Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 14

William Clothier Watts
Early 20th Century Peking Bell Tower

circa 1920-1930

About the Item

Vibrant scene of visitors arriving by camels at the Peking Bell Tower by William Clothier Watts (American 1967-1961). This piece is unsigned, but has an appraisal letter from Davis-Holdship Appraisers and statement from the artist's physician's widow attesting to the provenance. There is a second painting on verso of a Arabian market scene. Presented in a giltwood frame and linen covered mat with glass. Image size: 20" x 16" William Clothier Watts (American 1967-1961), primarily a watercolor artist, was born in Philadelphia, PA August 6, 1867 and died in Carmel, California May 13, 1961. Watts' family was engaged in the import of ivory and rare woods. Watts began painting at an early age and by the age of 18 he had exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) where he studied under T. Anshutz, R. Vonnoh and G. Essig. From 1889 to 1946 his artwork was exhibited at the PAFA Annual Exhibitions no less than 25 times. He also exhibited at: the California State Fair where he received first prizes five times; the Carmel Art Association in 1946, 1952 and 1967; at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915 (silver medal); at the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939; at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1923-25, 1929; and many other venues. Watts settled in Carmel, CA. in 1915. He bought property there and built a house/studio in Carmel Highlands overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He was an early and active member of the Carmel Art Association. He was a teacher, exhibitor and participated as a judge for many exhibits of the Carmel art colony. Watts traveled and painted throughout the world. His journeys included North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt), the Mediterranean (Greece, Syria, Jordan, Palestine), the Balkans (Bosnia, Serbia, Dalmatia), Northern Europe (Norway), Asia (China, India, Burma) and other exotic places. He did extensive work in the Carmel and Big Sur areas, Arizona, New Mexico and other Southwest and East Coast regions. His vibrant landscapes of the places he visited capture the essence of the subject matter and constitute a valuable record of significant historical and geographic sites. In addition to the Carmel AA, Watts was a member of the Philadelphia Sketch Club, the Philadelphia WC Club and the California WC Society. Several museums have his paintings in their collections.
  • Creator:
    William Clothier Watts (1869 - 1961, American)
  • Creation Year:
    circa 1920-1930
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 27.13 in (68.92 cm)Width: 23 in (58.42 cm)Depth: 0.75 in (1.91 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Some fading to the sky color from more blue/magenta to cyan. all others colors are vibrant and strong.
  • Gallery Location:
    Soquel, CA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: JT-DBH23521stDibs: LU5424800711
More From This SellerView All
  • Harvest Time The Hills of Mt Tamalpais near Lake Bon Tempe 1890s
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Harvest Time The Hills of Mt Tamalpais near Lake Bon Tempe 1890s The Hills around San Rafael in the 19th century were a time of work and play as seen in this watercolor near Lake Bon...
    Category

    Late 19th Century American Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Waterco...

    Materials

    Illustration Board, Watercolor, Laid Paper

  • Rowboat Outing - Fall Landscape with Rowboats in Watercolor on Paper
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Rowboat Outing - Fall Landscape with Rowboats in Watercolor on Paper Serene lakeside landscape by an unknown artist (20th Century). Two birch trees with bright yellow leaves are gro...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor

  • Blue Mountain Landscape and the Boat Races Watercolor on paper Double-Sided Art
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Blue Mountain Landscape in Watercolor on Paper, Double-Sided Art A pastel watercolor landscape with a distant snow-capped mountain, by California artist, Lucile Marie Johnston (1907-1994, American). Double-sided watercolor with modernist sailboat image on back in primary colors. Signature, "Lucile Johnston '70" at the bottom left. Presented in a new cream mat with foam core backing. Mat size: 20"H x 24"W Paper size: 13.75"H x 18.5"W Born in Santa Rosa, California on May 26, 1907, Lucile Johnston settled in Glendale 1930-1939, later moving to Carmel and then Pacific Grove in Monterey County, California where she remained. she managed Marsh's Oriental Antiques Shop...
    Category

    20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor

  • "Mountain Climbers" - Mountain Landscape in Watercolor on Paper
    Located in Soquel, CA
    "Mountain Climbers" - Mountain Landscape in Watercolor on Paper Serene mountain landscape by Margie Westcott (American, 1931-2018). The viewer stands...
    Category

    Late 20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor

  • Monterey Wharf - Figurative Landscape
    By Stephen John Skerce
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Detailed figurative watercolor landscape the Monterey Wharf with figures and boats by Stephen John Skerce (American, 1926-2010). Presented in a wooden frame. Signed "Skerce" lower le...
    Category

    1980s American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor

  • 1940s Netting the Catch
    By Walter P. Taylor
    Located in Soquel, CA
    Expressive watercolor figurative of fisherman pulling in the nets by Walter P. Taylor (American, 20th Century). Signed "W.P. Taylor U.S.N.R.'45 (for United States Naval Reserve)" low...
    Category

    1940s American Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor

You May Also Like
  • Mother and Children watercolor painting by John E. Costigan
    By John Costigan
    Located in Hudson, NY
    Painting measures 22" x 28" and framed 26" x 32" x 2" Hand-signed "J.E. Costigan NA 1952" lower left. About this artist: John Costigan was a self-taught painter distinguished by h...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor

  • 59th Street Bridge, Pennsylvania Impressionist Watercolor Cityscape
    By Walter Emerson Baum
    Located in Doylestown, PA
    "59th Street Bridge" is a 22" x 30" watercolor on paper cityscape of the Brooklyn Bridge and city skyline, painted by Pennsylvania Impressionist and...
    Category

    1940s American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Watercolor, Archival Paper

  • "Untitled 1, " Watercolor Painting
    Located in Denver, CO
    Clyde Steadman's "Untitled 1" is an original, handmade watercolor painting that depicts an urban landscape with human silhouettes.
    Category

    2010s American Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Paper, Watercolor

  • Pine trees in a river valley with the Blue Ridge Mountains - American School
    Located in Middletown, NY
    An unfinished but spirited plein-air composition of what appears to be the Shenandoah or Potomac River valley with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. Watercolor on board with...
    Category

    Early 1900s American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Crayon, Watercolor, Board

  • Newbury Street, Boston [Louis Boston / Bonwit Teller Building]
    Located in Boston, MA
    This watercolor by Charles Demetropoulos depicts a classical French Academic-style building which was designed in 1862 by architect William G. Preston as the new home of the Boston Society for Natural History, which had been founded in 1830. In the 1860’s, many of Boston’s cultural institutions relocated here to the Back Bay, the elegant residential district being built on the tidal marshes behind the city. When the museum moved here in 1863, the new building dominated the western edge of the landfill. The classical design reflected its role as a “temple of learning.” The building was later renovated into a women’s retail store known as Bonwit Teller and later became home to Louis Boston...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Watercolor

  • Fishing in a Lake
    Located in San Francisco, CA
    This artwork "Man Fishing in a Lake" c.1980, is a gouache on paper by noted Montana artist Shirley Cleary, b.1942. It is signed at the lower right corner by the artist. The artwork (image) size is 7 x 20 inches, framed size is 14.65 x 27.75 inches. Custom framed in a wooden gold frame, with light green matting and gold color spacer. It is in excellent condition, the frame have a very small minor restoration, practically invisible. About the artist: Shirley Cleary was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1942. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Washington University in St. Louis in 1964, studied at the University of Valencia in Spain in 1965, and at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia in 1966, in Rome in 1967, and received her Masters of Fine Arts in 1968. Shirley Cleary received her BFA Degree from Washington University in St. Louis and her MFA Degree from Tyler School of Art of Temple University in Philadelphia and Rome, Italy. She also studied at the University of Valencia (Spain) and the Corcoran in Washington, DC. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, has lived in Montana since 1971 and spends part of the winter painting and fishing in New Zealand. Her paintings have been featured in many publications including "American Artist", "Art West", "The Artist's Magazine", "US Art", "Inform Art", "Fly Fisher's Magazine", "Angler's Journal", "Disegnare & Dipingere" and in several issues of "Wildlife Art". She is listed in Samuel's "Contemporary Western Artists", "An Encyclopedia of Women Artists of the American West" and "Who's Who in American Art" (since 1987). Shirley has participated in many invitational and juried exhibitions including a one woman exhibition at the American Museum of Flyfishing in Manchester, Vermont and group exhibitions including "Women Artists of the West" at the Tucson Museum of Art in Arizona; Maryland Waterfowl Festival; Easton Academy of the Arts (Maryland) "the Art of Flyfishing-A Visual History"; Foothills Art Center (Golden, Colorado), "Rivers: The Song of Life", "Stampede Western Invitational Exhibit", (Greeley, Colorado); The Southeast Wildlife Festival in Charleston, South Carolina; "Wild Thing" and "The Artful Angler" and the CM Russell Auction at CM Russell Museum (Great Falls, Montana). Her work is licensed through Wild Wings, Inc., Lake City, Minnesota. Shirley was the winner of the 1990 Oregon Trout Stamp/Print competition and the 1992 Association of Northwest Steelheaders Stamp/ Print. In 1999 she received the "Communication in Conservation Award" from National Trout Unlimited and was the 2001 print...
    Category

    Late 20th Century American Impressionist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

    Materials

    Gouache

Recently Viewed

View All