Jessie Arms Botke Landscape Paintings

Consigned to the gallery, Pasadena, California; By descent to a private collector, Encino, California; Acquired in 1998 by a private collector, San Carlos, Palo Alto, and Oceanside, California; From William A. Karges Fine Art, Carmel, California Description This charming watercolor captures a sweeping view of Bodega Bay, California, rendered with the refined draftsmanship and decorative sensibility for which Jessie Arms Botke is renowned. While best known for her gilded avian compositions, Botke’s landscapes are comparatively rare and reveal a more personal side of her artistic vision. Here, the viewer peers over the distinctive red turret of a Victorian home toward the curving estuary, where land meets sea beneath a soft blue sky. Delicate washes and crisp detailing convey the texture of the shoreline, the undulating water, and the surrounding structures, evoking the calm yet lively spirit of a coastal fishing village in the early 20th century. The warm terracotta tones of the foreground architecture contrast beautifully with the cool blues of the water and the distant hills, creating a balanced, harmonious scene. Although no journal entry or record confirms a specific trip to Bodega Bay, Botke may have painted this work, circa 1906, during the period when she was offered a round-trip passage from the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway to travel from Chicago to Arizona and California in exchange for paintings depicting scenes of the West. The style and vantage point suggest direct observation, making it likely that she visited the town and painted the scene en plein air. With its architectural detail, vibrant palette, and compositional harmony, this work stands as a significant example of Botke’s lesser seen yet highly collectible works on paper. Jessie Arms Botke is recognized as one of the most important women artists in the early California art...