작품 상세

JOHANN BERTHELSEN (American, 1883-1972) Washington Square Park NYC. Oil on artist board. Signed lower right Johann Berthelsen. Good condition with light craquelure. Painting measures 16" x 20". Frame measures 18 ¾" x 22 ¾". From AskArt: "As a hobby Berthelsen created pastels and watercolors featuring New York scenes. They were exhibited to excellent reviews, and in 1926, he was elected to membership in the American Watercolor Society. Established in New York artistic musical and theatrical circles, his professional reputation grew. Financially comfortable, fulfilled and happy, the family was a part of the vital New York arts community. Of the many subjects he painted, the one that he would become most identified with was the city itself. The New York snow scenes - his most famous and popular works - burst with movement. Cars, trucks, taxis and people seem to rejoice in the snow that turns the city into a wonderland. He was able to maintain the pace of creation and the level of quality with a draftsman's precision, an unerring eye, and deep feeling. Though he was exclusively self taught he totally owned his craft and technique. As his paintings become more visible and more popular, his reputation increased. His New York scenes were acquired by, among others, William Randolph Hearst and Richard Berlin, the president of Hearst's magazine empire, who purchased six paintings. In the mid-1930s, Berthelsen became involved in several New Deal art projects. By 1940, his reputation had grown to the point where he was asked to join The Lecture Bureau of the Columbia Broadcasting System.