Wonderful oil on canvas board painting from Canadian born American artist Benoni Irwin (1840-1896).  Painting is of a blacksmith with dog in his workshop.  Signed in lower right and measures 10" x 14". Irwin was born in Canada, moving to New York when he was a young man.  He studied art at the National Academy of Design from 1861-63.  He lived in California, trained in Paris, returning to the US, spending a majority of his time in the left coast states.  In 1896, while taking sunset photographs in a boat, he lost his balance, hitting his head on the side of the boat, lost consciousness and drowned.

Displays well Surface scratches with one long scratch down the center