Lot 119
  • 119

Lionel Walden

Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 USD
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Description

  • Lionel Walden
  • Moonlight
  • signed Lionel Walden and dated 1902, l.l.
  • oil on canvas
  • 24 by 41 in.
  • 61 by 104 cm.

Provenance

Mr. Alan Renwick, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England
Acquired as a gift from the above by the father of the present owner
 

Condition

Canvas is not lined. SURFACE: in good condition, generally; dirty surface--should clean-up very well; scattered craquelure and mild pigment separation--horizontally along the middle third of the painting (looks stable; doesn't show very much); a few thin scratches at upper left, about 3 in. long (look white); another scratch at center (in waves), also about 3 in. long (vertical/diagonal) UNDER ULTRA VIOLET: no apparent inpainting
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Walden, the son of an Episcopalian clergyman, grew-up in various cities in the U.S.  He moved to Paris as a young man and studied under Carolus Duran.  He became a successful artist there, adept at both figural painting and in depicting seascapes.  "The King of Bohemia", as he was known to his artistic circle, was a frequent contributor to the Paris Salons and received several awards and honors for his work.  He also exhibited work in the Saint Louis Exposition of 1900 and the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.
His first visit to Hawaii was in 1911, at the invitation of a friend and fellow-artist, Kimo Wilder, whom he had met in Paris.  So taken was he by the beauty and light of the Islands that he became a frequent visitor and an active participant in Hawaii's artistic life.  He contributed to many group shows of Hawaiian artists and was for many years involved with the Hawaiian Society of Artists and the Honolulu Academy of Arts (formed in 1927).
Walden was considered the finest seascape painter of his time in Hawaii.  Unlike many of his peers, he preferred to concentrate on the many moods, colors and movements of the ocean rather than in depicting the drama of volcanic eruptions and lush landscapes, although he did paint these themes on occasion as well. 
While he is best known for his moonlit views of the Hawaiian coast, Walden's primary residence and first love was France.  He died there in Chantilly in 1933.