Early 1900s Art

The story of the Belle époque in one portrait When it comes to glamour, no period in the history of art can compete with the Belle époque. A generation of highly talented artists developed new styles of portraiture that not only showed fashionable taste and elegance – but also the tensions and changes to come that lured behind the surface of this glittering age. One of them was John da Costa (1867–1931) also – involuntarily – known as “The John Singer Sargent of children’s portraits”. The time period between the Franco-Prussian war of 1871 and the outbreak of the first world war of 1914 was an unusually peaceful and prosperous one – at least on the surface. The decades leading up to the largest and most destructive war the world had ever seen were characterized by a combination of industrial boom, cosmopolitan life, the birth of modern art and literature and political movements that eventually would change society forever. In other words, it was a melting pot for many phenomenon and societal transformations that we still today are affected by, not least in the form of art. Breaking away from the more conservative academic traditions, new styles of painting of varying radicality emerged and both chocked and delighted audiences. When it comes to portraiture, names like John Singer Sargent and Anders Zorn conquered international audiences with their electrifying paintings of high society, politicians and celebrities of the era. Their erringly light brushwork created an almost dreamlike atmosphere where everything from the sheerness of dress fabrics, subtle lights of ballroom evenings and dense psychological facial expressions vibrated with the zeitgeist. Initially controversial and breaking with traditional expectations, eventually it was this kind of portraits that became the “dernier cri”, a hallmark of good taste and ultimately the very essence of the Belle époque. And it is here, in the vibrant field of portraiture, that John da Costa finds his place and artistic calling. Born in Teignmouth in southern England, a career in the arts was not an obvious choice for John da Costa. Teignmouth, however, beautifully located in the Devon landscape with its proximity to the roaring sea and picturesque fields, was a small fishing town far away from urban life and the art scene. It appears that it was rather early on that his artistic talent became evident, and after studies in Southampton and Paris he eventually established himself as a prominent painter who would soon achieve an international reputation. Interestingly, he was for a period a member of the Newlyn artist colony in Cornwall, not too far from his hometown, where the natural light inspired numerous artists to explore a new realism “En plein air”, not unlike the more famous Barbizon School in France. However, this path, although certainly an important experience, was not right for da Costa who soon searched for other artistic inspiration. Fellow artist Norman Garstin noted with grief his departure from the colony, but new adventures were on their way and they would take on the form of portraiture. It is hard for us today to understand how esteemed and culturally important the genre of portraiture was during this time. Portraits were constantly discussed and commented on, not only in their function of depicting a person but also as an artistic expression of its own, expanding the notion of what art was capable of documenting in terms of the human psyche, the mood of the time and of course the specific temperament and visions of the artist. Furthermore – and not unimportant – it was also an especially lucrative genre for a younger artist, who could more easily get an income through portraits while at the same time challenging themselves artistically. Painting portraits demanded social skills, patience to deal with customers and a real understanding of different identities, ideals, fashions and particular wishes that each sitter might have. And then, the opinions of art critics and audience was also important to consider. In other words, portraiture is far from only capturing the likeness of a person – it is a deeply psychological, artistic and entrepreneurial endeavor. John Singer Sargent is perhaps the prime example of the complexity of Belle époque portraiture; it seems that he with a few meticulous but light brushstrokes could express an entire identity and of person and an era in a portrait. Perhaps this is why his style became so admired, and why so many artists were inspired to paint in a similar manner. Da Costa was far from alone in his fascination for swift, elegant brushwork in Sargent’s manner – but he was unusual in his ability to interpret it in his own distinct way. Judging from where he received commissions, da Costa was a true cosmopolitan. He was as comfortable working in London as he was in Scotland, France and the US, where some of his most prestigious works were produced. For a number of years, he ran his own art school in Kensington in collaboration with his friend Phil Whiting from the Newlyn colony. The list of famous clients was impressive, among them we find the secretary of the treasury Andrew W...

Wonderful early 20th century impressionist landscape of Los Altos, California prior to Silicon Valley, circa 1900, by an unknown artist (American, 19th-20th ...

To see our other views of Oxford and Cambridge, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the view you want. William Nicholson (1872-1949) Christ Church Library, Oxford Signed and numbered 34, published by Stafford Gallery with blind stamp Lithograph 26 x 34.5cm Probably best known through his graphic works, as a book designer and illustrator, Nicholson was greatly encouraged in his landscapes by Whistler from about 1900. In 1902-03 he produced a series of watercolour, chalk and pen drawings of Oxford which were published in 1905 by the Stafford Gallery as two portfolios of lithographs, with descriptions by Arthur Waugh – father of Evelyn Waugh...

Portrait of Czar Nicholas II of Russia, his Wife and the Imperial Ulhans Regiment in Saint Petersburg in 1908/09 realized by the famous poland/russian...

Original antique political election propaganda poster - Wake Up! Vote for the Unionist and a Reformed Second Chamber - featuring an illustration of John Bull...

Aglaé is an original etching realized by Gustave Joseph Biot d'aprés Cabanel (1900). The artwork is in good conditions except for worn and yellowed paper on the margins. Mounted on...

Woman Hanging Laudry is a beautiful black and white aquatint and etching on ivory-colored paper, realized in 1904 by the French artist Léon Desbuissons (1870 -1940). Signed in penci...

Skillful late 19th century realist drawing of illustration Newspaper artists at work at the Republican National Convention by Adolph Methfessel (American, 1876-1912)., c.1898. This p...

Antique American impressionist mountain landscape by Clara Emma Langenbach (1871 - 1964). Oil on board, circa 1900. Signed. Displayed in a pe...

Medium: Oil Painting Signature: Signed Lower Right Sight Size 24.00" x 20.00", Framed 31.00" x 27.00" The Saturday Evening Post cover illustration, December 1907

Well painted and very interesting French or Belgium still life of flowers. Signed and inscribed, Jane Herbo, 1906, Ste Louise! / á Marraine. The ...

Original antique political election propaganda poster - Tariff Reform This Time - featuring an illustration on the Thames Embankment showing John Bull we...

Born in Groton, Massachusetts in 1862, impressionist painter Edmund Charles Tarbell studied with George H. Bartlett at the Massachusetts Normal Art School, under Otto Grundmann at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and in 1883, entered the Académie Julian to study under Gustave Boulanger and Jules Joseph Lefebvre. In 1884, his education included a Grand Tour to Italy and the following year to Belgium, Germany and Brittany. Tarbell returned to Boston in 1886 where he began his career as an illustrator, private art instructor and portrait painter. He was a member of the Ten American Painters and was a leading member of a group of painters which came to be known as the Boston School. In 1889 Tarbell assumed the position of his former mentor, Otto Grundmann, at the Museum School. His students included Bertha Coolidge, Margaret Fitzhugh Browne...

Wonderful 19th Century tonalist painting of Flat Top Mountain in the Rocky Mountains by unknown artist (American, late 19th-20th Century). Unsigned. Unframed. Size: 16"H x 24"W. T...

Antique landscape oil painting with a blazing sunset. Oil on canvas-board, circa 1900. Displayed in a period giltwood frame. Image, 17.5"L x 11.5"H.

Pretty and well-painted, View of Vevey on the north shore of Lake Geneva. Dating from the early 20th century this painting would have been painted for one of the many visitors who w...

"New Growth" by Hudson Valley artist, Peter Hoffman, made in 2020 74 x 9 x 9 inches A Vertical Wooden sculpture created with multiple sections of painted wood segments, cut at angl...

Kono Bairei (1844 – 1895) One Hundred Flowering Plants. Japan, 1901. (Posthumous.) Woodblock Print. 15 x 11 Unframed. Okura Magobei, Publisher. The enthusiasm for nature prints transcends the centuries. “One Hundred Flowering Plants” is a mid-nineteenth century work illustrating varieties of flowers and plants in naturalistic styles. Traditional woodblock printing enhances the beauty of each work. The artist must carve different woodblocks for every color he wishes to transfer to paper. In this style of printing it is imperative that the register of each woodblock be exact as they must match perfectly to create an image without blurring. In addition to his illustrated flower books...

Original color Jugendstil design lithograph from "Dessins et Broderies Pour Costum et Ameublement." Paris, 1900.

Statue of Vishnu Garuda, Bali, 1904 Signed with initials Pencil and ink on paper, 21.4 x 21.3 cm Literature: Bruce W. Carpenter, W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp. First European Artist in Bali,...

Advertising sketch is an original watercolored china ink drawing realized by Gabriele Galantara, the state of preservation of the artwork is good. The artworks represent an advertis...

Oil on panel by Henri Duhem depicting a lone woman figure walking through a village under the light of the moon. Signed lower left and dated 1904 verso. This painting is not currentl...

To see our other views of Oxford and Cambridge, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the view you want. William Nicholson (1872-1949) All Souls College, Oxford Signed, and numbered 98, published by Stafford Gallery with blindstamp Lithograph 35x28cm Probably best known through his graphic works, as a book designer and illustrator, Nicholson was greatly encouraged in his landscapes by Whistler from about 1900. In 1902-03 he produced a series of watercolour, chalk and pen drawings of Oxford which were published in 1905 by the Stafford Gallery as two portfolios of lithographs, with descriptions by Arthur Waugh – father of Evelyn Waugh...

Jean-Emile Laboureur (1877-, Souper a New York, etching on zinc, 1907, signed in pencil bottom left margin; also annotated “No 11/20 imp” bottom margin. Reference: Sylvain Laboureur ...

Ca. 1900. Original color aquatint. Very fine impression on cream laid Arches paper, signed in pencil lower right and numbered. No. 16 of 30 impressions. Full Margins. 17 1/2 x 12" Im...

Early 20th century engraving of Edouard Manet's "Boy with Sword" by notable artist Henry Wolf. Manet's stepson, Léon Koëlla-Leenhoff, posed for the original work in 1861. Manet dressed him in a seventeenth-century costume, adding a period sword as a prop—a tribute to the great Spanish painters he admired, notably Velázquez. Signed and dated by Wolf in the front lower right corner. Currently hung in a gold frame with a cream matting. Dimensions Without Frame: H 10.25 in. x W 7.5 in. Artist Biography: Henry Wolf was born on August 3, 1852 in Eckwersheim, France. He lived in Strasbourg and studied under Jacques Levy and exhibited in Paris. Henry Wolf moved to New York City in 1871, where he created wood engravings of works by Gilbert Stuart, Enric Serra Auqué, Frank Weston Benson, Howard Pyle, Henry Salem Hubbell, John Singer Sargent, A. B. Frost, Jan Vermeer...

La Dame au Manteau is an original artwork realized in 1901 by the French artist André-Charles Coppier (1867 - 1948). Original Etching on ivory paper. Passepartout included (40 x 60 cm). Titled in capital letters on the lower margin "La dame au manteau". On the lower right: Imp. L.Fort. On the lower left: Coppier del et sc. Mint conditions. Precious etching on ivory paper depicting a very elegant female figure with a mantle that is watching the observer. The standing figure is elegantly dressed and she wears a feathered headdress and a long dark dress...

Serene watercolor of Den Rode Port (The Red Gate) Overlooking the San Francisco Bay from the Golf Gourse by Alfred J. Garlin (Danish, 1866-1929). Artist's signature is integrated into the piece. Title and artist info on a plaque mounted to wood frame. Frame includes UV-resistant plexiglas. Image size: 18"H x25"W Alfred J. Garlin was a watercolorist born in Denmark in 1866. By 1910 Garlin had settled in San Francisco. An electrician, in his leisure he painted scenes of the Monterey Peninsula, Feather River Canyon, and Mount Tamalpais...

Female Nude is an original modern artwork realized in the 1940s by Georges Isaul (Argenteuil, 1882 - 1963). Original ink drawing on paper. Hand-signed in pen by the artist on the ...

Original lithograph and Pochoir (stencil). One of the beautiful illustrations realized by Paul Iribe for "Les Robes de Paul Poiret" in 1908. Very good condition except for some minor...

Each country that approached the ideology of Art Nouveau clearly had their own unique contribution to the movement. The popularity of French Art Nouveau became globally recognized and produced in large numbers. While we recognize the rarity and extraordinary work of Italian Art Nouveau, or Stile Liberty, as it was known in that country, very little of this art survived and in very small quantities. What’s impossibly rare Scandinavian Art Nouveau...

Alpine Utah 1906, pen and ink, 6.5 x 10.75 inches (Framed size: 15 x 18 inches), $1,000 Waldo Midgley (1888-1986) had a fruitful career spanning eight d...

Artist: Francesco Paolo Michetti, Italian (1851 - 1929) Title: Rosella Year: circa 1900 Medium: Oil on Canvas, Signed Size: 30 x 20 inches [76.2 x 50.8 cm] Framed: 40 x 30 inches [10...

The Catholic Glories is an original Modern artwork realized in 1907 by the Italian artist Bruno Angoletta (Belluno, 1889 - 1954). Original China ink on paper. Hand-signed and dated ...

Antique American impressionist landscape painting by Edna Thurber (1887 - 1981). Oil on canvas, circa 1915. Signed. Displayed in a period impressionist ...

Wonderful original watercolor of a bucolic scene with a farm with geese and a man on his horse driven wagon as the sun sets in the English countryside. Signed lower left by the British artist, Henry Charles Fox...

Cecil Charles Windsor Aldin, was a British artist and illustrator best known for his paintings and sketches of animals, sports, and rural life. Aldin executed village scenes and rura...

Known today as a Symbolist painter, Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer made an unforgettable impact on France's ceramic revolution through his work with Clément Massier in Golfe-Juan between 1887 a...

Original antique advertising poster issued in Belgium to promote a Russian brand of cigarettes KaceBek / Папирос Касе-Бек manufactured in Imperial Russia before the 1917 October Revolution by Nakhimoff & Co. Great design featuring a hand tipping open a pack of cigarettes...

Cecil Charles Windsor Aldin, was a British artist and illustrator best known for his paintings and sketches of animals, sports, and rural life. Aldin executed village scenes and rura...

Woman is an original zincography on paper realized by U. Seifert, in 1905. This Specially Zincography representing a woman's Portrait. The title of the work "Cordelia" and the capti...

Artist: Maud Hollyer (English, 1867-1910) Title: "Cotswold Village, England" *Signed by Hollyer lower left Circa: 1900 Medium: Original Watercolor on paper Framing: Not framed, but beautifully matted with hand decorated archival French matting...

Original antique drink advertising poster for Petit Clos et Clos du Chateau wines featuring a bright and colourful illustration of four men with moustache...

Studio per l’asino is an original drawing in pencil and china ink realized by Gabriele Galantara, the state of preservation of the artwork is good and aged. The drawing in on the re...

Landscape is an original drawing in pencil on paper, realized in 1905 by Louis-Charles Willaume. With the stamp of the artist on the lower right and a drawing of trees on the rear. ...

Jules Monge (1855-1934) French soldiers, six different watercolors in a same mount Each one signed (4 on lower right, 2 on lower left) Each one 9.5 x 14...

Antar, artist: Georges Redon. Size: 49 x 90. Year: 1905. Archival linen backed in very good condition; ready to frame. Original linen backed stone lithograph: GEORGES REDON (1869-1943) BOULOGNE S. MER. 1905. 41 3/4x29 1/2 inches, 55 1/4x75 cm. While on the surface this appears as an innocent enough image promoting travel to one of France's premier beach resorts, it is, in fact, also one of the most suggestive Belle Epoque posters. Despite the staid Victorian style of swimwear in red, the relationship between the woman and the waves is hard to ignore. Like all great posters, once it has the viewer's attention it also advertises many of the other pleasures and attractions available in Boulogne. Listing off a few of the wonderful things that you can do in Boulogne is magnificent theatre, casinos, golf, horse races, pigeon shooting...

"Portrait" is an original print in etching on paper, realized by an Artist of XX Century. The state of preservation of the artwork is very good. Sheet dimension: 25.5 x 16.6 cm. ...

Landscape is an original etching artwork realized in the 1904 ca. by Italian artist Francesco Vitalini. Hand-signed on the lower right in pencil. The State of preservation is very ...

Chromolithographed illustration of a pair of Ballet Slippers, printed with gold and silver inks. [Published by David Douglas, Edinburgh, 1900]. Plate...

Antique English oil on canvas portrait painting, circa 1900. A very handsome Impressionist portrait of a youthful lady in Edwardian dress. Oil on canvas, signed to the upper left "F ...

Dimensions listed include the frame

To see our other views of Oxford and Cambridge, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the view you want. William Nicholson Clarendon Building, Oxford Signed, published by Stafford Gallery, with their blindstamp Lithograph 32x26cm Probably best known through his graphic works, as a book designer and illustrator, Nicholson was greatly encouraged in his landscapes by Whistler from about 1900. In 1902-03 he produced a series of watercolour, chalk and pen drawings of Oxford which were published in 1905 by the Stafford Gallery as two portfolios of lithographs, with descriptions by Arthur Waugh – father of Evelyn Waugh...

DAS WERK GUSTAV KLIMTS, a portfolio of 50 prints, ten of which are multicolor collotypes on chine colle paper laid down on hand-made heavy cream wove paper with deckled edges; under ...

Italian Girl with a Tambourine is an original artwork realized by a German Artist in the first years of 1900. Mixed colored oil on canvas. Includes frame...

Marine painter Warren W. Sheppard was born in Greenwich, New Jersey, to a ship captain father who instilled in his son a love and respect for the sea. He studied privately with Mauritz F. H. De Haas and took courses in drawing at Cooper Union in New York City. He traveled along the Mediterranean coast in 1879, sketching the ports of Naples, Gibraltar, Genoa and Messina. Sheppard’s foreign tours continued between 1888 and 1893, with stays in Paris and Venice, where he captured the architecture and busy canals of the Floating City. This fondness for travel also translated to his home country. He sailed along the East Coast from New Jersey to Maine in search of subjects and was an expert navigator, eventually writing the book Practical Navigation. Yacht design became a second career for Sheppard and he participated in a number of sailing competitions himself, most notably winning the New York-to-Bermuda race twice while skipper of the Tamerlane. Sheppard exhibited at the Denver Exposition, Chicago Exposition...

Portrait is an original Drawing in pencil and pen realized by Gabriele Galantara. Good conditions. Passepartout included: 49 x 34 The artwork represents The portrait of a woman in...

Tram is an original China and lead drawing realized by Gabriele Galantara in 1905. Good condition, mounted on a cream coloured cardboard passpartout ( 34.5x50 cm), with a light blue...