Arthur Hill Gilbert
Encyclopedia
Arthur Hill Gilbert was an American Impressionist painter, notable as one of the practitioners of the California
-style. Today, he is remembered for his large, colorful canvasas depicting meadows and groves of trees along the state's famed 17 Mile Drive. Gilbert was part of the group of American impressionist artists who lived and painted in the artists' colony scene in California at Carmel
and Laguna Beach
during the 1920s and 1930s.
. During this period, he was taught by William Merritt Chase
. After a stint at Annapolis, Gilbert served as an ensign
in the Navy in World War I
. After the war, Gilbert enjoyed "a long awaited sojourn in Concarneau
, France
where he decided to study painting as a future career", according to a reminiscence by fellow artist and close friend, Abel G. Warshawsky (Source: www.fada.com profile on Gilbert as remembered by Warshawsky, referenced on 12/11/2006). Later, Gilbert attended the Otis Art Institute (now known as Otis College of Art and Design
) and the Chicago Art Institute.
." In 1928, "he moved to Monterey where he became widely known for his paintings of the California landscape, mostly of the local area." Gilbert loved to paint the California Missions, especially Mission San Juan Bautista
, whose bell tower, according to FADA.com, "received notoriety in the film Vertigo
, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
." Gilbert also painted the Santa Barbara Mission.
.
During his lifetime, Gilbert was active both professionally and personally with arts and culture associations including The Bohemian Club
and the Carmel
Art Association, for which he was a pioneer member.
is filtering down to other artists as well. Paintings by artists such as John Gamble
, Arthur Hill Gilbert, and Mary Denil Morgan are now bringing higher than expected prices." Shaw-Williamson continues, "according to Patrick Kraft, of (a gallery in) Carmel and Los Angeles, artists that were considered second tier 10 or 15 years ago are now more sought after and their paintings are bringing stronger and stronger prices. As prices climb for the Guy Rose paintings, collectors are gravitating towards other artists in the school."
In an essay entitled, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and the Eucalyptus School in Southern California, art authority Nancy Dustin Wall Moure wrote that Gilbert "simplified landscape to the point of poeticism." (Source: 5-page Essay, with 44 endnotes, posted at Traditional Fine Arts Online = website address: www.tfaoi.com, as per original which was apparently "courtesy of Westpahl publishing, Irvine, California.")
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-style. Today, he is remembered for his large, colorful canvasas depicting meadows and groves of trees along the state's famed 17 Mile Drive. Gilbert was part of the group of American impressionist artists who lived and painted in the artists' colony scene in California at Carmel
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, often called simply Carmel, is a small city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history...
and Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city and artist community located in southern Orange County, California, United States, approximately southwest of the county seat of Santa Ana...
during the 1920s and 1930s.
Early life
Born on June 10, 1893 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, Gilbert graduated from Evanston Academy (Source: www.comenosfinearts.com, 02/20/01). He then studied at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. During this period, he was taught by William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase was an American painter known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons The New School for Design.- Early life and training :He was born in Williamsburg , Indiana, to the family...
. After a stint at Annapolis, Gilbert served as an ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
in the Navy in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the war, Gilbert enjoyed "a long awaited sojourn in Concarneau
Concarneau
Concarneau is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.The town has two distinct areas: the modern town on the mainland and the medieval Ville Close, a walled town on a long island in the centre of the harbour. Historically, the old town was a centre of shipbuilding...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he decided to study painting as a future career", according to a reminiscence by fellow artist and close friend, Abel G. Warshawsky (Source: www.fada.com profile on Gilbert as remembered by Warshawsky, referenced on 12/11/2006). Later, Gilbert attended the Otis Art Institute (now known as Otis College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design
Otis College of Art and Design is an art and design college in Los Angeles, California.The school's programs, accredited by WASC and National Association of Schools of Art and Design, include four-year BFA degrees in illustration, fine arts, graphic design, architecture, landscape design, interior...
) and the Chicago Art Institute.
The impressionist emerges
According to the biography about him on the website, www.tfaoi.com, Gilbert "spent several years painting and exhibiting in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
." In 1928, "he moved to Monterey where he became widely known for his paintings of the California landscape, mostly of the local area." Gilbert loved to paint the California Missions, especially Mission San Juan Bautista
Mission San Juan Bautista
Mission San Juan Bautista was founded on June 24, 1797 in what is now the San Juan Bautista Historic District of San Juan Bautista, California. Barracks for the soldiers, a nunnery, the Jose Castro House, and other buildings were constructed around a large grassy plaza in front of the church and...
, whose bell tower, according to FADA.com, "received notoriety in the film Vertigo
Vertigo (film)
Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A...
, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
." Gilbert also painted the Santa Barbara Mission.
Personal life
Gilbert and his wife, Audine, owned and lived in a ranch home near Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
.
During his lifetime, Gilbert was active both professionally and personally with arts and culture associations including The Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
and the Carmel
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea, often called simply Carmel, is a small city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated in 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, the town is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history...
Art Association, for which he was a pioneer member.
Gilbert's legacy
In a 2001 article entitled "California Impressionism" (www.eppraisals.com, 02/20/01) which discussed the resurgence of interest in this style of early 20th century art, Victoria Shaw-Williamson (correspondent at the time for www.keen.com) wrote, "Notably, the attention garnered by big names such as Guy RoseGuy Rose
Guy Rose was an American Impressionist painter who is recognized as one of California's top impressionist painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries....
is filtering down to other artists as well. Paintings by artists such as John Gamble
John Gamble
John Gamble may refer to:* John Gamble * John Gamble , musician and song collector* John A. Gamble Canadian politician* John M. Gamble Officer in the United States Marine Corps...
, Arthur Hill Gilbert, and Mary Denil Morgan are now bringing higher than expected prices." Shaw-Williamson continues, "according to Patrick Kraft, of (a gallery in) Carmel and Los Angeles, artists that were considered second tier 10 or 15 years ago are now more sought after and their paintings are bringing stronger and stronger prices. As prices climb for the Guy Rose paintings, collectors are gravitating towards other artists in the school."
In an essay entitled, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and the Eucalyptus School in Southern California, art authority Nancy Dustin Wall Moure wrote that Gilbert "simplified landscape to the point of poeticism." (Source: 5-page Essay, with 44 endnotes, posted at Traditional Fine Arts Online = website address: www.tfaoi.com, as per original which was apparently "courtesy of Westpahl publishing, Irvine, California.")
Past notable exhibitions (in alphabetical order)
According to a biography of Gilbert on the website: www.tfaoi.com, his works were shown during his lifetime at the following locations:- California Palace of the Legion of HonorCalifornia Palace of the Legion of HonorThe California Palace of the Legion of Honor is a fine art museum in San Francisco, California...
- Chicago Art Institute
- National Academy of DesignNational Academy of DesignThe National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
- Pennsylvania Academy of Art
Honors and awards
- In 1929, Gilbert was awarded the coveted Hallgarten Prize for his Monterey Oaks in an exhibition at the National Academy of DesignNational Academy of DesignThe National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. - In 1930, Gilbert went on to win both the Henry Ranger and the J. Francis Murphy Memorial Prizes.
- According to FADA (Fine Arts Dealers Association Online), Gilbert "was one of the very few California Impressionists to be elected into the prestigious membership of the National Academy of Design.
- Today, when at auction, many of Gilbert's works are listed in catalogs with his full name as the artist and the professional designation of "A.N.A." following.
Museum collections
According to the "Ask Art" website, referenced on 1/25/02, and The Smithsonian art archive, museums that today include Arthur Hill Gilbert in their collections include:- Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
Museum of Art - Oakland Museum of California
- SpringvilleSpringvilleSpringville is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Springville, Alabama*Springville, California*Springville, California, former name of Fortuna, California...
Museum of Art - Los Angeles County Museum of ArtLos Angeles County Museum of ArtThe Los Angeles County Museum of Art is an art museum in Los Angeles, California. It is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles, adjacent to the George C. Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits....
- Monterey Museum of Art-Pacific
- California Palace of the Legion of HonorCalifornia Palace of the Legion of HonorThe California Palace of the Legion of Honor is a fine art museum in San Francisco, California...
- National Academy of DesignNational Academy of DesignThe National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
Selected works (in alphabetical order)
- California Mission, oil on canvas, 22 by 28 in. - Sold by a gallery in Northern California in late 2000 or early 2001.
- California SycamoreCalifornia SycamorePlatanus racemosa is a species of sycamore tree known by several common names, including California sycamore, Western sycamore, California plane tree, and in Spanish Aliso...
s, oil on canvas, approx. 32 x 40 in. - Last on display in a private home in Southern California from the 1950s until 1988. - Cloudy Day on The Seine, 1927, oil on canvas, 32 x 40 in. - Paul Bagley Collection, as per Gerdts and South in California Impressionism page 244 (plate 238).
- The Cove, Pt. Lobos, circa 1935, oil on canvas, 25 x 30 in.
- Duneland, Monterey, oil on canvas, 40 x 50 in. - Sold by Altadena-based John Moran Auctioneers, at The Pasadena Convention Center on June 20, 2006. Price paid by the buyer was a 2nd-highest record for this artist of $ 57,500.(Source: www.News-Antique.com as per JSLA Media press release, reference: Lot #82, presale estimate of $ 20K to $30K).
- Green Hills, oil on canvas, 20 x 23 1/4 in. - Sold for $5,000 at auction, December 2006, Butterfield and Butterfield (Source: www.bohnhams.com, Sale 14048, lot 193).
- Green Hills at Seaside, oil on canvas, 12 x 16 in. - Sold for $6,462.50 at auction, June 8, 2006, Butterfield and Butterfield (Source: www.bohnhams.com, Sale 7544D, lot 4240). - "Provenance: Property from the Baird collection, sold to benefit the Monterey Museum of Art's Exhibition program. Note: There is a landscape study painted on the reverse." Bonhams' catalogue, p. 145.
- Glimpse of Hollywood Hills, oil on canvas on panel, 12 x 14 in. - In the permanent collection at the Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
Museum of Art in UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. - Monterey BayMonterey BayMonterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California. The bay is south of San Francisco and San Jose, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey....
, circa 1930, oil on canvasboard, 9 x 12 in. Sold by a gallery in Northern California in late 2000 or early 2001.(Source: www.fada.com/trotter4.html) - Mt. Doud, Big SurBig SurBig Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
, oil on canvas, 40 x 50 in. - Also sold by Altadena-based John Moran Auctioneers, at The Pasadena Convention Center on June 20, 2006. The buyer, Trotter Galleries of Carmel, paid a record $ 97,975. Note: A smaller (25" x 30") painting by the artist with the same title, though varying in color, was sold by Bonhams & Butterfields in August 2005 for a reported $ 29,375.(Source: www.News-Antique.com as per JSLA Media press release, reference: Lot #48, presale estimate of $ 25K to $30K). - A Summer MoonMoonThe Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, oil on canvas, 25 x 30 in. - Last on display at a gallery in California in July 2005. (Source: www.knathangallery.com) - Summer Path, oil on canvas on board, 9 x 12 in. - Auctioned at Butterfield and Butterfield in May 2007 with a bid estimate of $3,000 to $5,000.(Source: www.bohnhams.com, Sale 14796, lot 735).
- Tall Trees, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. - Last on display at a gallery in Southern California in February 2001. (Source: www.binggallery.com)
- View of 17 Mile Drive, oil on canvas, 25 x 30 in. - Last on display at a gallery in Southern California in July, 2005. (Source: www.knathangallery.com)