Vincent Price is one of the most recognizable names in horror. He has starred in many horror films across his decades long film career. Price has also lent his voice to such productions as Scooby Doo and the voiceover opening of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Vincent Price’s first horror role was the 1939 film Tower of London, playing the titular character in The Invisible Man Returns that same year. Price would go on to star as many horror villains throughout his career. He portrayed a variety of characters in multiple radio dramas during the 1950s and 70s. He was a fan of the work of Edgar Allan Poe, appearing in the Hammer Films adaptation of The Raven in 1963. Price lent his voice to several recordings of Poe’s work as well. He appeared alongside many other iconic horror actors in 1983’s House of the Long Shadows. 1993 saw his last major role as the inventor in Edward Scissorhands. Despite often being remembered as playing vampires, Price only appeared as one once, later in his career. He never played the most famous vampire, Dracula.

Price was an art lover and collector, amassing a large collection of artworks from across the globe over his life. He began donating some of it to what would become the Vincent Price Art Museum, beginning with 90 pieces in 1957. Today, the museum has over 2,000 pieces donated by him.

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Summertime by R.A. Messner was painted in 1958. It is an oil painting on canvas, depicting a small creek in Coquitlam with rocks and trees in the background. Some stones also appear in the foreground of the image. Messner signed the painting in the bottom righthand corner of the image.

Messner was a prolific artist, born in Germany in 1912, he eventually moved to Canada in 1951, settling in Surrey a few years later in 1954. He is remembered for a number of works, most notably the contribution of 22 of his works to the “Vincent Price Collection of Fine Art.” This collection was a partnership between Vincent Price and the department store, Sears. Work of artists were made available to purchase through the Sears catalogue. Messner was notable for being the BC artist with the most works contributed. Other notable artists in the collection were renowned painters, Picasso, Rembrandt, and more household names.