Edgar Payne's "Canyon gateway," oil on canvas, is estimated to fetch $200,000-300,000 at Bonhams in Los Angeles

SALE: California Western Paintings and Sculpture

LOCATION: Bonhams Los Angeles

DATE: August 7, 6pm

ABOUT: There is a certain romanticism in California Western art, a celebration of nature over human civilization, and the art being auctioned at Bonhams next week is a reminder of the beauty of the Golden State’s landscape before it was the place that conjures images of interminable traffic jams and choking smog. Most of the scenes hitting the block are lush landscapes featuring few signs of human life.

The top expected lot at the sale is a Monet-like Impressionist work by American Guy Rose, who painted “Matin de Novembre” in 1910 while living near his French influence in Giverny (est. $250,000-350,000). The subject of the soft, blurred depiction of the Epte River could not be more different than the majority of the works on offer, which focus on life in the western United States. Granville Redmond’s “Valley splendor” is more representative of the lot, showcasing the rolling hills of Southern California, with the imposing Sierra Nevadas in the background. The work’s pre-sale estimate is $200,000-300,000.

OTHER INTERNATIONAL SALES:

Sale: Fine books and manuscripts

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Date: August 8, 12pm