana. He attended the Herron Art Institute and the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and studied throughout Europe. He returned to Indianapolis in 1922 and opened a studio. As president of the Indiana Artists’ Club he produced three films about art. He was well known for his landscapes, portraits, and figure studies. He painted two and restored 36 portraits for the Indiana Governors’ Portraits Collection.

• (Title unknown), n.d.
• 26 1/8″ x 26 1/4″
• Art Museum of Greater Lafayette
• Keywords: paintings, natural landscapes, oil on canvas
• Subjects: outdoors, winter, snow, trees, houses

The trees and shadows form a frame within a frame, making the house the focal point. The landscape portrayed is typical of central Indiana terrain. This appears to be an early snow because there still are leaves on the trees.

Some Points to Consider

• Ask students to name the properties of this painting that are typical of Indiana. (Art 4.1.2)
• Ask students to describe the techniques the artist has used to lead the eye to the focal point of the house in the background. What do they think he was trying to achieve? (Art 4.3.2, 4.7.2)

Suggested Activities for Classroom Follow-Up

• Provide class time for students to study this landscape and draw the scene in their altered book journals as they think it would look in summer instead of winter. What will they use now to create a frame within a frame?