Abraham Hankins

Tugboat

Signed lower left. In this richly imaginative painting by Julian Nemethy reimagines the Hudson River day liner not merely as a vessel of transport, but as a dreamscape in motion. The steamboat, rendered with meticulous precision, glides through a river that shimmers magically—beneath a sky alive with imaginative playful clouds Nemethy’s signature style is on full display: whimsical flourishes, exaggerated perspectives, and a near-naïve attention to detail that invites the viewer into a world where nostalgia and fantasy intertwine. The day liner becomes a symbol of freedom and wonder, a floating stage for the American imagination. It’s a celebration of movement, memory, and the enduring romance of the Hudson. Contemporary artist Julian Nemethy is the son of artist Albert Nemethy, and his work can be distinguished from that of his father by the use of fantastical elements, extreme use of color and detail, and whimsical touches. Julian Nemethy is one of the many artists in the Nemethy family. Born in Hungary, his parents fled the Communist regime in the mid-1950s when Julian was a small child. He was one of six siblings who were raised by their father. In high school, Julian taught himself to paint, and felt he had found his vocation. In the 1980s, he moved to the Smokey Mountains of...

Signed lower right Bio: Born in Rockport, Massachusetts, Stevens received his initial art training from Parker Perkins, a local marine painter who charged him fifty cents an hour. He later spent four years at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts School, where he studied under Edmund Tarbell, among others. Although influenced by Tarbell, Stevens' wide range of brushstrokes and impressionist style prevented him from being classified as a "Tarbellist," as many of Tarbell's followers were labeled. Stevens joined the Army in 1917 and was sent to Europe where he continued to paint and sketch. Upon his return to the United States, he was pleased to discover that Rockport had become a popular haven for artists. Though he was the only native son among them, such well-known painters as Frank Duveneck, Childe Hassam, Leon Kroll and Jonas Lie also recorded the scenery of Rockport, Cape Ann and Gloucester. In 1921, together with fifty other artists, Stevens founded the Rockport Art Association, primarily to plan exhibitions of the work of outstanding area artists. Throughout the course of his long career, Stevens taught, first in Rockport, then at Boston University (1925-1926) and Princeton (1927-1929). He later gave lessons and held one-man shows in Charlotte and Asheville, North Carolina, where his work was well-received. Southerners particularly enjoyed his views of famous Southern gardens and cities. Though the Depression years were difficult for both the artist and his family, the 1930s did bring Stevens some measure of commercial and personal success. He did a number of covers for "The American Legion Magazine" and won prizes in New Haven, Springfield and Rockport. In 1934, he abandoned Rockport to the growing tourist population and moved to Springfield, and then to Conway, Massachusetts, where he remodeled an old farmhouse and constructed a studio which looked north towards Mount Monadnock...

Signed lower right & dated 1879. Antonio Jacobsen’s painting of the Thingvalla (a shipping line between Scandinavia and the United States) is a masterclass in maritime artistry, showcasing his signature crisp brushwork and dynamic composition. Jacobsen’s strokes are precise yet expressive, capturing the texture of the ship’s hull and the shimmering movement of the water. The fine detailing in the rigging and smokestack demonstrates his meticulous approach. • The Thingvalla appears to surge forward, cutting through the waves with a palpable sense of momentum. The artist’s use of diagonal lines and the tilt of the vessel enhances the illusion of motion. Jacobsen’s ability to balance realism with artistic flair ensures that the Thingvalla feels alive, as if caught mid-voyage. Bio: Antonio Jacobsen, America's folk art hero recognized for his unsurpassed contributions to America's maritime history, recorded domestic and international ships as they passed through the age of sail to steam. He was a prolific painter and throughout his life painted an estimated 6000 paintings. Jacobsen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 2 November 1850, where, for generations his family had been violin makers. His father encouraged him to practice a similar craft. At an early age he enrolled at the Royal Academy of Design in Copenhagen, however, reversed family fortunes forced him to withdraw. At the age 18 it was compulsory for him to join the Danish military forces, but he decided instead, to sail for America. He left his family behind and arrived in New York in the early 1870's. Like many other immigrants, he went to New York City's Battery Park looking for work. He passed his days sketching the ships that sailed in and out of the harbor. Not before long a representative from Marvin Safe Company noticed his drawings and offered him a job decorating safes. His ability as an artist was further recognized as he began to receive commissions from sea captains and ship owners and eventually Steamship companies, to record their entire fleet. The Old Dominion Line, The Fall River Line and The White Star Line are some of the steamship companies that commissioned him to paint portraits of all the ship in their respective fleets. In addition, the Clyde Line, the Black Ball Line...

Signed lower right and dated 1930. Lever’s “Fishing Harbor in Brittany” is as much a scene celebrating the boats and quaint architecture of coastal France, as it is a nod to its ...

John Terelak Biography American, b. 1942 John Charles Terelak is recognized as one of America's finest living impressionists. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he received formal art i...

Impressionist oil painting industrial tugboat scene on board by Hayley Lever, 1875-1958. Australian American who studied in London and moved to America in 1911. Exhibited primarily i...

Joseph Kardonne (1911-1985). Tugboat, 1939, 9 x 11.25 inches. Ink on paper. Signed, dated and titled lower right. Excellent condition. Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1911, Joe Kardo...