Exhibited 1919 School of Charles Hawthorne Painting

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Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art...

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 24, 2022

Set Reminder 2022-03-24 10:00:00 2022-03-24 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-9057
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• Lot Description
  School of Charles Hawthorne, oil on board, ca. 1919. The artist of this "mud head" painting learned a specific method of color perception from the esteemed Charles Webster Hawthorne (American, 1872-1930) who founded the Cape Cod School of Art in 1899. Hawthorne taught his students to paint colored blocks in sunlight, thus allowing them to focus on the study of color without being distracted by line and drawing concerns. This "mud head" portrait depicts a seated figure wearing a golden yellow short-sleeved shirt with a green trim or neckpiece as well as green pants. The figure is posed with her back to the sun, sitting upon a barrel with her hands clasped on her lap. Sunlight illuminates the sandy shore and blue waters of the Cape Cod beach beyond, dramatically outlining the sitter's form and dappling across the right side of her body. Meanwhile, the sitter's face is in shadow, hence the nickname "mud head". A striking example of Hawthorne's technique set in a custom frame. Size of painting: 24" L x 19.75" W (61 cm x 50.2 cm) Size of frame: 29.75" L x 25.625" W (75.6 cm x 65.1 cm)
  
  This painting was exhibited at Wohlfarth Galleries (Provincetown, Massachusetts). On the verso is an informative description written by Lavinia Wohlfarth of Wohlfarth Galleries that describes how Charles Hawthorne diverged from his mentor, William Merritt Chase, by creating the first school in the US to teach en plein air painting, thus embracing French Impressionism by working outdoors. Wohlfarth writes, "Hawthorne believed that it was only through painting simple masses that artists could learn to see the true color of light in atmosphere. In order to help his students 'see the light' he had to keep them from rendering every eyelash and detail in their portraits. Classes were conducted on the beach using local children and adults who posed with the sun at their backs. With their necks in shadow, and the glaring sun behind, the students could not see the features of the models. Using putty knives instead of brushes to avoid rendering detail, the students could only paint simple masses - facial shapes, hair color, and clothing."
  
  Hawthorne's school attracted many talented students and instructors. Among them, Henry Hensche was Hawthorne's teaching assistant in 1928, two years prior to Hawthorne's death. The Henry Hensche Foundation website provides the following description of Charles Hawthorne's teaching approach which confirms and amplifies Wohlfarth's discussion, "A model, often one of the local Portuguese fisherman's children, posed on the beach, sitting on a barrel with their back to the sun. The students positioned their easels facing the shadow side of the model. Hawthorne instructed them to paint this dramatic silhouette against the blaze of light on the beach, the water, and emanating from the sky. By having his students paint with a large, unwieldy putty knife, it forced them to concentrate on the large shapes of color, rather than outlines around the shapes, the way one might do when painting with a brush. The quality of a study was judged by the effectiveness with which the light was suggested by these simple shapes of color. The resulting mud-like color of the face in shadow gave rise to the studies' nickname, 'mud head'."
  
  Provenance: ex-collection of the late Peter Arnovick, San Francisco, California, USA; ex- Wohlfarth Galleries, Provincetown, Massachusetts, USA
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #169645

  Condition

  Minor pinholes and nicks at peripheries. A few minor areas of pigment loss. Punctures (through hands, neckline, and left proper side of the barrel) with disruption that is much more visible on the verso. Minor scuffs to frame. Otherwise, painting and frame are very nice, fitted with suspension wire, and ready to hang. In addition, a copy of the Wohlfarth Galleries description is attached to the verso.
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