“The Mystery of the Bridge” …

We happened on this charming little watercolor when helping dispose of a local estate.

No one in the immediate family knew its history, so I volunteered to research the artist to see what, if anything, came of his artistic efforts. Imagine my surprise when I happened on his obituary & learned he really is a nationally recognized artist!

Based on the signature & date, Jack Jandegian was just 15 & living in Wisconsin when he painted the grey bridge river scene. He later attended art school there, ultimately achieving a national reputation for his posters promoting the war efforts during WWII. The heirs to the local estate have no idea how this piece ended up with their parents in Arizona but agree that it belongs with the artist’s family, where-ever they are.

Hopefully, the next phase of my research will allow me to reunite the “grey bridge” watercolor with the artist’s descendants. That would be the perfect happy ending to this story.

Tags | Jack Jandegian, selective salvage, vintage watercolor