This historical painting depicts a scenic view of early development in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles county now known as Sherman Oaks. General Moses H. Sherman, as part of a land speculation syndicate, purchased 47,500 acres for  approximately $55 per acre.  In 1927, when the owners divided their shares, General Sherman chose a particularly scenic area with native California oak trees.  Sherman Oaks now covers over nine square miles with more than 60,000 residents.

The artist, Paul Lauritz, chose this exceptional view of the valley during the 1920s, shortly after he arrived in California. His extraordinary use of color is magnified by the reflecting light in the inspiring vast landscape.

Paul Lauritz was born in Larvik, Norway, and was trained in painting early on in his life.  After studying at the Larvik Art School, Lauritz moved west to Vancouver, Canada, to live with his sister and work as a miner.  He later moved to Portland, Oregon, where he worked as an artist and married.  His adventurous spirit led them to the Alaska Gold Rush.  They moved to Alaska, but were unsuccessful finding gold. There he did meet Alaska’s most famous artist, Sidney Laurence (1865-1940).  Lauritz was able to study and paint with this master artist which greatly influenced the quality of paintings for the next ten years. 

The Lauritz’s moved south to California and settled in Los Angeles in 1919 in a studio  home in the Lyceum theater on Spring Street.  Lauritz was an involved member of the Los Angles art community and served for six years on the Los Angeles Municipal Art commission. Lauritz taught painting at the Chouinard School of Art and the Otis Art Institute. In 1925, the King of Norway commissioned Lauritz to create a large painting for the Royal Palace. Upon its completion, the artist returned to California where he continued to paint until his death in 1975 at the age of eighty-seven. His paintings are known for their crisp brushwork and brilliant use of color. He was a highly articulate artist, one of the original artists in the first gallery in Laguna Beach and was close friends with many of the early artists, including Edgar Payne (1883-1947) and Carl Oscar Borg (1879-1947). When he wasn’t teaching, he was exploring and painting throughout California.  There, Paul continued to create, and he became known for his painterly depictions of coastal and landscape scenes.

Lauritz was active in the art community, serving as a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association; the California Art Club; the Painters’ and Sculptors’ of Los Angeles; the Royal Society of Artists, England; the Society of Western Artists; and the Southwest Art Association.

Works Held: Hollywood Athletic Club; Laguna Art Museum; Pasadena Art Institute; Santa Cruz Art Gallery; Springville, Utah Museum of Art; University of Chicago; Ebell Club, Los Angeles; Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce, CA; San Diego Museum; The Irvine Museum; The Fleischer Collection, Arizona.