Likely a design for a Paramount theatre since this period marked the beginning years of Grell’s long tenure with Famous-Players Laskey Corporation, Rapp and Rapp Architects and Balaban & Katz exhibitors.  This composition is painted with a thicker palette than most Grell paintings and is similar to Overlooking the Valley in that respect.

This scene represents Neptune standing tall on a fountain holding his trident, a jester bows to the royals, onlookers seem indifferent to the ongoings, an Arabic man handles a greyhound, a roman city in the background behind and to the left of the fountain all scream that this was a study for a theatre.  Grell would have been under contract for the Chicago theatre in 1919.  The original Grell murals in the Chicago theatre were French fairytale themed (1921 to 1933).

oil on canvas, 25.75″T x 30.5″W signed ll “LOUIS GRELL 1919”

Provenance: artist to aunt in Lincoln, NE during lifetime; thru descent to current family member