Three Important Exhibits on Display at the Crocker Art Museum

The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento currently has three outstanding exhibitions of early California and American paintings on display.  The museum, which unveiled a new 125,000 square foot addition in October of 2010, also has a strong permanent collection of Early California art.  The exhibitions currently open to the public also include works from the Brooklyn Museum and the Bank of America Collection.

The first exhibit, which opened on May 14^th, 2011, is titled “Transcending Vision: American Impressionism, 1870-1940”.  This collection of paintings by American Artists who were influenced by the French Impressionist movement features 125 works by a diverse group.  Paintings by notable and influential American artists George Inness and George Bellows are included in the exhibition, which ends on September 25^th, 2011.

Another exhibition of interest to admirers of Early American art is “Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism”,  which opened to the public on June 11^th, and runs through September 18^th.  This display includes approximately 40 landscape paintings from the Brooklyn Museum.  Both French and American artists are represented in a group of works from the mid-nineteenth through the early twentieth-century.   Works by John Singer Sargent and Childe Hassam are prominently featured.

The third show currently on display at the Crocker is titled “Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains andPaintings by Franz A. Bischoff”.  The collection went on view June 25^th, and the exhibition continues through October 23^rd, 2011.  The exhibit chronicles the history and career of the “King of the Rose Painters”, and features approximately 40 examples of this artist’s work. 

Remembered primarily for his floral still lifes, Franz Bischoff was one of the finest early California Impressionists, and an outstanding colorist.  For additional information about this important Southern California artist, see our Blog entry which was posted last December.

For additional information about the Crocker Museum, including operating hours and directions, please visit their website at www.crockerartmuseum.org  

The Quiet Landscapes of Russell Chatham

Born in 1939, a native of San Francisco, Russell Chatham was an active artist in Livingston, Montana since 1972.  A talented, self-taught painter, illustrator, and writer, his works were often highly evocative with soft tonal qualities.  He was also considered one of the world’s foremost lithographers.    

"Spring Moonrise", Lithograph

His grandfather, Gottardo Piazzoni (1872 – 1945),  was a well known early California artist and is also remembered for his simple compositions and quiet, muted colors.

Russell Chatham’s landscapes often revealed his fascination with the changing seasons and the subtle nuances of light and shadow.  His works often depicted quiet moments of solitude and spirituality.  Of his work, he said:  "Creating art is an attempt to search for something beyond ourselves".

"Winter Moonrise" 12 x 16 Oil on board - SOLD

This painting shown above, “Winter Moonrise”, is signed by the artist, on the right side, with his personally developed calligraphic character, placed within a double oval.  Chatham developed this character in his late twenties.  It was based on the distinctive shape of the little slough that lies at the head of Tamales Bay in Marin County.   

Chatham moved to Marin in 1949.  He placed this monogram, rather than a traditional signature, on all his works since his late twenties.  He said that this two dimensional calligraphic character “represents the epicenter of my relationship to the natural world”.  He also noted that “I was never comfortable seeing my name written on the face of the pictures, partly I suppose because visual and verbal language seem so at odds with each other.  But using the monogram, and doing so very discreetly, seems to help soften the presence of my hand, moving it into the shadows where it belongs.”  

"Landscape" 7 x 9 inches  SOLD

His personal interests included fly fishing, hunting, and conservation, and he wrote numerous essays and short stories on these topics.   In 1990, he began working on a series of twelve large paintings for the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana.   

 

Chatham had hundreds of exhibitions in galleries and museums over the course of his lifetime, though he is not a prolific painter.  He sometimes only completed six or seven large paintings a year.  This kind, talented and important artist passed away on November 10th, 2019 at the age of 80 and will be remembered fondly.

For additional information on available paintings by this remarkable artist, feel free to contact Patrick Kraft at William A. Karges Fine Art in Carmel, California at (800) 833-9185. 

Franz Bischoff Exhibit at the Pasadena Museum of California Art

Franz Bischoff (1864-1929) is considered to be one of the finest early California impressionist painters, and an outstanding colorist.  His free flowing brushwork calls to mind both the impressionist and post impressionist styles, and he was well known for his strong compositions.  He is remembered primarily for his floral still lifes, especially his roses, but his body of work encompasses a wide variety of subjects and locations.  His paintings include Southern California landscapes, Carmel coastal scenes, and beautiful vignettes of Cambria. 

"Point Lobos" (Monterey County, California)   SOLD

Born in Austria in 1864, Bischoff studied painting, design, and porcelain decoration in Vienna.  He immigrated to New York in 1885, became a successful china painter, and eventually earned a reputation as “King of the Rose Painters”.

"Vase"      SOLD

"Rose Garden"    SOLD

He first visited California in 1900 and soon moved to Los Angeles.   In 1908 he completed construction of his home in South Pasadena, built in the Italian Renaissance style.   His home included a gallery, ceramic workshop, and a painting studio.

During his early years in California he began painting en plein air, creating landscapes outdoors in natural light.  

"Arroyo Seco"         SOLD

In 1912, he traveled to Europe to study the French Impressionists, and afterwards his use of color became more pronounced, dramatic, and vibrant.  

"Bush Gardens"       SOLD

Bischoff was an early member of the California Art Club, whose other members include important early California Impressionists Edgar Payne, Hanson Puthuff, and William Wendt.  He was also a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association.  He died in Pasadena, California on February 5^th, 1929 after a long, successful career.

Visitors to the Pasadena Museum of California Art can now view a large collection of the artist’s works at the current exhibit “Gardens and Grandeur: Porcelains and Paintings by Franz  A. Bischoff”.   The exhibition includes early ceramic works, as well as his later canvases.  The exhibition continues through March 20^th, 2011.  The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday 12 to 5.  Call 626-568-3665 for further information.  In the future, the exhibit will also travel to the Crocker Museum and the Irvine Museum.

Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum Reopens its Doors

Early California Art lovers were delighted to hear about the recent new addition to The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento.   The new 125,000 square foot building, designed by architect Gwathmey Siegel, was opened to the public on October 10^th.    Established in 1885, the Crocker Art Museum includes one of the premier collections of Early California paintings in the state.    The new building houses a gallery filled with early 20^th century Southern California Landscape paintings. 

The monumental work, “Great Canyon of the Sierra, Yosemite, 1871” by early landscape artist Thomas Hill (1829 – 1908) is prominently featured in the new building. 

Other notable works in the permanent collection include “San Fernando Mission” by Charles Rollo Peters  , “April Skies, 1910” by William Wendt , and “A Shepherd and his Flock in the Early Morning Mist, 1930” by Granville Redmond.

Also found in the vast collection are works by artist Colin Campbell Cooper (1856 – 1937), known for his impressionist style views of cities around the world.

Master watercolorist Percy Gray, remembered for his delicate, misty, romantic landscapes, is also represented in the permanent collection. 

Other early California paintings on view at the Museum  include works by such notable artists as Franz Bischoff, John Gamble,  and Edgar Payne.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O Street, Sacramento, CA.  Phone: (916) 808-7000.  Hours are Tuesday & Wednesday 10 AM-7 PM, Thursday 10 AM-9 PM, Friday-Sunday 10 AM-5 PM, Closed Mondays.  Every third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday”.

For additional information about currently available original paintings by these important early California artists, please visit William A. Karges Fine Art at Dolores and Sixth Avenue in Carmel, CA (831) 625-4266 and 427 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA (310) 276-8551 or visit the website at www.kargesfineart.com

William Ritschel

William Frederick Ritschel was primarily known for his marine and coastal views of the Carmel area.   A talented and successful early California artist, his paintings still evoke a strong emotional response.  Using impressionistic lighting effects to create scenes that varied from quiet moonlit shores to dramatic, violent ocean storms,  Ritschel had a remarkable ability to convey a particular mood or atmosphere.

Ritschel was born in Nuremberg, Germany on July 11^th, 1864 and worked as a sailor in his youth.  He was inspired by the ocean and its changing moods and became fascinated by it as he drew and sketched.    He studied at the Royal Academy in Munich, and was quite well known throughout Europe.   Immigrating to New York City in 1895, he also enjoyed considerable success in the United States.

He was a member of the Salamagundi Club and the New York Watercolor Society.   Like other followers of the Impressionist style, he explored the quality of light in each scene, using loose, clearly visible brushstrokes, that captured a feeling of movement and spontaneity.   His attraction to the ocean, with its ever-changing moods and motions, seemed perfectly suited to the impressionist approach. 

William Ritschel, "Seafoam and Rocks", 25 x 30 inches, SOLD

In 1911, he came to Carmel, California, which was quickly becoming a thriving artists’ colony as painters began to arrive following the San Francisco earthquake.     In 1912, he began to exhibit his California coastal scenes at venues on the East Coast and simultaneously displayed his works at the Art Gallery at the Del Monte Hotel in Monterey.

William Ritschel, "Trees and Surf", 24 x 24 inches, SOLD

 

In 1918, he built “Castel a Mare”, his castle-like home in the Carmel Highlands area, perched directly on the ocean’s edge.   He was known as a flamboyant character, often dressing in a flowered sarong.  

William Ritschel, "Carmel Highlands", 12 x 16 inches, SOLD

In 1913, artist Armin Hansen moved to Carmel, and was eventually introduced to William Ritschel in 1918.  Ritschel arranged for Hansen to show his works in a New York gallery and Armin Hansen eventually became one of the most prominent and celebrated early California artists who also focused on marine and coastal subjects. 

Armin Hansen, "Beating it for Home", 14 x 17, SOLD

 

Ritschel traveled around the world and painted the seas and coasts of various exotic locations including the South Seas, Asia, Capri, and Majorca.    He died in his beloved “Castel a Mare” on March 11^th, 1949.   In October of 1949, Armin Hansen was the author of a moving tribute to the artist for Ritschel’s Memorial Exhibition which was held at the Carmel Art Association.

A number of Ritschel’s large scale paintings can currently be seen at the Monterey Museum of Art as part of the current exhibition “Land and Sea: Paintings and photographs of Monterey and Beyond”.   Selections on view include a remarkable and unusual canvas depicting New York City’s East River in Winter, a large dramatic work of a ship drifting in a stormy Sargasso Sea, and several moonlit Seascapes featuring local scenes from the Carmel and Monterey area.   The exhibit continues through October 24^th, 2010.

For additional information on currently available paintings by William Ritschel and Armin Hansen, please contact our staff at William A. Karges Fine Art in Carmel at (800) 833-9185.

Exhibition - Lasting Impressions: Colin Campbell Cooper

-->

Early American/California Impressionist artist Colin Campbell Cooper (1856 – 1937) is best known for his cityscapes, street scenes and architectural subjects painted during his extensive travels throughout the world.   A comprehensive exhibition of his works, “Lasting Impressions: Colin Campbell Cooper”, is currently on view at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum through October 8^th, 2010.   The exhibit features over thirty paintings that portray his views of Europe, India and the East Coast, as well as local places of interest, such as the Santa Barbara Mission and the historic El Encanto Hotel.  Cooper joined the faculty of the Santa Barbara School of the Arts as Dean of Painting after arriving in the area in 1921.

His body of work encompasses a wide variety of subjects, including still lifes, portraits, and landscapes.   Cooper created his paintings using an Impressionist style and palette inspired by artists such as Childe Hassam (1859 – 1935).  

His many trips abroad led him to Europe, including a trip in 1886 to Holland, a country that inspired many of his most accomplished and exceptional works.    

"Amsterdam", Oil on canvas, 29 x 43  SOLD

In 1889, the artist moved to Paris, where he studied at several prominent art schools, including the Academie Julian.  Traveling throughout Europe, he painted numerous views of various scenic locations, including Rheims Cathedral in France, the medieval town of Bruges in Belgium, and the poetic Wells Cathedral in England. 

"Rheims, July 5, 1906", Gouache, 21 x 15   SOLD

"Street in Bruges, Belgium", Oil on canvas, 22 x 18  SOLD

"Wells Cathedral, 1902", Gouache, 18 1/2 x 16 1/2   SOLD

During his long and successful career, Colin Campbell Cooper was a member of many of the leading art clubs in the United States, including the distinguished National Academy of Design, and the American Watercolor Society.   Examples of his elegant Impressionist paintings can be found in such renowned institutions as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (“View of New York City”), the Dallas Museum of Art (“The Flatiron Building, 1904”), and the White House Collection (“The Capitol at Night”).

The Landscapes of Hanson Duvall Puthuff

-->

Early American Southern California Impressionist painter Hanson Duvall Puthuff was born to Alonzo Augustus Duvall and his wife, Mary Anne Lee,  on August 21^st, 1875 in Waverly, Missouri.  When he was two years old, his mother passed away, and Puthuff was raised by a close friend of his mother’s, Elizabeth Stadley Puthuff.  He eventually assumed her last name.

Photo Credit: “Plein Air Painters of  California – The Southland” by Ruth Westphal

After training at the University of Denver Art School he moved to Southern California.  Arriving in Los Angeles in 1903, Puthuff  sometimes worked as a billboard painter over the next several decades.  The billboards were often situated in remote areas, in locations with especially beautiful views.   After completing his work on the billboard, he would pull out his easel and begin to sketch and paint.

"Summer Evening" 24 x 30 AVAILABLE NOW

During this period, he also worked as a theater scene artist, sometimes painting the advertising curtains used in the theaters.  He painted backgrounds for the model train exhibits on display by the Santa Fe Railroad, and background scenery for the animal exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles.  One of his most notable accomplishments was the creation of a series of three panoramic dioramas for the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial, commissioned by the American Museum of History in New York.

A family man, Puthuff enjoyed two strong and fulfilling marriages that lasted over thirty years each.  He was the father of five children, twins Lee and Duvall, and Robert, Paul and Matilda.

Around 1926, he began to concentrate full time on his easel paintings and the exhibition of his artworks at various venues.  One of the founders of the Laguna Beach Art Association, Hanson Puthuff is most often remembered for his majestic landscapes and quiet desert scenes. 

"Desert Landscape" SOLD

He enjoyed friendships with a number of well respected Southern California Impressionists, including fellow members of the California Art Club  Edgar Payne,  William Wendt, and Jack Wilkinson Smith.

"Beach Road"  12 X 16   AVAILABLE NOW

Puthuff’s paintings are noted for their strong compositions, beautiful impressionistic lighting and atmospheric effects, free brushstrokes, and warm, rich colors. 

"Langourous Summer"  SOLD

Many of his works were painted outdoors, en “plein air”, and display a feeling of spontaneity and vitality.

"Malibu"  SOLD

Hanson Puthuff died on May 12^th, 1972 in Corona del Mar, California, after a long and successful career.    His paintings can be found in the collections of numerous prestigious institutions, including the Laguna Beach Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Pasadena Art Institute. 

For additional information about acquiring currently available paintings by this artist, please contact William A. Karges Fine Art in Beverly Hills at (800) 276-8551.