Items Similar to 1930s Watercolor of a Chicago Rail Yard by Notable Chicago Artist Tunis Ponsen
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9
Tunis Ponsen1930s Watercolor of a Chicago Rail Yard by Notable Chicago Artist Tunis Ponsenca. 1930s
ca. 1930s
About the Item
A 1930s Watercolor titled "Chicago Rail Yard" by important Chicago/Michigan artist Tunis Ponsen. Image size: 10 1/2" x 15 1/2". Framed size: 18" x 23 1/2". This watercolor comes from the notable Friedlander Collection of Chicago.
Tunis Ponsen (1891-1968) Fishing Boats Riding at Anchor
The paintings of Tunis Ponsen are among the most underestimated works in the both academia and the art market. For 37 years Tunis Ponsen painted oils, watercolors, and drawings detailing his impressions and understanding of American life. Critically acclaimed during his lifetime, Ponsen was widely exhibited in Chicago and achieved a modicum of praise and financial success.
Beginning his sojourn as an artist relatively late at age 30, Ponsen had been in the United States only a brief period when he began to paint. He emigrated from his native Holland in 1913 and settled in Muskegon, Michigan where he began his new life as a professional house painter. It was during his 30th year, that a local patron of the arts helped Ponsen to have his first solo exhibition at the Hackley Gallery in Muskegon. Ponsen's success as a traditional painter strengthened in 1924 when he relocated to Chicago in order to attend the Art Institute. There he studied with Karl Buehr, George Oberteuffer, and Leon Kroll.
Ponsen continuously exhibited his work over the years, between 1924 and 1938; his work was included in 34 museum exhibitions. His work found a supportive audience in the Detroit Institute of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Flint Institute of Arts, Muskegon Museum of Art, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, among others. Throughout his career, critics favored him with positive commentary, such as Irwin St. John, critic for the Chicago Herald & Examiner, who stated
"[Mr. Ponsen] brings to his art the serious solidity of a Dutch Conception. He builds his foundations deep and true, and on them erects his painting - even though it be of a subject as transitory as a clouds or a sail flapping in the wind - with careful methodical structure, until the passing moment he has seized upon stand fixed for all time. This man takes what we used to call modernism, gets the good out of it, and makes it glorious."
In 1926, Ponsen, like many of his contemporaries, flocked to the colony in Gloucester, Mass. to capture the timeless wharves, boats, fisherman, and townships. There he studied from American Impressionist masters such as Charles Hawthorne and Richard Miller the art of plein-air. Ponsen was inspired by the harbor scenes he found there. "Wharfing and shipping seem to have a special fascination for the artist whose fishing boats riding at anchor look easily capable of sailing away to the fishing grounds and the day's haul."
One observer from a 1938 exhibition noted that "Ponsen's paintings' grow on you. At first they may strike you as a trifle harsh, perhaps a bit too blunt. But go back to the creations again and you will appreciate that while Ponsen's method is conscientiously abrupt, it is far from crude. You begin to feel the downright integrity of the artist. These paintings are not color poems, mood symphonies or anything of the sort. This is prose, straightforward and deliberate... shorn of all superlatives, done by a man well trained in the grammar of art."
Ponsen painted until his death in 1968. He settled in Chicago as a landscape painter and was a member of the Chicago Painters and Sculptors, Chicago Gallery Association, and the Chicago Society of Artists. While Ponsen's works are mostly associated with the impressionistic school, his careful use of bold color and sweeping brushstrokes are often reminiscent of another prestigious Dutch artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Tunis Ponsen is best known for his use of urban scenes, country landscapes, and harbor scenes.
A critic once said "He is never guilty of adding sugar and spice that might make a rich and popular pastry for rapid and eager consumption. Rather, his work is as substantial and wholesome as bread - and no more difficult to digest."
Source: "The Lost Paintings of Tunis Ponsen", Muskegon Museum of Art, 1994.
- Creator:Tunis Ponsen (1891 - 1968, American, Dutch)
- Creation Year:ca. 1930s
- Dimensions:Height: 18 in (45.72 cm)Width: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)
- More Editions & Sizes:Framed size: 18" x 23 1/2"Price: $950
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:See Photos.
- Gallery Location:Chicago, IL
- Reference Number:Seller: #81601stDibs: LU2591215785442
About the Seller
5.0
Recognized Seller
These prestigious sellers are industry leaders and represent the highest echelon for item quality and design.
Established in 2000
1stDibs seller since 2023
50 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 8 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Chicago, IL
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View All1950s Cubist Watercolor "Dry Dock, Burrard Shipyard, Vancouver" by Rita Duis
Located in Chicago, IL
A Cubist watercolor on paper, titled "Dry Dock, Burrard Shipyard, Vancouver" by Chicago and New York artist Rita Duis (Astley-Bell). Image size: 14 3/4" x 22". Archivally matted t...
Category
1950s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
Delightful ca. 1950s Cubist Harbor Scene by Artist Rita Duis (Astley-Bell)
Located in Chicago, IL
A ca. 1950s Cubist watercolor of a brightly-colored dock scene by Chicago and New York artist Rita Duis (Astley-Bell). Archivally matted to 14" x 18".
Artist Rita Duis (Astley-Bell...
Category
1950s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
1941 Watercolor of Chicago's Old Town, Titled "Wells & Eugenie" by Albert Rudin
Located in Chicago, IL
A wonderful 1941 watercolor of Chicago's Old Town neighborhood that features an old car, titled "Wells & Eugenie" by Albert Rudin. Image size: 11 1/2" x 15 1/2". Framed size: 18"...
Category
1940s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
A 1940s American Scene Watercolor of a Chicago Street Scene by Grace Spongberg
Located in Chicago, IL
A 1940s American Scene watercolor depicting a snowy Chicago Street Scene by artist Grace Spongberg. Image size: 12 1/2" x 17". Framed size: 18 1/2" x 22 1/2". This painting come...
Category
1940s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
1930s Cheerful Watercolor of a Chicago Street Scene by Constantine Pougialis
Located in Chicago, IL
A 1930s cheerful & colorful watercolor depicting a Chicago Street scene by artist Constantine Pougialis. Image size: 15" x 22". Painting bears its original frame, which measures 21...
Category
1930s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Captivating Mid-Century Watercolor of an Old Chicago House by George Yelich
Located in Chicago, IL
A captivating Mid-Century watercolor of an old Chicago house (with a female figure standing in the window) by Chicago artist George Yelich. The watercolor bears its original frame. ...
Category
1950s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
You May Also Like
Mid Century Modern Painting American interior table scape Framed Red Stripe B&W
Located in Buffalo, NY
Dorothy Rivo
Still Life with Striped Wall
Acrylic on panel
Framed dimensions: 24 in. H × 26 in. W
Contemporary black frame
Dorothy Rivo’s Still Life with Striped Wall distills the s...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Watercolor Painting American Modern Painting Gloucester Harbor Female Artist
Located in Buffalo, NY
Dorothy Rivo
Gloucester Harbor, c. 1950s
Watercolor and ink on paper
Framed dimensions: 34 in. H × 30 in. W
Contemporary black frame with white archival mat
In Gloucester Harbor, Do...
Category
1940s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Archival Ink, Watercolor, Archival Paper
Watercolor Painting American Modern Painting Bridge Harbor Female Artist 1950
Located in Buffalo, NY
Dorothy Rivo
Untitled (Bridge Tower), c. 1960s–70s
Acrylic on paper, floated in a mat
Framed dimensions: 30 in. H × 24 in. W
Contemporary walnut or black wood frame with white archiv...
Category
1940s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Archival Ink, Watercolor, Archival Paper, Acrylic
Old Door
By Richard Anuszkiewicz
Located in New York, NY
Richard Anuszkiewicz
Old Door, 1953
Watercolor on paper
Signed and dated by the artist on the lower right front
20 × 14 inches
Unframed
This unique and extre...
Category
1950s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
4 American Watercolors, c. 1950s, by Mary M. Johnsen
Located in New York, NY
Mary M. Johnsen
Four Paintings, c. 1950s
Watercolor
Dimensions:
1. Mat: 18 x 21 1/4 in., page: 8 x 12 1/4 in.
2. Page: 14 7/8 x 22 in.
3. Mat: 15 x 19 in., page: 10 1/2 x 14 1/2 in....
Category
1950s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Watercolor
Watercolor of Doylestown, PA by Ranulph Bye
Located in New York, NY
Ranulph Bye (American, 1916-2003)
Rocks and Trees (Doylestown, PA), 1958
Watercolor on paper
14 x 21 in.
Framed: 23 1/8 x 30 1/4 in.
Signed bottom: Ranulph...
Category
1950s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Watercolor, Paper
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Academy Arts Chicago
American Impressionist Chicago
Van Gogh Drawings
Gallery Flock
Vintage Pastry
Watercolor Painting Gloucester
Paintings Of Pastries
Gloucester Harbor
Dutch Harbor Painting
Hawthorne Vintage
Hawthorne Fine Art
Boat Yards
Hawthorne Vintage Modern
Irwin Hollander
Canadian Oil Paintings
Paintings Of Madrid
Beautiful Nude
Flower Portrait Painting