A horde of top-notch American and European paintings and decorative arts goes to the auction block in the middle of Maine from August 25 to 28. Auctioneer James D. Julia, Inc., has returned this popular end-of-summer sale to their new state-of-the-art facilities in Fairfield, Maine, after conducting the sale off-site for twenty-one years.

Among the Session II stand-outs, within this 2,200-lot sale, is an extraordinary, mid-career work by George Inness (1825-1894), famed as an American tonalist painter. Titled “The Villa Borghese, Rome, 1871,” the Italian landscape depicts over forty figures in colorful dress strolling and relaxing in a park setting. Provenance links the work to Stanford White, the renowned New York City architect and designer of frames. From a Massachusetts collection, the work is expected to bring $150,000-200,000.

Another highlight is the recently discovered oil on canvas by Martin Johnson Heade (1819-1904) entitled “Apple Blossoms.” The realistic still-life is said to be fresh from a New York home and formerly part of the collection of William Mason, Esq., who purchased it from the artist. The estimate is $50,000-75,000.

One of ten works by Cape Ann impressionist Emile Gruppe (1896-1978) is an early work depciting a rocky stream reflecting the early morning sunlight. With a vibrant palette and loose brushwork akin to Monet, this colorful scene is estimated at $20,000-25,000.