 Johann Berthelsen 1883-1972
Johann Berthelsen painted exquisitely rendered landscapes of New York City, judged "poetic" by contemporary critics. Ironically, though, it was music, not art, to which Berthelsen originally aspired. A native of Copenhagen, Denmark, Berthelsen was six when his family immigrated to the United States in 1889.
When he was eighteen, Berthelsen studied music and voice for four years at the Chicago Musical College. Following his graduation, he toured the United States and Canada as lead baritone for the Grand Opera Company, after which he taught voice, first at his alma mater and then at the Indianapolis Conservatory of Music. In 1920, Berthelsen opened a private studio in New York City where he gave voice lessons. Although he devoted most of his time to singing and music, Berthelsen painted; at first for his own pleasure and then, after 1932, on a full time basis.
Having achieved success as a pastelist, Berthelsen turned his attention to oils. He returned to the fundamentals of drawing in order to discover a technique appropriate to the medium. He used a heavy impasto to almost palpably render his landscapes. Berthelsen also painted still lifes. Unlike his landscapes, these works ( again on small canvases) are clearly defined, with colors ranging from bright to low key.
LISTED:
Allied Artists of America American Watercolor Society
Salmagundi Club
Terre Haute Museum, Indiana
Wake Forest College, North Carolina ►Click Here To Read More about this Important Artist |