Lot 233, Auction 4/3/2026: Franklin Moody Painting – Storm’s Passing, Grand Canyon

$1,040.00

In stock

Franklin Moody (American, b. 1924). “(Storm’s) Tempest Passing – Grand Canyon” oil on canvas, 1995. Signed at lower left and again with title and date on verso. Bronze plaque with title and artist’s name on frame beneath painting. A rainbow breaks through the retreating storm as light returns to the vast stone amphitheater of the Grand Canyon, and Franklin Moody captures that fleeting moment when drama softens into clarity. In “(Storm’s) Tempest Passing – Grand Canyon,” painted in 1995, Moody renders the canyon not as static geology but as a living stage of weather, shadow, and revelation. The composition is anchored by a commanding butte rising in the middle distance, its sunlit planes glowing in warm tones of ochre and russet against deep violet shadows. In the foreground, a massive rock ledge stretches outward, its pale, striated surface articulated with careful attention to texture and form. Size of painting: 23.5″ W x 17.5″ H (59.7 cm x 44.4 cm); of frame: 32.5″ W x 26.5″ H (82.6 cm x 67.3 cm)

To the right, a vertical canyon wall frames the scene, while above, heavy storm clouds begin to fracture, revealing patches of luminous turquoise sky. A vivid arc of rainbow emerges at the upper right, a chromatic counterpoint to the earthy palette below.

Moody demonstrates a disciplined command of light and atmosphere. The canyon recedes in layered bands of muted blues and purples, conveying depth and distance through subtle tonal gradation. The play between illuminated rock faces and lingering shadow underscores the title’s emphasis on transition – the tempest has passed, yet its presence lingers in the saturated air and darkened cliffs.

Working in oil on canvas, Moody applies paint with precision, building the surfaces through controlled brushwork rather than impasto. His approach aligns with a tradition of American landscape painting that seeks not only topographical accuracy but also emotional resonance. The Grand Canyon, long a symbol of the American sublime, becomes here a meditation on endurance and renewal.

Signed in red at the lower left and titled and dated on the reverse, this 1995 canvas stands as a mature example of Moody’s sustained engagement with the Western landscape. In it, weather, geology, and light converge to evoke both the monumentality of the canyon and the quiet aftermath of storm.

Condition: Mounted in custom matte and frame; painting and frame are both in excellent overall condition with suspension wire on verso for display. Signed at lower left and again with title and date on verso. Bronze plaque with title and artist’s name on frame beneath painting.

Provenance: private Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA collection; ex-Jackson’s International Auctioneers, Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.