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American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists
|
- Sale 2105
Live
| Philadelphia
Dec 8 | 2:00 PM EST
Live
| Philadelphia
Sale 2105
| Philadelphia
| Philadelphia
Estimate$20,000 – $30,000
On the advice of her friend Henry Snell, Fern Coppedge first visited Cape Ann, and specifically the harbor of Gloucester, in the summer of 1916. She regularly visited the enchanting harbor thereafter until 1934. Like Fitz Henry Lane, Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, or Jane Peterson before her, Coppedge felt attracted to the unique New England light, and enjoyed capturing the shimmering sea, picturesque clapboard houses, lobster traps, and rugged granite cliffs. Contrary to her male counterparts, she mostly avoided tourist locations and preferred to paint in quaint, semi-deserted places, such as Pigeon Cove, Norman's Woe, or Rocky Neck. Here, as an exception, the artist presents the viewer with the dramatic entrance to the harbor, recognizable by the familiar silhouette of Gloucester City Hall's spire in the background, at left.
A master colorist, Coppedge fully embraces her late-career's distinctive garish hues, thus ensuring the composition's fiery atmosphere and overall dynamism. Water occupies the majority of the canvas. Usually painted in very deep turquoise, Coppedge instead chooses to employ dark lavender tones, rusty oranges, and bright ultramarine, which contribute to the golden atmosphere and charge it with intensity–almost as if a summer storm is approaching. Across from us, past the diagonal pontoon stretching into the water, are nestled buildings–brightly colored boxes and cubes of various sizes that recall Coppedge's signature cottages from Bucks County that she typically depicts blanketed in snow. A geometric composition, Boats in Harbor still leaves room for delicacy, namely the soothing curves of the boats' floating sails and the shimmering light rays on the surface of the water, thus proving that although the decor is captured in a very modern and bold style, Coppedge still sees the harbor as her own safe haven.
Provenance:
The Artist.
A gift from the above.
Collection of Margaret Effa Kuns, the Artist's sister, Kansas.
By descent in the Artist's family, Kansas.
Private Collection, Colorado.
Lot Essay:
On the advice of her friend Henry Snell, Fern Coppedge first visited Cape Ann, and specifically the harbor of Gloucester, in the summer of 1916. She regularly visited the enchanting harbor thereafter until 1934. Like Fitz Henry Lane, Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, or Jane Peterson before her, Coppedge felt attracted to the unique New England light, and enjoyed capturing the shimmering sea, picturesque clapboard houses, lobster traps, and rugged granite cliffs. Contrary to her male counterparts, she mostly avoided tourist locations and preferred to paint in quaint, semi-deserted places, such as Pigeon Cove, Norman's Woe, or Rocky Neck. Here, as an exception, the artist presents the viewer with the dramatic entrance to the harbor, recognizable by the familiar silhouette of Gloucester City Hall's spire in the background, at left.
A master colorist, Coppedge fully embraces her late-career's distinctive garish hues, thus ensuring the composition's fiery atmosphere and overall dynamism. Water occupies the majority of the canvas. Usually painted in very deep turquoise, Coppedge instead chooses to employ dark lavender tones, rusty oranges, and bright ultramarine, which contribute to the golden atmosphere and charge it with intensity–almost as if a summer storm is approaching. Across from us, past the diagonal pontoon stretching into the water, are nestled buildings–brightly colored boxes and cubes of various sizes that recall Coppedge's signature cottages from Bucks County that she typically depicts blanketed in snow. A geometric composition, Boats in Harbor still leaves room for delicacy, namely the soothing curves of the boats' floating sails and the shimmering light rays on the surface of the water, thus proving that although the decor is captured in a very modern and bold style, Coppedge still sees the harbor as her own safe haven.
To request further details about this lot, please email [email protected]
Adam Veil
VP, Head of Department, American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists
The unlined canvas in excellent original condition with no sign of inpainting as seen under UV light. We do spot a few pinpoint flakes: on the hull of the green boat at bottom center left, as well as the fishing boat at bottom left. Another minuscule dot at upper center left, along the left outer edge of the canvas. Additional images available upon request.
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Please email [email protected] for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.
