"5th Avenue (Empire State Building), " Johann Berthelsen, New York City in Winter

View Similar Items

John Terelak - Cherry Blossoms

Cindy Shaoul - "Ride Home around the Lake" Impressionistic Oil Painting on Canvas Ashcan School

John C. Terelak - Making Ready

John McLure Hamilton - In the Park, American Impressionist, Mother and Child, Landscape, Figures, Oil

Lu Haskew - Plein Air Creekside, 8x9" oil on board

Lu Haskew - Summer Light, 7x10" oil on board

Lu Haskew - Grey Day on the Bay

Cindy Shaoul - "Day Stroll in Paris" American Impressionist City Scene Oil Painting on Canvas

Kristina Nemethy - Walking Through the Fields

Walter Emerson Baum - "The Narrows"

John Fulton Folinsbee - "Solebury Spring"

Nicolai Cikovsky - Fisherman on the River, Painting by Nicolai Cikovsky

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 9

Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972
"5th Avenue (Empire State Building), " Johann Berthelsen, New York City in Winter

Name: "5th Avenue (Empire State Building), " Johann Berthelsen, New York City in Winter
Brand: Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972
Rating: 5 (14 reviews)

About the Item

Johann Berthelsen (1883 - 1972) Fifth Avenue Looking North from 23rd Street, Empire State Building Oil on canvas 16 x 12 inches Signed lower right; signed and titled on the stretcher Provenance: Private Collection, Boise, Idaho He was born in Copenhagen in 1883, the 7th of seven sons, to Conrad and Dorothea Karen Berthelsen. The parents moved in artistic and professional circles. In 1890, his mother brought the children to America, settling in Manistee, Michigan, with her sister's family. They would eventually live in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a city on the shore of Lake Michigan. As a teenager, Johann was actively involved in choirs and singing groups. And always, he loved to draw and paint. Though obviously intelligent and curious, he was too impatient to take well to schoolwork and never went beyond the 5th grade. Although he worked at several trades, Johann's mind and heart were always with the arts. As his voice matured, his always pleasant sound evolved into a rich and powerful baritone. Having always wanted to be an actor, at the age of 18, the young man moved to Chicago where he reconnected with an old friend who was studying voice at the Chicago Musical College. He was awarded the school's Gold Medal on two occasions, and after graduation he earned a job as the lead baritone with the newly formed Standard Opera Company which was owned by the Schuberts. For the next five years, Johann Berthelsen enjoyed a rich and varied career, touring the U.S. and Canada in operas, concerts, Gilbert & Sullivan, and operettas. Despite considerable success, the grueling pace of life on the road was difficult, and in 1910 he joined the voice faculty at Chicago Musical College. Now, in addition to teaching and performing, he had more time to pursue his other personal interests, especially painting. He became friends with the artist, Svend Svendsen, a noted landscape painter. Svendsen's snow scenes especially intrigued him. Though Berthelsen never formally studied with him, Svendsen would become a major influence in his choice of mood and treatment of light and shadow. In 1913, at the age of 30, he became the youngest-ever head of the voice department at the Indianapolis Conservatory of Music. In Indianapolis, he began a friendship with the painter, Wayman Adams. A native of Muncie, Indiana, Adams had studied with William Merritt Chase and Robert Henri in Spain and Italy and had already established a reputation as a portraitist. Adams and Berthelsen were to remain best friends for the remainder of their lives. Adams would paint many significant portraits of Berthelsen including a life-sized image of his friend preparing to go on stage. Although he kept a busy schedule producing student performances and personally appearing as a concert artist and actor, Berthelsen now had more free time to devote to his other interests including painting. He had a voracious appetite for knowledge in every field and, on one occasion, he agreed to appear on stage in a minor role so that he could observe the great tenor, Enrico Caruso. Even years later, he relished the experience and said that Caruso was, in every way, everything a singer could possibly be. Likewise, he spent hours discussing art with Adams and his other friends. In 1920, seeking to advance their careers, Berthelsen and Adams moved to New York, where both achieved rapid success. From 1920 through the late '50s , Wayman Adams painted some of his best-known works. Johann Berthelsen established a private school of singing instruction at the Rodin Studios and attracted a distinguished following, including Howard Marsh who created the lead in "The Student Prince," and Robert Halliday who starred in the original production of Romberg's "The Desert Song." As a hobby, he 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. In 1929, the heady prosperity of the Roaring '20s dissolved in the Stock Market crash, and the arts were among the hardest hit sectors. With many Broadway theaters shuttered and the Metropolitan Opera cutting salaries, Johann's pupils disappeared. One by one, the family's possessions melted away, and the family began an odyssey through a series of ever-smaller apartments. He described his plight to a fellow artist who responded, "If you could do in oil what you do in pastel, you'll be a great success." With what little money is left, he purchased art supplies and canvases and began to refine his technique in oil painting. He painted quickly and prolifically, his work bringing from $1 to $5 from some of the leading galleries. The proceeds went to buy food and milk. But as fast as he worked, it was sometimes not enough. 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. With the end of the Second World War, the Depression finally ceased and in the first blush of post-war prosperity, the public again had the time and money to devote to the arts. As more prominent personalities began to collect his work, the demand for Berthelsen's paintings increased. The demand was such that, in 1950, the family returned to live in New York City. Throughout the next decade, increased demand enabled them to return to a more comfortable standard of living. The 1960s proved to be an especially satisfying time for Johann and Helenya, as the children graduated from college and moved on to begin their own adult lives. Financial pressures lessened and, with his paintings commanding better prices, the couple contemplated a more relaxing lifestyle.

Creator:
Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972 (1883 - 1972, American)
Dimensions:
Height: 22.25 in (56.52 cm)Width: 18.25 in (46.36 cm)
Medium:
Canvas,Oil
Movement & Style:
American Impressionist
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU184129924382

More From This Seller

View All

"Pont Neuf, Seine, Paris, France" Carle Blenner, American Impressionism

By Carle John Blenner

Located in New York, NY

Carle John Blenner (1862 - 1952) Pont Neuf, Seine, Paris, France, 1887 Oil on canvas 15 x 22 inches Signed and dated lower right; titled lower left ...

Category

1880s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Carle John Blenner
"Pont Neuf, Seine, Paris, France" Carle Blenner, American Impressionism, 1887

$9,000

"Farmhouses in Autumn, Giverny" Theodore Earl Butler, American Impressionism

By Theodore Earl Butler

Located in New York, NY

Theodore Earl Butler Farmhouses in Autumn, Giverny Signed "T.E. Butler" lower right Oil on canvas 21 1/4 x 25 1/2 inches Provenance The artist. Estate of the above. By descent throu...

Category

1890s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Theodore Earl Butler
"Farmhouses in Autumn, Giverny" Theodore Earl Butler, American Impressionism, circa 1890s

$36,000

"Factories on The River" Charles Vezin, Impressionist Industrialization

By Charles Vezin

Located in New York, NY

Charles Vezin Factories on The River Signed lower right Oil on canvas board 12 x 13 15/16 inches After spending half his years as a partner in a highly profitable wholesale dry-goo...

Category

Early 20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Charles Vezin
"Factories on The River" Charles Vezin, Impressionist Industrialization

$8,000

"Rockport" William Lester Stevens, North East Coastal American Landscape

By William Lester Stevens

Located in New York, NY

William Lester Stevens Rockport Signed lower right Oil on canvas 20 x 24 inches Born on June 15, 1888, in Rockport, Massachusetts, Stevens displayed his artistic abilities from a y...

Category

1920s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

William Lester Stevens
"Rockport" William Lester Stevens, North East Coastal American Landscape, circa 1920s

$12,000

"Other Side of Town (Leading to Pigeon Cove)" Anthony Thieme, Rockport Cape Ann

By Anthony Thieme

Located in New York, NY

Anthony Thieme (1888 - 1954) Other Side of Town (Leading to Pigeon Cove) Oil on canvas 30 x 36 inches Signed lower left Provenance: David H. Hall Fine Art, Dover, Massachusetts Vose Galleries, Boston, Massachusetts Private Collection, New Jersey Anthony Thieme was born in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam in 1888. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam, at the Royal Academy at the Hague, as an apprentice to George Hoecker, a well known stage designer in Düsseldorf, Germany, and to Antonio Mancini, an Italian Impressionist. After completing his studies, Thieme journeyed throughout Europe and South America, working in stage design to support his travels. Thieme first came to the United States in 1917 and initially worked as a set designer and book illustrator first in New York and later in Boston. By the late 1920s, Thieme had married and moved from Boston to Cape Ann in Rockport, Massachusetts, an emerging art colony. Like the other Rockport artists...

Category

Early 20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Anthony Thieme
"Other Side of Town (Leading to Pigeon Cove)" Anthony Thieme, Rockport Cape Ann

$45,000

"Winter Silence" Carl Wuermer, American Impressionism Quiet Snowy Landscape

By Carl Wuermer

Located in New York, NY

Carl Wuermer Winter Silence Signed lower left Oil on canvas 25 x 30 inches Known for serene, realistic landscapes, he was a widely exhibited painter who won numerous awards includi...

Category

1920s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Carl Wuermer
"Winter Silence" Carl Wuermer, American Impressionism Quiet Snowy Landscape, circa 1920s

$12,000

2010s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

John Terelak
Cherry Blossoms, 2022

$30,000

"Ride Home around the Lake" Impressionistic Oil Painting on Canvas Ashcan School

By Cindy Shaoul

Located in New York, NY

A piece reminiscent of the Ashcan School, Shaoul is able to capture a unique style mimicking the times from the early 20th century. A car drives along a path around a lake, evoking a...

Category

2010s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Cindy Shaoul
"Ride Home around the Lake" Impressionistic Oil Painting on Canvas Ashcan School, 2021

$2,000

Making Ready

By John C. Terelak

Located in Greenwich, CT

American, b. 1942 John Charles Terelak is recognized as one of America's finest living impressionists. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he received formal art instruction at the Vespe...

Category

2010s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

John C. Terelak
Making Ready, 2023

$65,000

In the Park, American Impressionist, Mother and Child, Landscape, Figures, Oil

Located in Wiscasset, ME

Born in Philadelphia John Hamilton was known for portraits, figure paintings and illustrations. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Christian Schuessel and Thomas Eakins and then traveled to Europe where he studied in Paris with Jean-Léon Gerome at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He lived abroad, mostly in London, for many years, although he maintained a Philadelphia address. He was the official painter to the English Prime Minister, William...

Category

Late 19th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

John McLure Hamilton
In the Park, American Impressionist, Mother and Child, Landscape, Figures, Oil

$8,600

Plein Air Creekside, 8x9" oil on board

By Lu Haskew

Located in Loveland, CO

Plein Air Creekside by Lu Haskew Oil 8x9" image size Landscape Painting This painting is unframed, canvas on gator board, the price reflects that it is unframed. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Lu Haskew 1921-2009 "Life is good to me. Being able to go to my studio five days weekly and paint for several hours, living in a supportive community, having family and friends who encourage me--all have contributed to helping me become an artist. Being fortunate to study with some of the artists I admire has kept me painting from the garden, people and my favorite things. With the support of galleries, teaching and doing demos, how could I do anything else? My goal is to try to be the best I can be by always being a student, looking for new ideas and stretching my horizons." Upon retirement from a 33-year teaching career, Lu rented a studio in Loveland and began concentrating on her oil and watercolor painting. Learning from artists she had followed and admired throughout the years her painting became a full time career that lasted 17-years. Beginning in 1992, she studied with renowned painters Richard Schmid, Clyde Aspevig, Joyce Pike...

Category

Early 2000s American Impressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Lu Haskew
Plein Air Creekside, 8x9" oil on board, 2008

$325

Summer Light, 7x10" oil on board

By Lu Haskew

Located in Loveland, CO

Summer Light by Lu Haskew Oil 7x10" image size Painting of a home nestled in trees. This painting is unframed, canvas on gator board, the price reflects that it is unframed. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Lu Haskew 1921-2009 "Life is good to me. Being able to go to my studio five days weekly and paint for several hours, living in a supportive community, having family and friends who encourage me--all have contributed to helping me become an artist. Being fortunate to study with some of the artists I admire has kept me painting from the garden, people and my favorite things. With the support of galleries, teaching and doing demos, how could I do anything else? My goal is to try to be the best I can be by always being a student, looking for new ideas and stretching my horizons." Upon retirement from a 33-year teaching career, Lu rented a studio in Loveland and began concentrating on her oil and watercolor painting. Learning from artists she had followed and admired throughout the years her painting became a full time career that lasted 17-years. Beginning in 1992, she studied with renowned painters Richard Schmid, Clyde Aspevig, Joyce Pike...

Category

Early 2000s American Impressionist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Lu Haskew
Summer Light, 7x10" oil on board, 2008

$325

More Ways To Browse

Gilbert Sullivan

Vintage Art Supplies 1940s

Where To Buy Gold In Italy

Somers Randolph

Letterpress Vintage

Lyons Antique Prints

Miro Lithograph Black And White

"5th Avenue (Empire State Building), " Johann Berthelsen, New York City in Winter

View Similar Items

Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972
"5th Avenue (Empire State Building), " Johann Berthelsen, New York City in Winter

About the Item