themoneylakepaintinga

In the 7 almost identical money lake paintings Barks finished after the initial one, he put emphasis on the different ways the sea of coins could be portrayed. The most immediately visible changes appeared in the backgrounds' clouds and sky, where he experimented with diverse cloud formations, shadows, and saturated colors. Barks also introduced a new way of looking at the coins insofar he began to make them appear as part of a sea complete with some sort of waves. All 7 paintings were made on the smooth surfaced side of Masonite.

19-71 Money Lake

Size:
16x20" (405x510mm).

Price:
150 dollars.

Comments:
Barks was never too interested in giving his work titles, and this fact becomes apparent in this painting, which he just named after the first one.

23-71 Scrooge's Gold Lake*

Size:
16x20" (405x510mm).

Price:
200 dollars.

Comments:
Barks made the background so dramatic that he felt obliged to send an explanatory sketch to the buyer explaining how he had imagined light rays illuminating the bulbous cloud thus leaving the mountain range in deep shadows. Barks explained that the massive cloud was supposed to leave the impression that it was actually lit from within.

* In Barks' own files the painting was, again, just mentioned with the work title Money Lake.

26-71 Money Lake

Size:
16x20" (405x510mm).

Price:
200 dollars.

Comments:
The customer actually paid 225 dollars for the work, because he requested Barks to deliver it mounted with a special frame. This would frequently happen to both Barks' and his wife Garé's paintwork, and they gladly obliged.

18-72 Richest Lake in the World

Size:
16x20" (405x510mm).

Price:
210 dollars.

Comments:
This was the last painting in which Barks painted Donald wearing a white hat.

8-73 Another Long Day's Work*

Size:
16x20" (405x510mm).

Price:
250 dollars.

Comments:
Barks was especially proud of this painting, because he had introduced yet another technique. The motif was now transferred to sunset making everything glow in powerful orange colour tones, and it was also the first time Barks tried his hand in painting a motif in direct back-light.

* The title is sometimes incorrectly referred to as A Long Day's Work.

6-74 Only a Poor Old Duck

Size:
16x20" (405x510mm).

Price:
900 dollars.

Comments:
The prices for Barks' paintings went up during his productive duck painting years, and this one marks a giant leap compared to the year before.

22-75 Lake of Gold

Size:
16x20" (405x510mm).

Price:
1,200 dollars.

Comments:
Again, Barks' increasing popularity among fans and collectors influenced heavily on his prices, and they would further skyrocket in the years to come.