Etching- J.H. Moules??

[Lindsey918]

Hello,

My boyfriend's father has an old framed drawing of a church. Today he picked it up and noticed something in the back. He ripped through the picture backing and inside was a full original newspaper from September 4th, 1949, in great condition. He also found what appears to be a old printing of an etching of sheep on a hillside. The picture has the original signature of what appears to say J.H. (either) Moules or Moulis. Something along those lines. At the bottom of the etching it says "Copyright by C. Klackner, 17th E. 17th St, New York". I have already done some research on C. Klackner so I know that he was a publisher that encouraged American etchers. I am just wondering who J.H. Moules is, if that is even the artist. And also what year this painting may be from. Any help would be great! Thanks!

[regularjoe2]

Forgive me for asking the obvious , but did you read through the newspaper to see if there's any refs to info about the print/painting/etching (either the church drawing or the sheep print) ?
A studio/framer label ?
Any more clues ?

[Lindsey918]

There's nothing in the newspaper about the picture, I don't think they are related. This etching was just upside down against the church drawing when he tore through the frame backing. I am not there anymore to know exactly what it said, but there was a typed note taped to the church painting saying Merry Christmas from a man who worked for Brown & Bigelow. I don't know if that has anything to do with the sheep etching or not. Basically, the church picture, the sheep picture and the newspaper all seem very random in association to each other.

[D&b antiques]

the print is worth about $25.00 Dollars. framed abit more.

[KC]

I believe the etching has lots of connection to the church.  Reminds me of the parable of the lost sheep from the Bible. These type of etchings/paintings were exceedingly popular in the early 1900's and continue to be so today.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep is a parable told by Jesus in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Matthew 18:12-14 (12How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.) and Luke 15:3-7 (107. Jesus said, "The (Father's) kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine and looked for the one until he found it. After he had toiled, he said to the sheep, 'I love you more than the ninety - nine.'")  . It is also found in the Gospel of Thomas 107.

The picture may be from the church or a parishioner from the church etched it....or gave it to him.

[fancypants]

That's what I was thinkin' too , KC .