20th Century Landscape Drawings and Watercolors

A significant early 20th century landscape watercolor of the paradisical gardens at San Anton Palace in Attard, Malta by Nicholas Krasnoff, 1920 (Russian, 1864-1939). This beautiful piece is a wonderful example of the renowned Russian architect's prized watercolors, created while he was exiled to Malta in the early 1920's. Depicting a lush garden full of blooming, colorful flowers and a stately fountain at the San Anton Palace in Malta, one can see the deft hand and attention to detail rendered by the proficient artist and architect's hand. Signed "N. Krasnoff" lower right. Titled and dated "Malta, St. Antonio 1920". Unframed. Measures 10.25"H x 14.25"W. Right corner has a crease from being bent. Nikolay Petrovich Krasnov, also known as Nicholas Krasnoff or Peter Nicholas Krasnoff, was a Russian Serbian architect and painter. He served as Chief Architect of Yalta, Crimea (1887-1899). From 1922 he lived and worked in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and was a key figure in the architectural development of Belgrade. Attending the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in 1876, aged 12. As a young artist he received patronage from Sergey Tretyakov, brother of the founder of Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery, and entrepreneur Petar Gubonyin. In 1887 Krasnov became Chief Architect in Yalta. At the age of 23, Krasnov had large responsibility for the rapid growth of the city. He expanded the promenade, which by 1913 became the city's main street, before creating a new city plan in 1889 (including a new sewer system, planning regulations, new streets, prevention of unregulated construction, a school and children's hospital, and the construction of the Pushkin Boulevard). Two concrete bridges were built over the river, and the embankment strengthened. Krasnov also ran a private practice in Yalta until 1911. Among his most famous work is the Livadia Palace, later the location of the 1945 Yalta Conference. Designed over 60 buildings in Crimea, blending a modernist style with local traditions. Also of note: Dulber Palace, Koreiz (1895-97), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Yalta (1902), Yusupov Palace, Koreiz (1909), Kokkoz Jami Mosque, Sokolyne (1910). In 1913, he presented a collection of illustrations he had produced of his works to the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he held the title of academician. An opponent of the Russian Revolution, he left Yalta with his family in 1919 for Malta, alongside the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna, sister of Queen Alexandra, and over 600 members of the Russian aristocracy. Nikolay was in a group housed in the empty Villa St Ignatius, which had been a Jesuit college and then a hospital during World War I. To earn money, Nikolay painted many scenes of Malta, signing his paintings as N. Krasnoff. He is known as Nicholas Krasnoff in Malta. In May 2016 MaltaPost issued a commemorative set of stamps in his honor. In 1922 Krasnov moved to Belgrade, then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, where he became head of the Department of Monumental Architectural Developments and Monuments. His building designs in Serbia number around 60, and were created under the name Nikola Krasnov, as a mark of respect to his adopted homeland. His key works in Belgrade include: Ministry of Forestry building (now Ministry of Foreign Affairs) (1923) which bears a memorial plaque...

Mid Century River Birches Landscape Watercolor Gorgeous vibrant mid century watercolor on paper painting of river birch trees by artist Eva Collins Marks (American, 20th century),19...

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

Karl Feiertag (c.1874-1944) was an Austrian painter. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna with Franz Rumpler, Kasimir Pochwalski, and Josef Mathias Trenkwald. He wo...

This artwork "Balanced Rock" in the Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO" c.1950 is a watercolor on paper by noted California artist Ted Lewy, 1912-1963. It is hand signed at the...

Gaston COPPENS (1909 - 2002) Paris : Moulin Rouge of Montmartre Original watercolor and tempera Bearing the artist stamp on the back On drawing paper 42 x 53 cm (c. 17 x 21 inch) E...

To see our other Architectural Drawings, Stained Glass designs and 20th Century British Art, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller." ...

Snowy landscape by Maine artist Fannie Mae Cunningham (American, 20th Century). Tags on verso from previous backing have been preserved. Presented in a new grey-blue mat...

Located in heart of Mayfair, this fine watercolour captures the hustle and bustle of Berkeley Square. Well-presented in a large gilt-effect frame with a wash-line mount. The artist h...

Carcassonne Citadel, France - Pastel Drawing by Charles Sumner Schneider Dramatic black and white pastel drawing of Carcassonne Citadel, France by Ohio...

This artwork "Landscape with Cattle" c.1930 is a watercolor by noted American artist Raphael Senseman, 1870-1966 It is signed at the lower right ...

Landscape is an original pencil and pen drawing on ivory-colorated cardboard by Herta Hausmann (1916-?). In very good condition. Not signed. Stamp of the atelier on the back. Imag...

Early 20th century Italian figurative landscape of a traditional wheat field harvest scene, by S. Frosini (Italian, 20th Century). This figurative landscape in gouache depicts in gre...

Signed lower left, 'J. W. Nicoll' for John W. Nicoll (American, 1865-1943), titled lower left, 'Santa Barbara' and painted circa 1925. Sheet dimensions: 9 x 12.75 inches. A luminous, early twentieth-century landscape showing a picturesque view of a Spanish style cottage set in a lush garden with a view beyond towards the Santa Ynez Mountains rising towards clouded, blue skies. An unusual and elegant view of old-time Santa Barbara that retains much of its crispness and freshness of color. Born in New York, John Nicoll first studied with his uncle, the landscape painter, James Nicoll. He subsequently moved to Paris where he furthered his education for three years under Bouguereau and Ferrier at the Académie Julian. He then continued on to Seville where he studied for three years at the Academia Real, spending his winters traveling and painting in North Africa. By 1899, Nicoll had settled in Pasadena where he painted, exhibited and taught drawing at the College of Fine Arts from 1906-1935. Upon his retirement, he moved to San Diego where he continued to paint and exhibit until his death in 1943. Over the course of a long career, James Nicoll exhibited widely and with success including at the Stickley Building, Pasadena, 1899; Blanchard Hall, Los Angeles, 1899; the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St Louis, 1904; the Ruskin Art Club, Los Angeles, 1904; Lewis & Clark Expo Portland, 1905 (Bronze Medal); the Painters Club, Los Angeles, 1906-09; the Nicholson Gallery...

An attractive view of Berry Pomeray Castle, illustrated through a blustery opening in woodland trees. Well-presented in a large hardwood frame. Signed to the lower right and dated 57...

Gaston COPPENS (1909 - 2002) Savage Sea Coast near Saint Tropez Original charcoal drawing Bearing the stamp of the artist on the back On drawing paper 65 x ...

This artwork "Landscape in Red" c.1980 is a watercolor on heavy watercolor paper by California artist Charlotte Huntley. It is signed at the lower ri...

Latvia-born William Sanderson became a contributor to the New Yorker and New Masses magazines during the 1930s. He was drafted into the Army during World Wa...

"Lock Ness" Lake Watercolor Landscape on Paper Expansive landscape of Loch Ness by R.C. Lees (Scottish). The viewer looks out over Lock Ness, from a high vantage point. There is a l...

Serene winter landscape by Grace Eichholz (American, b. 1927). Signed "G. EICHHOLZ" in the lower left corner. Artist info and title on verso. Presented in a double mat of cream and w...

Blooming Apple Trees on Union Street - Finnish Landscape in Charcoal on Paper Lovely drawing of a country street by Finnish surrealist Otto Makila (1904-...

Wonderful winter watercolor landscape of a snowy scene by an unknown artist (American, 20th Century). Signed "Marieteresa" lower right. Presented in a giltwood frame. Image size, 8"H...

Subject: Cityscape, signed in Hebrew Medium: Watercolor Surface: Paper Shmuel Katz (Hebrew: שמואל כ"ץ‎) (August 18, 1926 – March 26, 2010) was an Israeli artist, illustrator, and car...

A lush, historic watercolor figurative landscape by C. Harry Allis (American, 1870-1938). Signed and dated "C. Harry Allis 1919" lower right. Displ...

A vibrant coastal landscape showing a view of a jetty extending into the cove of a beachside town with a view to mountains beyond. Signed lower right, 'Nadine Pizzo' and painted circa 1960. Born in San Francisco, Nadine Pizzo was educated at UC Berkeley and the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco. After marrying artist Sal Pizzo in the late 1930s, Overpack Pizzo moved to Sonoma County in 1976, where she continued painting until her death in 1985. Nadine Pizzo exhibited successfully on the West Coast, including a solo exhibition at the California Palace Legion of Honor...

View of Henningsvaer Lofoten is an Original Watercolor realized by Armin Guther in 1986. Good condition, included a white cardboard passpartout (50x40 cm). Hand-signed and dated on...

This artwork "Oxford Cityscape #1" 1972 is a watercolor by noted architectural British artist, Ken Messer 1931-2017. It is signed and dated at the lower right corner by the artist. The artwork size is 20 x 11.25 inches, framed is 26,85 x 17.75 inches. It is custom framed in his original wooden gold and green frame. Artwork and frame are in very good condition. About the artist. After attending City of Oxford High School for Boys, where he excelled at rugby and cricket, he started work as an accountant in the city. He then moved on to become a steward for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). In the 1960’s Mr Messer was involved in a car accident which would end his sporting career and change his working life. When he left his job with BOAC he became a graphic designer at Pergamon Press, owned by Robert Maxwell, which allowed him time to pursue his real passion which was painting watercolours. He rose through the ranks at Pergamon to become studio manager and when he could progress no further he decided to become a full time artist, a role from which he never retired. He quickly became well-known for his paintings of Oxford...

Landscape is an Artwork  realized by  the Artist Michel Cornille. Drawing on  paper, Hand-signed by the artist on the lower right corner. The artwork is glued on cardboard. Total d...

Street with figures is an original pencil and china ink drawing realized by Helen Vogt, in 1929. The state of preservation is very good. Not signed. Stamp of the artist on the ...

Bright abstracted landscape by Maxine "Mickey" Spencer (American, 1927-2011). Strong blues and magentas create an abstracted scene, evoking a body of water with trees...

"Good Health Week" WPA American Scene Mid 20th Century Modern Social Realism Jo Cain (1904 – 2003) Good Health Week 10 ½ x 15 1/2 inches Oil on pape...

Beautiful original watercolor of Provincetown Harbor in first light by the well known artist John Cuthbert Hare. Signed lower right. Condition is excellent. The watercolor is hou...

John Strickland Goodall John Strickland Goodall was born in Heacham, Norfolk on 7 June 1908. He was the son of a famous heart specialist who boasted seven generations of medics, and...

Landscape is an original drawing in China ink and watercolor on paper, realized by Ermanno Pavarino in 1969. The state of preservation of the artwork is very good. Hand-signed and d...

Ships at the Harbor - Nautical Seascape in Charcoal on Paper Detailed and layered harbor scene by Maude Folmar Ramsey (American, 1908-1993). The viewer is looking out at the harbor, across the water from the docks, buildings, and ships. The pillars, buildings, and masts are jumbled together in a pleasing manner that is almost abstract. Despite the simplified shapes, this piece is full of detail. This piece is executed in a rectilinear style frequently seen in American mid-century modern compositions. Signed in the lower right corner "Maude Folmar" Presented in a wood frame with a double mat. Frame size: 25.25"H x 29.25"W Image size: 17"H x 21.5"W Maude Love (Folmar) Ramsey (American, 1908-1993) studied at the School of Fine Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She was the director of the Laguna Gloria Art Museum from 1968-1972. Ramsey was one of the charter members of the “Waterloo...

Lighthearted Illustration of Outdoor Pursuits This one being a Skiing scene, a boy and a girl on skis. signed W. Steig Provenance: from Mrs. Joseph B. Ryan, Commissioned by Joe Ryan for the bar at his ski resort, Mount Tremblant Lodge, in 1938. Mont Tremblant, P.Q., Canada Watercolor and ink on illustration board, sights sizes 8 1/2 x 16 1/2 in., framed. In 1938 Joe Ryan, described as a millionaire from Philadelphia, bushwhacked his way to the summit of Mont Tremblant and was inspired to create a world class ski resort at the site. In 1939 he opened the Mont Tremblant Lodge, which remains part of the Pedestrian Village today. This original illustration is on Whatman Illustration board. the board measures 14 X 22 inches. label from McClees Galleries, Philadelphia, on the frame backing paper. William Steig, 1907 – 2003 was an American cartoonist, sculptor, and, in his later life, an illustrator and writer of children's books. Best known for the picture books Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Abel's Island, and Doctor De Soto, he was also the creator of Shrek!, which inspired the film series of the same name. He was the U.S. nominee for both of the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Awards, as a children's book illustrator in 1982 and a writer in 1988. Steig was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1907, and grew up in the Bronx. His parents were Polish-Jewish immigrants from Austria, both socialists. His father, Joseph Steig, was a house painter, and his mother, Laura Ebel Steig, was a seamstress who encouraged his artistic leanings. As a child, he dabbled in painting and was an avid reader of literature. Among other works, he was said to have been especially fascinated by Pinocchio.He graduated from Townsend Harris High School at 15 but never completed college, though he attended three, spending two years at City College of New York, three years at the National Academy of Design and a mere five days at the Yale School of Fine Arts before dropping out of each. Hailed as the "King of Cartoons" Steig began drawing illustrations and cartoons for The New Yorker in 1930, producing more than 2,600 drawings and 117 covers for the magazine. Steig, later, when he was 61, began writing children's books. In 1968, he wrote his first children's book. He excelled here as well, and his third book, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (1969), won the Caldecott Medal. He went on to write more than 30 children's books, including the Doctor DeSoto series, and he continued to write into his nineties. Among his other well-known works, the picture book Shrek! (1990) formed the basis for the DreamWorks Animation film Shrek (2001). After the release of Shrek 2 in 2004, Steig became the first sole-creator of an animated movie franchise that went on to generate over $1 billion from theatrical and ancillary markets after only one sequel. Along with Maurice Sendak, Saul Steinberg, Ludwig Bemelmans and Laurent de Brunhofff his is one of those rare cartoonist whose works form part of our collective cultural heritage. In 1984, Steig's film adaptation of Doctor DeSoto directed by Michael Sporn was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. As one of the most admired cartoonists of all time, Steig spent seven decades drawing for the New Yorker magazine. He touched generations of readers with his tongue–in–cheek pen–and–ink drawings, which often expressed states of mind like shame, embarrassment or anger. Later in life, Steig turned to children's books, working as both a writer and illustrator. Steig's children's books were also wildly popular because of the crazy, complicated language he used—words like lunatic, palsied, sequestration, and cleave. Kids love the sound of those words even if they do not quite understand the meaning. Steig's descriptions were also clever. He once described a beached whale as "breaded with sand." Throughout the course of his career, Steig compiled his cartoons and drawings into books. Some of them were published first in the New Yorker. Others were deemed too dark to be printed there. Most of these collections centered on the cold, dark psychoanalytical truth about relationships. They featured husbands and wives fighting and parents snapping at their kids. His first adult book, Man About Town, was published in 1932, followed by About People, published in 1939, which focused on social outsiders. Sick of Each Other, published in 2000, included a drawing depicting a wife holding her husband at gunpoint, saying, "Say you adore me." According to the Los Angeles Times, fellow New Yorker artist Edward Sorel...

Landscape is an original drawing in watercolor and China ink on paper realized by the French contemporary artist Gérard Guyomard. Hand-signed on the l...

Serene mid-century seascape of a vivid cyan blue coastal tide pool by Joseph Yeager (American, 20th Century). Signed "Joe Yeager" in the lower right corner....

Signed lower right: John Whorf Provenance Private collection Sand Dunes, Cape Cod amply demonstrates John Whorf’s expert handling of the watercolor medium. The fluidity of his styl...

Estate stamped, lower left, 'Wm. A. Gaw' for William Alexander Gaw (American, 1891-1973) and painted circa 1935. William Alexander Gaw was born ...

The Tree is an original Drawing on paper realized by painter Pierre Georges Jeanniot (1848-1934). Drawing in pencil and watercolor. Hand-signed on the lower. Good conditions. The...

Landscape is an original drawing in pencil on paper realized by an Anonymous artist of the XX century. The State of preservation is very good with the traces of time and some small...

Veteran Cypress at Carmel California by Hugh Moran 1936 Pastel painting of the Veteran Cypress at Carmel, California 1936 by Portrait and landscape artist Hugh Moran (American 19th-20th C.) A Califronia artist whom in 1949 was commissioned to paint Herbert Hoovers...

Karl Feiertag (c.1874-1944) was an Austrian painter. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna with Franz Rumpler, Kasimir Pochwalski, and Josef Mathias Trenkwald. He wo...

River in winter. 1987, oil on board, 40x50 cm Winter landscape by the river Edgars Vinters (1919-2014) Edgars Vinters is working in oil, watercolor and monotype techniques. He paint...

A charming gouache scene of an idyllic Italian street, with a mother and child out enjoying the blue skies and afternoon sunshine. The artist has indistinctly signed to the lower rig...

Here for your consideration is a beautifully executed watercolor of a bucolic New England series of village houses by the American artist, Gary Shepard. ...

Serene, beautifully executed watercolor, using a wide spectrum of color with a delicate and subtle hand, by Don Kitz (American, 1939-2019), c.1970. Feel the peace and serenity of thi...

Signed lower right, 'M. Cailliet' and dated 1940; additionally inscribed verso, 'Marcel Emile Cailliet, Los Angeles'. A softly-painted, Regionalist landscape showing a woman standing in the shade of a tree beside a path leading to a rural, clap-board house. This listed member of the California Watercolor Society, emigrated from Dijon, France to New York...

Title: "Mid Century French Original Ink Drawing of Place des Vosges (Paris 1970)" Artist: Josine Vignon (French 1922-2022) Medium: Ink on artist paper Size: 19.75 (height) x 25.75...

untitled (Maine Landscape near Mt. Desert Island) Watercolor on paper, c. 1945-1955 Signed by the artist lower left (see photo) Provenance: Estate of the artist Condition: Excellent ...

Sketches of a Car is an Original Pencil Drawing realized by an Unknown artist in mid-20th century. Good condition on a yellowed paper. No signature.

This artwork " Oxford Cityscape #2" 1972 is a watercolor by noted architectural British artist, Ken Messer 1931-2017. It is signed and dated at the lower left corner by the artist. The artwork size is 10.5 x 13.65 inches, framed size is 15.85 x 19 inches. It is custom framed in his original wooden gold and green frame. Artwork and frame are in very good condition. About the artist. After attending City of Oxford High School for Boys, where he excelled at rugby and cricket, he started work as an accountant in the city. He then moved on to become a steward for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). In the 1960’s Mr Messer was involved in a car accident which would end his sporting career and change his working life. When he left his job with BOAC he became a graphic designer at Pergamon Press, owned by Robert Maxwell, which allowed him time to pursue his real passion which was painting watercolours. He rose through the ranks at Pergamon to become studio manager and when he could progress no further he decided to become a full time artist, a role from which he never retired. He quickly became well-known for his paintings of Oxford...

Landscape is an original drawing in watercolor on paper realized by an unknown artist of the 19th Century. Hand-signed on the lower right, the signature is illegible. The state o...

This artwork "Street in Oxford" 1972 is a watercolor by noted architectural British artist, Ken Messer 1931-2017. It is signed and dated at the lower left corner by the artist. The artwork size is 14,60 x 10.15 inches, framed size is 21.65 x 15.65 inches. It is custom framed in his original wooden gold and green frame. Artwork and frame are in very good condition. About the artist. After attending City of Oxford High School for Boys, where he excelled at rugby and cricket, he started work as an accountant in the city. He then moved on to become a steward for the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). In the 1960’s Mr Messer was involved in a car accident which would end his sporting career and change his working life. When he left his job with BOAC he became a graphic designer at Pergamon Press, owned by Robert Maxwell, which allowed him time to pursue his real passion which was painting watercolours. He rose through the ranks at Pergamon to become studio manager and when he could progress no further he decided to become a full time artist, a role from which he never retired. He quickly became well-known for his paintings of Oxford...

A beautiful and rare double-sided watercolor by the prolific contemporary Italian painter Marco Sassone (Italian, b.1942). In this early work, created in 1969, Sassone depicts two different sunset harbor scenes on each side of the paper. On the front, the artist uses a warm color palette of orange and yellow hues to depict a glowing sunset illuminating boats in a harbor. A second view of the harbor with small boats in the foreground on verso. Sassone's signature painterly impressionistic brushstrokes can be seen in the way the artist depicts the water in both watercolors. Signed and dated on verso, "M. Sassone 69". Displayed in a dark wood frame with mat. Image size: 10.5"H x 17"W. “One of the foremost colorists working in America today, Sassone is an artist who developed his own personal, expressive vision early in his career, and who has steadfastly remained faithful to it while refining and developing it to the full power and maturity that is seen in his works today.”Janet Dominik, Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, 1988. Marco Sassone was born in Campi Bisenzio, a Tuscan village, in 1942. The family moved to Florence in 1954, and there he met painters Ottone Rosai and Ugo Maturo, who encouraged him to follow his interest in art. In 1959 he enrolled at the Istituto Galileo Galilei, where he studied architectural drafting for several years. In 1963 he studied with painter Silvio Loffredo, a professor of art at the Accademia in Florence, himself a pupil of the Austrian master Oskar Kokoschka. Loffredo encouraged him to develop his own style and vision. For inspiration, Sassone studied the works of the 19th century Italian impressionists, the Macchiaioli – Giovanni Fattori, Vito D’Ancona and Silvestro Lega. He began exhibiting his first works at Lo Sprone Cultural Center in Florence. In November 1967, soon after the flood had devastated his city, Sassone moved to California. He exhibited for the first time in the United States at the Dalzell-Hatfield Galleries in Los Angeles and became a regular exhibitor at the annual Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach. Throughout the seventies, he exhibited extensively in the U.S. and abroad. In 1976 he collaborated with director John Wilson to produce an autobiographical documentary. The following year his work was exhibited at the National Academy of Design in New York. Marco Sassone received a gold medal in 1978 from the Italian Academy of Arts, Literature and Science. In 1979 the monograph Sassone by art historian Donelson Hoopes was published in concurrence with the artist’s exhibition at the Laguna Art Museum. With prescience, Hoopes had observed: “Sassone’s art has evolved from within, and such an organic, psychological and spiritual process may take his work along new and unforeseen paths.” In 1981 Sassone moved his studio to San Francisco. During the 80’s his exhibition schedule continued along with his numerous lectures. In 1982 Marco Sassone was knighted by the president of Italy, Sandro Pertini, into the “Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic”. In 1987 Sassone received a commendation from Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley for his “contribution to the community through his art.” In March 1988, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery mounted his solo exhibition titled Sassone with the publication of a catalogue authored by Janet Dominik. The show travelled to Paris and was installed at the historic Bernheim-Jeune Gallery for the month of April. By the late eighties, the artist had become increasingly concerned with social themes. He began extensive and personal research on the homeless and painted a series of large canvasses and charcoal drawings portraying the life he observed on the streets of San Francisco. A number of these works were exhibited at the Chicago International Art Exposition, the Basel Art Fair in Switzerland, Body Politic at the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery and Issue of Choice at the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibition (LACE). In March of 1994, his exhibition “Home on the Streets” opened at the Museo ItaloAmericano in San Francisco. Kenneth Baker, art critic for the San Francisco Chronicle wrote about his work: “There is true technical brilliance here…In the drawings, his technique seems to discover fresh descriptive possibilities each time out.” The exhibition traveled to Los Angeles in 1996 and Florence, Italy in 1997, where it was installed in the Cloisters of the Santa Croce Church. Paola Bortolotti, art critic for La Nazione, wrote: “The persistent theme however does not carry a denunciation of a social problem, but it is rather the pretext to pour forth onto canvas the urgency of the brush strokes loaded with pigment and light.” In 1997 Marco Sassone received a commission to create a 200 square foot mural in downtown San Francisco. The finished work comprised five canvasses dedicated to the theme of Il Palio...

Beautiful 1903 impressionist fragment of a California landscape by Karl Yens (1868-1945, German). Watercolor on paper, created in 1903. Presented in...

Abstract watercolor composition bearing the influence of the earlier color-block compositions of Paul Klee. Pawel August Kontny, (Polish-German-American artist) He was born in Laurahuette, Poland, in 1923, the son of a wealthy pastry shop owner. In 1939 he began studying architecture in Breslau where he was introduced to the European masters and to the work of some of the German Expressionists, soon afterward banned as "degenerate artists" and removed from museums throughout Germany by the Nazi regime. His studies were interrupted by World War II. Drafted into the German army, traveling in many countries as a soldier, he sketched various landscapes but in 1945, he was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Italy. After the war, he studied at the Union of Nuremberg Architects to help design buildings to replace ones destroyed in the war. He recorded his impressions of the local population and the landscapes through his watercolors and drawings. Pawel Kontny thereafter moved to Nuremberg, Germany, becoming a member of the Union of Nuremberg Architects and helping to rebuild the city's historic center. He soon decided to concentrate on his professional art career. He married Irmgard Laurer, a dancer with the Nuremberg Opera. Pavel Kontny 's career as an artist was launched with his participation in an all German exhibition, held at the Dusseldorf Museum in 1952. He held one-man shows in Germany, Switzerland and the United States. During his trip to the United States in 1960, Kontny became instantly enamored with Colorado, and decided to relocate to Cherry Hills with his wife and two children. He quickly established himself in the local art community, being affiliated for a time with Denver Art Galleries and Saks Galleries. His subject matter became the Southwest. During this time he received the Prestigious Gold Medal of the Art Academy of Rome. His extensive travel provided material for the paintings he did using his hallmark marble dust technique. he also worked equally in pastel, watercolor, charcoal and pencil-and-ink. in a style which merged abstraction and realist styles, influenced by Abstract Expressionist painting and South Western American landscapes. This one bears the influence of Sam Francis. In the early 1960s he was one of only a few European-born professional artists in the state, a select group that included Herbert Bayer (1900-1985), a member of the prewar Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau, Germany, and Roland Detre (1903-2001), a Hungarian modernist painter. As a Denver, Colorado resident, Pavel Kontny exhibited at galleries and museums throughout the United States, Germany and Japan. There, he was inspired by frequent trips to Native American pueblos in the Southwest, as well as by the study of the Plains Indians of Montana and Wyoming. Over the years Kontny had a number of students and generously helped young artist by hosting exhibitions at his Cherry Hills home. For many years he generously donated his paintings to support charitable causes in Denver. Influences during his European years included German pastelist C.O. Muller, German Informel painter Karl Dahmen and Swiss artist, Hans Erni. In the early 1950s his painting style showed the influence of the Die Brücke (The Bridge), a group of German expressionist artists formed in Dresden in 1905 who had a major impact on the evolution of modern art in the twentieth century in Germany. By the middle of the decade his style incorporated more referential abstraction and total abstraction, resulting in part from his study of Hans Hartung, a German artist based in Paris who exhibited his gestural abstract work in Germany. The American moon landing in 1969 inspired Paul Kontny...