Gisela Embree Art

We are delighted to offer a captivating watercolor by the American artist Hugo Anton Fisher (1854–1916). This serene composition depicts cows drinking at the edge of a calm body of w...

This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. Lovely scene of a hidden pond in a Scandinavian forest. Details: + Title: Scandinavian Enchanted Forest + Year: 2024 + ...

Max Kuehne (1880 - 1968) Train Station, circa 1910 Watercolor on paper 8 1/4 x 10 1/4 inches Signed lower right Provenance: Private Collection, Illinois Max Kuehne was born in Halle, Germany on November 7, 1880. During his adolescence the family immigrated to America and settled in Flushing, New York. As a young man, Max was active in rowing events, bicycle racing, swimming and sailing. After experimenting with various occupations, Kuehne decided to study art, which led him to William Merritt Chase's famous school in New York; he was trained by Chase himself, then by Kenneth Hayes Miller. Chase was at the peak of his career, and his portraits were especially in demand. Kuehne would have profited from Chase's invaluable lessons in technique, as well as his inspirational personality. Miller, only four years older than Kuehne, was another of the many artists to benefit from Chase's teachings. Even though Miller still would have been under the spell of Chase upon Kuehne's arrival, he was already experimenting with an aestheticism that went beyond Chase's realism and virtuosity of the brush. Later Miller developed a style dependent upon volumetric figures that recall Italian Renaissance prototypes. Kuehne moved from Miller to Robert Henri in 1909. Rockwell Kent, who also studied under Chase, Miller, and Henri, expressed what he felt were their respective contributions: "As Chase had taught us to use our eyes, and Henri to enlist our hearts, Miller called on us to use our heads." (Rockwell Kent, It's Me O Lord: The Autobiography of Rockwell Kent. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1955, p. 83). Henri prompted Kuehne to search out the unvarnished realities of urban living; a notable portion of Henri's stylistic formula was incorporated into his work. Having received such a thorough foundation in art, Kuehne spent a year in Europe's major art museums to study techniques of the old masters. His son Richard named Ernest Lawson as one of Max Kuehne's European traveling companions. In 1911 Kuehne moved to New York where he maintained a studio and painted everyday scenes around him, using the rather Manet-like, dark palette of Henri. A trip to Gloucester during the following summer engendered a brighter palette. In the words of Gallatin (1924, p. 60), during that summer Kuehne "executed some of his most successful pictures, paintings full of sunlight . . . revealing the fact that he was becoming a colorist of considerable distinction." Kuehne was away in England the year of the Armory Show (1913), where he worked on powerful, painterly seascapes on the rocky shores of Cornwall. Possibly inspired by Henri - who had discovered Madrid in 1900 then took classes there in 1906, 1908 and 1912 - Kuehne visited Spain in 1914; in all, he would spend three years there, maintaining a studio in Granada. He developed his own impressionism and a greater simplicity while in Spain, under the influence of the brilliant Mediterranean light. George Bellows convinced Kuehne to spend the summer of 1919 in Rockport, Maine (near Camden). The influence of Bellows was more than casual; he would have intensified Kuehne's commitment to paint life "in the raw" around him. After another brief trip to Spain in 1920, Kuehne went to the other Rockport (Cape Ann, Massachusetts) where he was accepted as a member of the vigorous art colony, spearheaded by Aldro T. Hibbard. Rockport's picturesque ambiance fulfilled the needs of an artist-sailor: as a writer in the Gloucester Daily Times explained, "Max Kuehne came to Rockport to paint, but he stayed to sail." The 1920s was a boom decade for Cape Ann, as it was for the rest of the nation. Kuehne's studio in Rockport was formerly occupied by Jonas Lie. Kuehne spent the summer of 1923 in Paris, where in July, André Breton started a brawl as the curtain went up on a play by his rival Tristan Tzara; the event signified the demise of the Dada movement. Kuehne could not relate to this avant-garde art but was apparently influenced by more traditional painters — the Fauves, Nabis, and painters such as Bonnard. Gallatin perceived a looser handling and more brilliant color in the pictures Kuehne brought back to the States in the fall. In 1926, Kuehne won the First Honorable Mention at the Carnegie Institute, and he re-exhibited there, for example, in 1937 (Before the Wind). Besides painting, Kuehne did sculpture, decorative screens, and furniture work with carved and gilded molding. In addition, he designed and carved his own frames, and John Taylor Adams encouraged Kuehne to execute etchings. Through his talents in all these media he was able to survive the Depression, and during the 1940s and 1950s these activities almost eclipsed his easel painting. In later years, Kuehne's landscapes and still-lifes show the influence of Cézanne and Bonnard, and his style changed radically. Max Kuehne died in 1968. He exhibited his work at the National Academy of Design, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh, the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, and in various New York City galleries. Kuehne's works are in the following public collections: the Detroit Institute of Arts (Marine Headland), the Whitney Museum (Diamond Hill...

Edward Dufner (1872 - 1957) Monhegan Island, Maine Watercolor on paper Sight 16 x 20 inches Signed lower right With a long-time career as an art teacher and painter of both 'light' and 'dark', Edward Dufner was one of the first students of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy to earn an Albright Scholarship to study painting in New York. In Buffalo, he had exchanged odd job work for drawing lessons from architect Charles Sumner. He also earned money as an illustrator of a German-language newspaper, and in 1890 took lessons from George Bridgman at the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy. In 1893, using his scholarship, Dufner moved to Manhattan and enrolled at the Art Students League where he studied with Henry Siddons Mowbray, figure painter and muralist. He also did illustration work for Life, Harper's and Scribner's magazines. Five years later, in 1898, Dufner went to Paris where he studied at the Academy Julian with Jean-Paul Laurens and privately with James McNeill Whistler. Verification of this relationship, which has been debated by art scholars, comes from researcher Nancy Turk who located at the Smithsonian Institution two 1927 interviews given by Dufner. Turk wrote that Dufner "talks in detail about Whistler, about how he prepared his canvasas and about numerous pieces he painted. . . A great read, the interview puts to bed" the ongoing confusion about whether or not he studied with Whistler. During his time in France, Dufner summered in the south at Le Pouleu with artists Richard Emil Miller...

James L. Grabowski (American born 1944) New England Landscape Gouache on paper 27 1/2 x 39 1/2 Signed on the reverse Has a plaque for Arches Paper Award James Grabowski...

Louis Wolchonok (1898 - 1973) Gondolas at the Dock, Venice, Italy, 1928 Watercolor on paper Sight 18 x 23 1/2 inches Signed and dated lower right Louis Wolchonok was an author of ar...

Lionel S. Reiss (1894 - 1988) New York City Skyline View from the East River Watercolor on paper 13 x 19 inches Signed lower left In describing his own style, Lionel Reiss wrote, “By nature, inclination, and training, I have long since recognized the fact that...I belong to the category of those who can only gladly affirm the reality of the world I live in.” Reiss’s subject matter was wide-ranging, including gritty New York scenes, landscapes of bucolic Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and seascapes around Gloucester, Massachusetts. However, it was as a painter of Jewish life—both in Israel and in Europe before World War II—that Reiss excelled. I.B. Singer, the Nobel Prize winner for Literature, noted that Reiss was “essentially an artist of the nineteenth century, and because of this he had the power and the courage to tell visually the story of a people.” Although Reiss was born in Jaroslaw, Poland, his family immigrated to the United States in 1898 when he was four years old. Reiss's family settled on New York City’s Lower East Side and he lived in the city for most of his life. Reiss attended the Art Students League and then worked as a commercial artist for newspapers and publishers. As art director for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he supposedly created the studio’s famous lion logo. After World War I, Reiss became fascinated with Jewish life in the ‘Old World.’ In 1921 he left his advertising work and spent the next ten years traveling in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Like noted Jewish photographers Alter Kacyzne and Roman Vishniac, Reiss depicted Jewish life in Poland prior to World War II. He later wrote, “My trip encompassed three main objectives: to make ethnic studies of Jewish types wherever I traveled; to paint and draw Jewish life, as I saw it and felt it, in all aspects; and to round out my work in Israel.” In Europe, Reiss recorded quotidian scenes in a variety of media and different settings such as Paris, Amsterdam, the Venice ghetto, the Jewish cemetery in Prague, and an array of shops, synagogues, streets, and marketplaces in the Jewish quarters of Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, Lublin, Vilna, Ternopil, and Kovno. He paid great attention to details of dress, hair, and facial features, and his work became noted for its descriptive quality. A selection of Reiss’s portraits appeared in 1938 in his book My Models Were Jews. In this book, published on the eve of the Holocaust, Reiss argued that there was “no such thing as a ‘Jewish race’.” Instead, he claimed that the Jewish people were a cultural group with a great deal of diversity within and between Jewish communities around the world. Franz Boas...

A lively and detailed mid-1940's vintage boardwalk scene of Santa Cruz, California by California artist Cassard (20th Century), 1944. This figurative...

'Parisian Street Scene', watercolour on art paper, by Roland DuBuc (circa 1970s). This artwork is a delightful depiction of a Parisian street which scales the hill to the neighbourhood of Montmartre, the home of the basilica of Sacré-Cœur. DuBuc's artworks serve as a love letter to the city of Paris and are recognised by his incredibly charming style. The signed artwork is in good overall condition and has been newly framed with anti-reflective glass. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying this listing. Upon request a video of the piece may be provided. About the Artist: Roland DuBuc (1924-1998), French artist, the sixth of 13 children and son of a construction worker. The very precariousness of the family's financial situation forced him to go to work at the age of 14. In extreme poverty, he moved to Rouen where he was lodged by the Salvation Army. During that time he struck up friendships with several artists who gave him advice and taught him techniques of drawing. He moved to other cities later where he met painters including, among others, Fred Pailhès...

"A Norman Peasant's Home," (Near Caudebec -en-Caux, Seine, France); and also identified as, "Peasant's Doorway." by Hezekiah Anthony Dyer. This area would be considered Normandy hence the title. Watercolor and gouache on archival paper. Signed lower left by the artist. Condition is very good. Included with the purchase is dated 1925 correspondence between the artist and purchaser of the painting with apologies from the artist for the painting not being shipped from Newport on time. Recently professionally custom double matted and framed under glass. Overall framed measurements are 19.25 by 15.5 inches. Provenance: Rhode Island collector. H. A. Dyer 1872 - 1943 Historical Rhode Island artist Hezekiah Anthony Dyer, son of Elisha and Nancy Anthony Dyer , was born into a prominent Rhode Island family, having both his grandfather and father serve as governor of the state. A descendent of the Hoppin family, known for their own artistic inclination, Dyer inherited both an interest in the arts as well as his father’s interest in public affairs. He fulfilled his destiny by becoming a notable figure in Rhode Island politics and public service as well as an accomplished artist. Dyer attended boarding school at St. Paul’s Church in Concord, New Hampshire and then went on to attend Brown University. Following his graduation from Brown in 1894, Dyer became serious about pursuing an art career and made the decision to travel abroad to Holland, Italy and France where he focused on refining his watercolor technique. Following his initial trip to Europe, Dyer returned to Providence and attended classes at the Rhode Island School of Design. By 1919 he received an Honorary Masters of Arts Degree from Brown University. Throughout his life, Dyer traveled to Europe for several months of each year to paint. He had a particular affinity for European seascapes and landscapes, as well as for picturesque scenes of old European villages. Dyer’s travels took him throughout the continent including Belgium, Brittany, Normandy, England and both the Swiss and Italian Alpine regions. Hezekiah was heavily influenced by the English School of painting, and in the early years of his career as a painter, worked exclusively in a deliberately realistic style. During this time, Dyer also began showcasing his paintings in exhibits that consisted of only his own work and which were very successful. As his painting progressed, Dyer allowed himself to experiment more in the field of watercolor. He developed a technique of painting on grey or tan paper and would paint everything lighter than the paper using an opaque gouache, and everything darker than the paper in transparent washes of color. This technique allowed Dyer to represent a great deal of detail not usually found in watercolor paintings. It also resulted in wonderfully vibrant colors that would not fade when dry. H. A. Dyer was a prominent member of both the art community and of Rhode Island public life. While he never held an office, Dyer became very involved in politics and from 1916 to 1919 was president of the Republican Club of Rhode Island. At the beginning of the First World War, Hezekiah was made chairman of the speaker’s bureau for the Food Administration of Rhode Island, and was later made chairman of the speaker’s bureau for the Council of Defense. Dyer also became a chairman for a philanthropic organization called Rhode Island of the Fatherless Children of France. In 1922, France presented both Hezekiah Dyer...

Idyllic watercolor of grassland and mountains in Cuba by Leonard Lester (English, 1870-1952). A large, grasy field stretches out from the viewer, lush a...

Alphonse Mucha (Czech, 1860 - 1939) Medieval Thoughts, circa 1890 Wash, ink, and watercolor on paper 11 x 9 inches Signed lower right Provenance: Phillips New York, 19th and 20th ce...