Items Similar to Portrait Of Dr. Frederick A. Cook By Albert Operti
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9
Albert Ludwig Roccabiglieri OpertiPortrait Of Dr. Frederick A. Cook By Albert OpertiCirca 1900
Circa 1900
About the Item
Albert Ludwig Operti
1852-1927 | Italian-American
Portrait of Dr. Frederick Albert Cook
Oil on canvas
This highly rare portrait of the important Polar explorer, Dr. Frederick Albert Cook, is the work of American artist Albert Ludwig Operti. Renowned in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for his paintings of exploration, namely Arctic scenes, Operti was the only artist to accompany Robert Peary on his historic 1896 expedition to the North Pole. His works seldom find their way out of private collections, the largest of which can be found at the Explorers Club in New York, which was founded by Cook.
In this contemplative oil painting, Operti captures Dr. Frederick A. Cook studying and dissecting a native bird during Robert Peary’s famed 1891-92 expedition of the Arctic in search of the North Pole. Depicted here in a fur hat and coat to protect against the frigid polar air, Cook served as the surgeon on several of Peary’s explorations. He befriended famed explorer Roald Amundsen and was a seasoned explorer in his own right. Both Cook and Peary claimed to have reached the North Pole first, and the debate about their divergent claims is still waged today.
Albert Operti was born in Italy and educated in Britain. While part of Peary's expedition through Greenland in 1896, the artist executed hundreds of sketches and studies that would serve as the basis for many of his future works. He painted several special commissions for the New York Explorers Club, which was a primary patron of Operti until his death in 1927. Operti’s works are not often seen or exhibited, making this a rare opportunity to acquire both a stirring painting and an important piece of history.
The painting was featured on the cover and discussed in Polar Priorities, the annual journal of the Frederick A. Cook Society, in the December 2006 edition, Volume 26.
Circa 1900
Canvas: 43 1/2” high x 34 1/8” wide
Frame: 51 1/2” high x 42” wide
- Creator:Albert Ludwig Roccabiglieri Operti (1852 - 1927, Italian, American)
- Creation Year:Circa 1900
- Dimensions:Height: 51.5 in (130.81 cm)Width: 42 in (106.68 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:New Orleans, LA
- Reference Number:
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Seller
These experienced sellers undergo a comprehensive evaluation by our team of in-house experts.
Established in 1912
1stDibs seller since 2013
13 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 4 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New Orleans, LA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
More From This SellerView All
- Jeune femme à l’éventail (Young Girl with a Fan)By James TissotLocated in New Orleans, LAConjuring the brilliance of late 18th-century costume with infusions of 19th-century modernity, James Jacques Joseph Tissot’s Jeune femme à l’éventail illustrates the remarkable technique for which he was renowned. His delicate portraiture, combined with his fascination with conveying texture, demonstrates why he was one of the most revered artists of the Belle Époque. Grouped with Tissot’s “keepsake pictures” of beautiful women in fashionable dress, this work is noteworthy not only for the fresh face of its sitter but also for the appearance of some of Tissot’s most beloved props. The delicate fan and paisley cashmere shawl, a favorite prop of Tissot’s artistic idol Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, made frequent appearances in his paintings, as did the exquisite dress the sitter wears. Its identifiable styling can be seen in several of Tissot’s most notable works of the period, including La chéminée and Un déjeuner à la riviere. The playful feel of this painting is grounded by Tissot’s exceptional attention to detail. A master of conjuring an array of textures, Tissot showcased this ability in this composition by juxtaposing many types of fabrics and patterns within one costume. This intricacy, which he carried even to his depiction of the woman’s manicure and jewelry, set him on par with the best artists of his day and contributed to his commercial success. Born in 1836 in the port town of Nantes, Tissot traveled to Paris at the age of 20 in order to join the studios of Hippolyte Flandrin...Category
19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
MaterialsOil, Panel
- The Sleuth By Joseph Christian LeyendeckerBy Joseph Christian LeyendeckerLocated in New Orleans, LAJoseph Christian Leyendecker 1874-1951 | American The Sleuth Saturday Evening Post Cover, June 2, 1906 Signed "JCLeyendecker" (lower left) Oil on canvas A debonair sleuth peers t...Category
Early 20th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Portrait Of Horatio Nelson Attributed To Lemuel AbbottLocated in New Orleans, LAAttributed to Lemuel Abbott 1760-1803 | English Portrait of Horatio Nelson Oil on canvas This previously unknown portrait is an important discovery in British Naval history. In Admiral Lord Nelson's illustrious and well-studied life, there existed a "silent period" spanning 16 years during which no known portraits of Nelson existed. The discovery of this 1790 portrait, rendered just before his reentry into the Navy, is a significant development for Nelson scholars, adding new insight into the leader's life prior to his legendary command as Admiral of the British Navy. Almost certainly painted by Lemuel Abbott, the official portraitist of Admiral Nelson, the rendering depicts the naval titan in casual dress. This is one of the two final depictions of Nelson before he acquired the war-inflicted injuries that marked his later years. In 1790, Britain was at peace, and Lord Nelson found himself residing in Burnham Thorpe with his newlywed wife, Frances. Having served with great distinction in South America and the West Indies, he garnered much local acclaim. Yet, the uncertainty of returning to the sea weighed heavily on his mind. At the age of thirty, he lived the life of a country gentleman managing his estate. Only one other much smaller portrait of Nelson in civilian attire exists, a much smaller rendering from 1800 currently held at the National Portrait Gallery. Compelling and atmospheric, the oil on canvas offers viewers a rare glimpse into the visage of a youthful and resolute Nelson, a man driven by an unwavering desire to forge his reputation in the art of naval warfare. This portrait had long been believed by the Nelson family to portray Edmund Nelson, Horatio Nelson's father. When connoisseur Jeremy Knight acquired this treasure directly from the Nelson family, he postulated that the work actually depicted the famed Admiral and not his father, as it was painted around 1790, and the elder Edmund Nelson would have been 68 years old at that time. Knight then hired the renowned Nelson scholar Martin Downer, the former Sotheby's expert and author of the bestselling books Nelson's Purse and Nelson's Lost Jewel, to confirm his hunch. It has now been confirmed by Martin Downer that this portrait is the missing...Category
18th Century Academic Portrait Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas
- Pair of Royal Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of BurgundyBy Pierre GobertLocated in New Orleans, LAFollower of Pierre Gobert 18th century French The Duke and Duchess of Burgundy Oil on canvas Refinement and intricacy characterize these royal portra...Category
18th Century Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Cytheris by John Wiliam GodwardBy John William GodwardLocated in New Orleans, LAJohn William Godward 1861-1922 British Cytheris Signed and dated "J.W. Godward / 1922" (upper left) Oil on canvas A classical beauty is captured in a moment of idle reflection in this stunning oil on canvas by John William Godward. Celebrated as one of the most important classical painters at the turn of the century, Godward's career was devoted to a segment of Classicism known as the Marble School, with Greco-Roman subjects placed within architectural settings. His elegant subjects are depicted with a degree of sensuality and technical mastery that remains unsurpassed. The present work, entitled Cytheris, embodies Godward’s lifelong preoccupation with depicting beautiful young women in classically-inspired dress. Cytheris is a nickname associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who was said to have been born of the waves off the coast of the Greek island Cytherea. The title points to the sitter's beauty, but also, as Godward scholar Vern Swanson suggests, perhaps indicates she is a priestess of the cult of Aphrodite, while her soft blue head covering and downward gaze convey a virginal quality. Beautifully rendered with Godward's signature technical perfection, the piece embodies the sensual, graceful languor that permeates his greatest works. Raised in Wimbledon, England, Godward debuted at London’s Royal Academy exhibition in 1887. By the subsequent decade, the burgeoning artist was on a steady ascent to artistic success. Having fallen under the influence of British Neoclassical Revivalists Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Lord Frederic Leighton, and Sir Edward John Poynter, Godward quickly adopted, if not rivaled, their style. He envisioned similar scenes of the ancient world, seamlessly blending antiquity and beauty in breathtaking compositions. The sensuality and mystery of Godward’s maidens, combined with his impressive antique backdrops...Category
20th Century Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Portrait of a Beauty by William Clarke WontnerBy William Clarke WontnerLocated in New Orleans, LAWilliam Clarke Wontner 1857-1930 British Portrait of a Beauty Signed and dated "W. Wontner 1918" (lower left) Oil on canvas Classical beauty a...Category
20th Century Portrait Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
You May Also Like
- Oil Painting / Photorealism / Figurative Art / Human Figure /MuseumBy Bruce AdamsLocated in Buffalo, NYBruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State College. Adams’s work is includ...Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Oil Painting / Abstract versus Figurative Art / Figurative Art / Human Figure /By Bruce AdamsLocated in Buffalo, NYBruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State College. Adams’s work is includ...Category
1980s Realist Figurative Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Oil Painting / Photorealism / Figurative Art / Human Figure /MuseumBy Bruce AdamsLocated in Buffalo, NYBruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State College. Adams’s work is includ...Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Oil painting / Portrait / Figurative/ Museum/ Interior/ Expressive/ TextBy Bruce AdamsLocated in Buffalo, NYBruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State College. Adams’s work is includ...Category
Early 2000s Realist Figurative Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Untitled 021 (Cocktail dyptych)By Bruce AdamsLocated in Buffalo, NYBruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State ...Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas
- Oil Painting / Photorealism / Figurative Art / Human Figure /By Bruce AdamsLocated in Buffalo, NYBruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State College. Adams’s work is includ...Category
Early 2000s Realist Figurative Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil