Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 23

Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972
"White Roses in Blue Vase" Still Life Impressionist Oil Painting on Canvas Board

Mid-20th Century

About the Item

A stunning jewel and pertinent example of Berthelsen's charming Still Life scenes. Here we find a white roses in a blue vase set on top of a glossy table. The artist was truly a master of capturing the effortless beauty of florals and create a dreamy and rich atmosphere. This painting is executed whimsically, yet dramatically evoking an emotion of wonder and beauty. This piece is signed lower right by the artist and with gallery literature with work information affixed to the verso. It comes housed in a beautiful gilt-washed carved wood frame with and hanging wire on verso ready to be displayed. Art measures 16 x 12 inches Frame measures 22 x 18 inches Johann Berthelsen was born in Copenhagen in 1883, the 7th of seven children, to Conrad and Dorothea Karen Berthelsen. His parents were involved in artistic and professional circles. In 1890, his mother brought the children to America, settling in Manistee, Michigan, with her sister's family. They would eventually move to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a city on the shore of Lake Michigan. As a teenager, Johann was actively involved in choirs and singing groups. And he always loved to draw and paint, and while he was too impatient to take well to schoolwork, and never went beyond the 5th grade. Although he worked in several trades, Johann's mind and heart were always with the arts. As his voice matured, he also always wanted to be an actor, and at the age of 18 moved to Chicago where he reconnected with an old friend who was studying voice at the Chicago Musical College. He was awarded the school's Gold Medal on two occasions, and after graduation, he earned a job as the lead baritone with the newly formed Standard Opera Company which was owned by the Schuberts. For the next five years, Johann Berthelsen enjoyed a rich and varied career, touring the U.S. and Canada in operas, concerts, Gilbert & Sullivan, and operettas. Despite considerable success, the grueling pace of life on the road was difficult, and in 1910 he joined the voice faculty at Chicago Musical College. So he eventually had more time to pursue other personal interests, especially painting. He became friends with the artist, Svend Svendsen, a noted landscape painter whose snow scenes especially intrigued Berthelsen, which became a major influence in his choice of mood and treatment of light and shadow. In 1913, at the age of 30, he became the youngest-ever head of the voice department at the Indianapolis Conservatory of Music. In Indianapolis, he began a friendship with the painter, Wayman Adams. A native of Muncie, Indiana, Adams had studied with William Merritt Chase and Robert Henri in Spain and Italy and had already established a reputation as a portraitist. Adams and Berthelsen were to remain best friends for the remainder of their lives. Adams would paint many significant portraits of Berthelsen including a life-sized image of his friend preparing to go on stage. In 1920, seeking to advance their careers, Berthelsen and Adams moved to New York, where both achieved rapid success. From 1920 through the late '50s, Wayman Adams painted some of his best-known works. Johann Berthelsen established a private school of singing instruction at the Rodin Studios and attracted a distinguished following, but in 1929, the heady prosperity of the Roaring '20s dissolved in the Stock Market crash, and the arts were among the hardest hit sectors. With many Broadway theaters shuttered and the Metropolitan Opera cutting salaries, Johann's pupils disappeared. With the little money left, he purchased art supplies and canvases and began to refine his technique in oil painting. He painted quickly and prolifically, bringing his work to some of the leading galleries. Of the many subjects he painted, the one that he would become most identified with was the city itself. The New York snow scenes burst with movement; cars, trucks, taxis, and people seem to rejoice in the snow that turns the city into a wonderland. Though he was exclusively self-taught he owned his craft and technique. As his paintings become more popular, his reputation increased. By 1940, his reputation had grown to the point where he was asked to join The Lecture Bureau of the Columbia Broadcasting System. In 1942 the family moved to rural New Milford, Connecticut, where Berthelsen painted many views of the surroundings. With the end of the Second World War, the Depression finally ceased and in the first blush of post-war prosperity, the public again had the time and money to devote to the arts. As more prominent personalities began to collect his work, in 1950 the family moved back to New York City, in part because of the high demand for his work and easy access to galleries. He exhibited his work at the Barbizon-Plaza Galleries, the Allan Rich Gallery, and the Jean Bohne Gallery, among others. The 1960s proved to be an especially satisfying time for Johann and his family since the financial pressures lessened and his paintings started commanding better prices. In 1971 he was hit by a car, which led to a decline in health and ultimately his death the following year 1972. PROVENANCE: Leonard Clayton New York City, Estate of private collection Sunrise, FL; Private Collection Manhattan, New York; Lilac Gallery Collection. The piece will be stamped from Lilac Gallery on its verso.
  • Creator:
    Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972 (1883 - 1972, American)
  • Creation Year:
    Mid-20th Century
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 18 in (45.72 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    The painting is in excellent condition with very light wear from age and comes displayed in an original antique that shows some ordinary wear from age, and minor imperfections in line with the period (please refer to the listing pictures for details).
  • Gallery Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 0059771stDibs: LU98215501162

More From This Seller

View All
"Flowers in a White Vase" Still Life Impressionist Oil Painting on Canvas Board
By Johann Berthelsen, 1883-1972
Located in New York, NY
A stunning jewel and pertinent example of Berthelsen's charming Still Life scenes. Here we find a white rose and two crimson flowers in a white vase set on top of a wooden glossy tab...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

"Champagne and Tunes" Impressionist Oil Painting Interior Scene with Grand Piano
By Cindy Shaoul
Located in New York, NY
A charming depiction of an interior scene with Piano and Chandelier. A cozy impressionistic scene with warmth and feeling. A sophisticated scene with stunning details and beautiful brushwork. Whisical, this piece captures the essence of a Parisian living room...
Category

2010s American Impressionist Interior Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"White Roses in Vase" Mid-Century Abstract Floral Oil Painting on Canvas Framed
By Gian Luigi Campanile
Located in New York, NY
This piece has a strong presence with bold brushwork and heavy use of paint. A classic Mid-20th Century Modern piece on canvas depicting a floral still life with a white roses arrang...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Still Life with Roses and Fruit" Impressionist Oil of Canvasboard Painting
By Martha Walter
Located in New York, NY
A whimsical depiction by Martha Walter of an interior morning scene of white and pink roses arrangement in a glass vase on top of a table, and fruit on a decorated plate. In the background, the window overlooking the backyard, with the use of bold colors and strong contrasts makes Walter's work so striking and captivating. The flowers are executed with bold petals and exciting colors and this depiction is a wonderful scene done in her home. As an acclaimed American Impressionist painter and one of the premier female artists to be recognized within the fine arts community of the time, she was known for her bright plein-air beach scenes and domestic portraits. Martha Walter studied under William Merritt Chase and was greatly influenced by the then-established French Impressionists Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Claude Monet, and Eugène Boudin. Walter's works took on a looser style; she also used black paint, a color often excluded by other Impressionists. The painting is on canvasboard with the Martha Walter Estate stamp on the reverse, and it comes housed in an antiqued champagne color...
Category

Early 20th Century American Impressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

"Still Life with Rose Bouquets" Impressionist Oil of Canvasboard Painting Framed
By Martha Walter
Located in New York, NY
A whimsical depiction by Martha Walter of an interior morning scene of white, pink, and red roses arrangement in glass and ceramic vases on top of a table with a red mantel, and a bo...
Category

Early 20th Century American Impressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

"Afternoon Picnic" Still Life Out Doors Impressionist Oil Painting with Florals
By Martha Walter
Located in New York, NY
A whimsical depiction by Martha Walter of a picnic table with flowers, cups, Pepsi bottles, bowls and a basket. The bold colors and strong contrasts make Walter's work so striking an...
Category

Early 20th Century American Impressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

You May Also Like

Foxglove, 24x12" oil on board
By Lu Haskew
Located in Loveland, CO
Foxglove by Lu Haskew Oil Still Life of blue, pink and white flowers 24x12" image size 30x18" framed Shipping price includes the custom packing necessary for safe transport of fine ...
Category

Early 2000s American Impressionist Interior Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

It's Not Easy Being Green, 20x16" oil on board
By Lu Haskew
Located in Loveland, CO
It's Not Easy Being Green by Lu Haskew Oil Still Life of green fruit in vases 24x16" image size 30x22" framed Shipping price includes the custom packing necessary for safe transport...
Category

Early 2000s American Impressionist Interior Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Red Grapes, 24x16" oil on board
By Lu Haskew
Located in Loveland, CO
Red Grapes by Lu Haskew ​Oil Still Life of Grapes against a stucco wall 24x16" image size, 30x22" framed Shipping price includes the custom packing necessary for safe transport of f...
Category

Early 2000s American Impressionist Interior Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Apple & Wine Bottle Vibrant Contemporary Still-Life
Located in Soquel, CA
Vibrant contemporary still-life with bold primary colors of a red apple and blue mug on a yellow table cloth with a bottle of wine by E. Star (American, 20th century). Presented in a...
Category

1990s American Impressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Mid-Century Black Eyed Susan Floral Still Life
Located in Soquel, CA
Large scale mid-century floral still-life of black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia) by listed El Paso, Texas artist Lois Coleman Denton (American, 1897-1980). Signed "Lois Denton...
Category

1960s American Impressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Geraniums, a Cigar & Nude Figure Still Life
Located in Soquel, CA
Unique still life of a table with geraniums and a lit cigar, with a framed painting of a nude in a forest setting in the background by an unknown artist (American, 20th Century). Pre...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Still-life Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Cardboard

Recently Viewed

View All