$18,450
Albert Bierstadt (American, 1830-1902) Pilatus, Switzerland Monogrammed "AB" l. l., titled on the stretcher. Oil on paper laid on canvas, 13 3/8 x 19 3/8 in. (34.0 x 49.0 cm), framed. Condition: Lined, minor old retouch, varnish discoloration, surface grime. N.B. Albert Bierstadt was born in Dusseldorf, but grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1853, he returned to Dusseldorf to study at the Royal Academy under the landscape painters Andreas Aschenbach and Karl Friedman Lessing, who encouraged attention to detail, careful composition, and skilled drawing. The young artist took advantage of his four years of study to travel extensively in Europe, especially in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. Bierstadt is recognized for his plein air oil sketches and drawings remarkable in their scale and detail. These later served as the basis for his larger oils painted in his studio. He was not a copyist of nature, but brought to his work a romantic vision that highlighted the most picturesque aspects of scenery for maximum effect, as seen in his famous views of the American west.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2016-09-23
