Emil Carlsen Coastal Scene with Cliff Side, ca.1914

Photo: copyright 2008 – Royal E. Frazier, Jr. of Bald Head Cliff, Maine from Craggy Rocks (The most likely vantage point that Carlsen painted from)

Emil Carlsen sketching outdoors (probably Ogunquit, Maine).
Archives of American Art (Smithsonian Institution)
ECA Record Control Number: 3634
Archives of American Art #: -none-
Record Level: Item
Record Type: Movable Work
Work Title: The Cliff
Alternate Work Titles:
2015: Coastal Scene with Cliff Side [from online auction site]
ca.2014: The Cliff [from dealer website]
Work Date: ca.1914 [dated based on style and color palette]
Work Creator: Emil Carlsen [1848-1932]
Work Medium: Oil on panel
Work Dimensions: 15 x 12 inches
Inscribed/Signed Front:
Location: At lower left.
Dated: No.
Text: ‘Emil. Carlsen.’
Inscribed/Signed Back:
Location: stamped verso.
Dated: No.
Text: stamp: ‘Estate of Florence G. Carlsen’
Markings:
’31’
’33’
Sticker: ‘BNFA / C613 / 03’
‘#31’
Stamp: upper right and a second on upper left. ‘Estate of Florence G. Carlsen’
Envelope with paperwork attached to back.
Frame: ‘135. SM158. 87485. ???2G. / WED / SPRE. / F?ESAR – CHICAGO.’
ECA Category: Waterscape
ECA Sub-Category: Surf
Archives of American Art Subjects:
Landscape
Landscape — Maine
Landscape — Maine — Ogunquit
Waterscape
Waterscape — Coast
Description of Work:
Provenance/Ownership:
ca.2015 unknown
2015 Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, Inc., 25 Meadow Road, Windsor, CT 06095
ca.2014 Cooley Gallery, Inc. [1981- ], 25 Lyme St, Old Lyme, CT 06371
after 1966 unknown
after 1966 unknown auction [based on markings on back of work]
after 1966 uknown
1966 Estate of Florence B. G. S. Carlsen [1903-1974], Falls Village, CT, the artist’s daughter-in-law
before 1966 Estate of Dines Carlsen [1901-1966], Falls Village, CT, the artist’s son
1932 Luella May (Ruby) Carlsen [c.1869-before 1966], New York, NY, the artist’s wife
ca.1914 Emil Carlsen [1848-1932], the artist
Exhibition History:
2015 Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, Inc., Lambertville, NJ, “Sale”, April 11.
References/Citations:
– Nadeau’s Auction Gallery, Inc., Windsor, CT, Sales Catalog, “Sale”, April 11, 2015, Lot #307.
– The Cooley Gallery, website accessed August 13, 2014.
Related Works:
– Coastal View, ca.1914 [alla prima study of same view, different day & same size canvas]
– The Great Cliff, ca.1914 [alla prima study of same view, smaller canvas]
ECA Notes:
– Based on additional markings on back of frame and work, this work was most likely auctioned off with the lot number #31 ca.1966-1978.
– This alla prima study is of Bald Head Cliff, Ogunquit, ME. Based on the photograph of the location in 2008, the painting was done on the craggy rocks but further out on the rocks then the photograph’s vantage point. Carlsen would paint alla prima sitting down on a small seat with a small travel easel. We added one of the photos of Carlsen in the Smithsonian Archives which shows him sitting painting at Oqunquit, ME.
Price History:
2015 $2,040 USD (auction)
2014 $6,500 USD (retail)
Document Information
Digital-born Document Number:
ECA.2014.3634
Digital Document Provenance:
Original compiled and researched document by the Emil Carlsen Archives, 266 West 21st Street, Suite 4E, New York, NY 10011.
Document License:
Creative Commons Corporation shareAlike (sa) license. Some of the information contained within this document may hold further publication restrictions depending on final use. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine.
Image License:
The author of this artwork died more than 70 years ago. According to U.S. Copyright Law, copyright expires 70 years after the author’s death. In other countries, legislation may differ.
Record Birth Date:
August 13, 2014
Last Update:
September 25, 2016