Significant 1940s work titled "Toiler's House" by George Demont Otis (American, 1879-1962). Otis was born in Memphis, Tennessee where he was orphaned at age six and was raised by his grandmother in Chicago. By age fourteen, he was enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago and showed early talent, especially with meticulous architectural drawings of Chicago buildings. In 1919, Otis moved to Los Angeles and worked for movie studios while painting scenes of the desert, mountains, beaches, trees, valleys and mountains. His painting skills had attracted the attention of Louis B. Mayer of MGM Studios in Hollywood, and Mayer hired Otis to design movie sets and oversee set-painting crews. Otis enjoyed socializing, and people came from all over to visit and to take classes from him. Among his friends were John Steinbeck, Jack London and Brother Cornelius. "Over five-hundred of Otis' students became professional artists. He encouraged them to develop diverse styles, forming the school of Western Impressionism early in the twentieth century." Titled "Toiler's House on the bottom left and signed "George Demont Otis" on the bottom right. Presented in a black wood frame. Image size, 12"H x 18"W.