Voice of the Landscape
Collectorthomas Davies delves into an upcoming exhibition featuring remarkable waterscapes from his expansive collection
In 1779 the lament of an “ancient mariner” was first published—“water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.”almost 250 years later, roughly 35 percent of the global population of seven and a half billion people lives in regions where water is scarce.
The concept for an upcoming exhibition at New Canaan Museum & Historical Society, Northeast Waterscapes: Artists Explore Oceans, Rivers, Harbors, was developed while viewing a number of prominent landscapes and realizing the majority had water in them.whether the paintings depicted crashing surf or simply a quiet landscape, water was part of the composition. Often it was just a creek or a river seen in the distance or a small puddle in the foreground reflecting the color of the sky above.to the artist, water is definitely a challenge to paint; it never stops moving, it’s a tool to enhance the visual composition and it expands the range of colors at the artist’s disposal.the acknowledged father of the Hudson River School, Thomas Cole, put it simply,“without water every landscape would be defective.” He referred to water as “the voice of the landscape.”
This exhibition is organized along three themes: the ocean; the inland lakes, rivers and streams that abound throughout New England and New York; and images of the harbors that are centers of commerce and recreation. Dutch-born and trained Mauritz de Haas (1832-1895) was a devoted marine painter whose works were generally in cool, grey tones in the tradition of the great Dutch marine painters. He viewed the ocean as a constantly moving, constantly challenging adversary to man. His coastal scene Ships Sailing Close to Shore captures a variety of vessels, a square rigger flying the American flag, a steam ship on the horizon and a sail boat and skiff in the foreground. De Haas was so highly regarded he was commissioned by Admiral Farragut to paint images of several major Civil War sea battles. Authenticity and great skill are the marks of an accomplished illustrator.
Griswold Tyng (1883-1960) received instruction from Joseph Decamp and Howard Pyle, but the relatively sparse information on him indicates he did not pursue painting in his later years. Nevertheless, as a resident of Orleans, Cape Cod, and the level of detail and “authenticity” suggest he went to sea with these cod fisherman and knew firsthand what he was painting. In Catching the Cod, the ocean is depicted as a source of livelihood and a place demanding hard work for those who choose to capture her riches.
In the hands of a very skilled artist, a combination of light, subject, tides and atmosphere can create an otherworldly effect along the coast. In Tidal Flats, Ted Kautzky (1896-1953) has created an unforgettable image earning him a gold medal at the RAA in 1950. Kautzky was a dedicated watercolorist who immigrated to the United States in 1923 from Hungary. In 1949 he authored one of the first definitive post-world War II instructional books, titled Ways With Watercolor, which is still used in art schools today.
No serious discussion of marine artists is complete without mentioning Frederick Waugh (1861-1940). Likewise, discussing images of the Atlantic is incomplete without Monhegan Island, Maine.waugh was a “pure” marine painter, meaning he did not rely upon sailboats on the horizon, beach umbrellas and figures sun bathing on the beach or even seagulls. His marine compositions utilized three elements: rocks and shoreline, water and wave patterns, and sky and complex cloud formations.waugh’s Monhegan Island was clearly painted in plein air on the spot.
Our beaches are a haven for swimmers, sunbathers and, especially, artists. Light, color, beach umbrellas and kids running around all make delightful compositions. Louise Upton Brumback (1872-1929) did not begin serious art studies until age 33 because of parental objections. Once started, she moved fast, and within 14 years she was seen as one of the most prominent women artists in the country. Her most admired work occurred while living on Cape Ann during the 1910s, a powerful piece titled Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester, circa 1915. She has balanced active ocean waters in the background with the quiet tidal pool in the foreground. These seemingly contradictory water patterns create interest and help communicate the ocean as a source of recreation.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Hudson River captured the romanticism and imagination of artists and travelers like no other river in the
country. Frank Anderson (1844-1891) lived in Peekskill, New York, along its banks, for most of his productive life. His work is rare and less than 25 pieces have come to auction since the early 1980s. In Boating on the Hudson, he has captured the profound importance the upper Hudson waters had upon the inhabitants who lived along her banks with the sail boat in the distance and the marvelous image of a family crossing the river.
As a Dutch import and trained artist, H.D. Kruseman van Elten (18291904) settled quickly into the painting style of the Hudson River School while residing in the famous 10th Street Studio building in New York along with 23 of the nation’s finest artists, including Bierstadt, Church and Hart. The Adirondacks, with much of the region’s untouched wilderness, were magnets for landscape painters of the era.the importance and prevalence of water is underscored by the fact that the Adirondack Park boasts more than 3,000 lakes and ponds, one of which is splendidly portrayed in his major piece The Heart of the Adirondacks.
Although Gardner Symons (18611930) was a true bi-coastal artist with studios in Laguna, California, New York City and Coleraine, Massachusetts, his trademark winter scenes were generally painted along the Deerfield River. His distinctive adaptation of impressionism was often described by critics as “virile and masculine.” His snow and ice-filled rivers wove a complex yet convincing pattern of moving river water.
During the latter half of the 19th century commercial activity dominated the Newyork Harbor as packet boats crisscrossed the waters delivering their cargos. Scenes like these were exciting subjects for artists to paint.as the oldest of four distinguished artist brothers whose family emigrated from England in 1844, Edward Moran (1820-1901) is credited with providing impetus for others pursuing art. His paintings were often in silvery tones with accents of light reflecting the style of the great British marine painters he so admired. Part of the magnetic attraction of Newyork Harbor is the iconic imagery of the bridges that span the Hudson and East rivers.the Queensboro Bridge connects midtown Manhattan with the borough of Queens. Hayley Lever
(1876-1958) emigrated from Australia to England, spending several years in St. lves before being encouraged to depart for America. He arrived in the United States in 1911 and realized almost instant success. He was variously referred to as an impressionist, post-impressionist, proto-modernist and experimentalist, but the handle that stuck was the “Americanvan Gogh.” Lever was prolific and worked in numerous areas of the country including New York and Cape Ann. Max Kuehne’s (1880-1968) passion for water began as a young competitive swimmer and sailor. He was closely connected to Newyork during the teens with strong ties to many of the Ashcan artists as well as a frequent visitor and eventual resident of Cape Ann. His studies with Robert Henri and friendship with George Bellows and especially Ernest Lawson, whom he traveled with in Spain, are powerfully demonstrated in Lower Manhattan.
His sweeping perspective of both banks of the Hudson River projects a strong sense of industry and commerce developing along the river’s edge.
The two prominent harbors on
Cape Ann each have their iconic images that have attracted artists for decades, Motif #1 in Rockport and The Yellow Shed in Gloucester, and none have done it better than George L. Noyes (1864-1951).Among his first students was a young N.c.wyeth who often credited Noyes with teaching a great sense of color.water always played a central role in this artist’s work, and the peak of his career was during the 1920s to early 1940s. Sadly much of his work was destroyed in two studio fires, the first during the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, and the second later in his career while living in
New Hampshire.
A history of the fishing industry reveals that Gorton’s of Gloucester is the oldest continuously operating fish processing plant in America.
Henry Gasser’s (1909-1981) Gorton’s of Gloucester immortalizes the establishment. Gasser, a lifelong resident of Newark, New Jersey, was active in all important art organizations in Newyork and traveled extensively for his work. Northeast Waterscapes consists of more than 60 works by 58 artists. In addition to those mentioned, other artists in the show include William Hart, Francis Augustus Silva,william Trost Richards, James Carroll Beckwith,aldro Hibbard, Reginald Marsh, Frederick Mulhaupt, Guy Wiggins and John Whorf. For those able to visit New Canaan, enjoy the show and spend some time reflecting on the importance of the subject—water.