(North Carolina/New York1895-1972) Portrait of a Boy in a Sailor Suit, circa 1920, in possible collaboration with George Luks, signed lower left "Eugene Thomason" and verso "E.H. Thomason/Luks", oil on canvas, 22 x 18-1/4 in.; modern carved and parcel gilt wood frame, lined with transparent liner, restretched on original stretcher, crackle, retouch at small void on cheek. Notes: Eugene Thomason has been called "the Ashcan Artist of Appalachia." A native of North Carolina, he studied and worked both in New York City and his home state. He had a studio for painting and teaching in Charlotte, North Carolina, but his great love was to spend time in the nearby mountains. Among his friends and major influences were Robert Henri and George Luks as well as other contemporaries who participated in the American Ashcan School. He had an especially close friendship with George Luks who joined him in collaborating on some paintings. According to Lib Thomason, the artist's widow, this was one of those paintings that they worked on together, thus "LUKS" was painted on the back by Thomason. References: A. Everette James, Jr. et al. [Eugene Healan Thomason: The Ashcan Artist of Appalachia.] New York: Vantage Press, 1987. Charleston Renaissance Gallery. [Pictures from Life: The Art of Eugene H. Thomason. Charleston, 2003.. Provenance: From the Artist to Prof. John Hanahan, Jr., Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina; Donald H. Cresswell, Philadelphia Print Shop; Farmer Collection, John Hanahan lined with transparent liner, restretched on original stretcher, crackle, retouch at small void on cheek