Arch More Art

A fine spring scene in historic Williamsburg, Virginia with the Governor’s Palace in the background by American artist Guy Carleton Wiggins (1883-1962). Wiggins was born in Brooklyn,...

Antique European impressionist oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Handsomely framed in period giltwood molding. Excellent cond...

A fine impressionist woodland scene with a brook and birches by American artist Paul Bernard King (1867-1947). King was born in Buffalo, New York, and after becoming an established printer, went on to study at the NY Art Students League with Henry S. Mowbray. While a student, he became an illustrator for Life and Harper’s magazines, and went on to become well known for his portraits, landscapes, rural scenes, and illustrations. Oil on canvas, signed lower right, inscribed title on verso stretcher “Paul King, Stony Brook...

A fine landscape of a golf course, probably The Country Club, Brookline, MA by American artist Arthur Clifton Goodwin (1864-1929). Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Goodwin lived an...

Vintage American impressionist flower still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 32 by 38 inches overall. Handso...

This bright and colorful floral painting, "Subtlety in Pink, is an 8x8 still life oil painting on board by Maryann Lucas. An expressive floral study featuring a soft pink bloom emer...

Nicely painted Flamenco dancer portrait. Framed. Oil on board. Signed. Image size, 20H by 16L.

Julien Celos 1884 – Antwerp – 1953 Belgian Painter 'Mother and Child in Zeeland' Signature: signed lower middle left 'Julien Célos' Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: image size 64 x 52 cm; frame size 84 x 73 cm Biography: Julien Célos (Antwerp, 30 September 1884 – 8 September 1953) was a Belgian painter and etcher, born to a French father, celebrated for his poetic views of Flemish towns and his remarkable colour prints. He trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp under Franz Courtens and also benefited from the teaching of Albert Baertsoen, whose influence is evident in his taste for urban atmospheres, misty canals and subtle tonalities. Working at a time when luminism shaped much Belgian painting, Célos adopted certain aspects of its research into light and atmospheric effects while maintaining a distinctive, calm and lyrical sensibility. The greater part of his output was devoted to rural landscapes and the towns of Belgian Flanders—Bruges, Mechelen, Ghent and Antwerp—as well as Zeeland in the Netherlands and various regions of France. Bruges and Mechelen occupied a privileged place in his iconography: beguinages, narrow alleys, silent quays and ancient squares became the motifs of an intimate and timeless painting. He also travelled in Brittany and spent several months in Tunisia on a study trip. Alongside his painting, Julien Célos developed an important body of graphic work, notably colour etchings published by prestigious firms such as Georges Petit in Paris, Dietrich in Brussels and Caspers in Berlin. In both technique and subject matter, his work is comparable to that of artists such as Emmanuel Viérin. Highly active in Belgian artistic circles, he was a member of the Antwerp artists’ association Als Ik Kan, founded in 1883 and active until 1952, as well as of the committee of La Gravure Originale Belge. Even before the First World War, Julien Célos enjoyed notable critical recognition. In 1907 he took part in the Exposition Générale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, presenting oils, etchings, pastels and drawings, including En ville morte, Automne and L’Église à Veere. The following year he received an honourable mention at the Salon des Artistes Français. In 1914 he again exhibited in Brussels and at the Cercle Artistique et Littéraire, where the press praised the poetry of his urban views and the excellence of his colour etchings. Like many Belgian artists, he lived in exile in England and the Netherlands during the First World War. This period was marked by intense exhibition activity: in 1915 he participated in a major exhibition in Brighton devoted to the new Belgian painting, alongside James Ensor, Félicien Rops, Emile Claus, Albert Baertsoen and Théo van Rysselberghe, where he was described as “one of the finest artists in interpreting the picturesque character of small Flemish towns.” That same year his works were shown at the Royal Institute in London and in a solo exhibition of forty-five pieces at the Goupil Gallery. In 1917 he exhibited in Amsterdam with Alfred Van Neste...

Impressive early American impressionist flower still life oil painting. Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 30.5H by 21.5L.

Jean François Portaels 1818 - Brussels - 1895 Belgian Painter ‘Oriental Girls - Mediants à Tanger, Maroc’ Signature: signed lower right ‘J. Portaels’ Medium: oil on canvas Dimensions: image size 40,5 x 28,5 cm, frame size 67,5 x 56 cm Biography: Jean François Portaels, also known as Jan Portaels, was a versatile Belgian painter born on April 3, 1818, in Vilvoorde and passed away on February 8, 1895, in Schaerbeek. He was celebrated for his genre scenes, biblical stories, landscapes, portraits, and Orientalist subjects. As a teacher and director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Ghent and the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Portaels significantly impacted Belgian art, becoming a pivotal figure in the Belgian Orientalist school. His works were known for their 'everyday elegance and feminine grace,' and he played a crucial role in influencing the next generation of Belgian artists, including notable figures like Théo van Rysselberghe. Portaels was the son of a wealthy brewer who also served as Vilvoorde's mayor. Showing an early passion for drawing, he was sent to the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels in 1836, where he studied under François-Joseph Navez, a former student of Jacques-Louis David. Navez invited him to his studio, which was renowned at the time, allowing Portaels to refine his skills alongside other talented students like Charles de Groux and Joseph Stallaert. In 1841, Portaels moved to Paris, enrolling at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and studying under Paul Delaroche. He became influenced by the emerging Orientalist movement, which was gaining traction in Paris. In 1842, he won the Grand Prix de Rome, which funded his travels across Italy and other regions, including Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Judea, Spain, Hungary, and Norway. These journeys profoundly influenced his artistic vision, particularly his Orientalist works. Upon his return to Belgium in 1847, Portaels was appointed Director of the academy in Ghent. In 1849, he married Marie Hélène Navez, the daughter of his first teacher. Despite being offered the directorship of the Brussels Academy, he initially declined, opting to preserve his independence. He later accepted a teaching position at the Academy and eventually became its director in 1878, succeeding Eugène Simonis. Portaels was known for his broad range of artistic talents, including history painting, portraiture, and genre art. He was particularly recognised for his Orientalist depictions, often portraying the 'Oriental woman' with distinctive features like arched eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes. His style, marked by charm and elegance, distinguished him from the dominant artistic movements of Classicism and Romanticism. He was a pioneer in monumental art in Belgium, working with Jean Baptiste van Eycken to introduce fresco techniques like water glass painting...

Antique American realist flower still life oil painting. Oil on board, circa 1900. Unsigned. Image size, 10L x 14H. Housed in a period giltwood frame.

A fine New England landscape with a cart path and birch tree by Swedish-American artist Theodore Victor Carl Valenkamph (1868-1924). Valenkamph was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and emi...