1877

ECA control number: 28021 (old #21384)

Record level: Listing

Record type: Timeline year

Artist time line: Emil Carlsen [1848-1932]

Year: 1877

Subject age: 29 years old

Locations:
Denmark—Skagen
United States—Massachusetts—Boston

Address:

World news:
January, 1877: Dutch coast ravaged by storms.

Local news:
February, 1866: The year previous Boston suffers great storms and flooding.

Points:
– First mention of Emil Carlsen in a newspaper in America.
– Emil uses S. E. Carlsen (for Soren Emile Carlsen) and is mentioned this way in newspapers and exhibition catalogs.
– Carlsen prepares for his first art show in America, January 17 – February 10 at the Boston Art Club.
– Carlsen has a show with Williams & Everett Galleries, Boston, MA, March 19-20.
– Carlsen visits Long Island in June 1877 and paints a waterscape, most probably at William Merritt Chases’ home on the Island.
– He uses the studio of his friend, D. T. Kendrick in Boston to paint, as of August 22, 1877.  Kendrick is a painter, illustrator and art educator (Phebe Jenks was a student).  Carlsen often sought out students and friends with Scandinavian roots.  Kendrick wrote and illustrated several books on celts, druids and vikings.
– Carlsen may have been effected by the devastating storms that occured in Boston, beginning February the year previous, and again back in his homeland in January 1877 when selecting a theme for his In the Kattegat, 1877.  The picture depicts  a dangerous stormy sea with large swells and a small wooden boat with sailors on board.
– Carlsen meets painter Childe Hassam [1859-1935], who was to remain a lifelong friend and mentor, even though Hassam was six-years his junior.
– Emil began teaching students from his private studio from about 1877 to 1878.
– Phoebe Jenks (1847-1907), a year older than Emil, was one of his first students.

Paintings (7) :
– The seaweed cart, ca.1876-ca.1877.  [This was painted for a show in January, 1877 and most probably was made from sketches made in Denmark in late 1875 or 1876 in Europe.]
– On the Kattegat, 1877.  [Painted in January, 1877 or perhaps in late 1876 most probably from sketches made in Denmark in late 1875.]
– Sailing ship near a rocky coast, ca.1877.  [Painted probably in February, 1877, may be Denmark or Boston.]
– American beauties, 1877.  [May have been painted for a show in early March, 1877 at Williams & Everett Galleries, Boston.  It shows strong Boston School influences.]
– Long Island, 1877. [Painted in June, 1877 in Long Island most likely at William Merritt Chases’ place.]
– Still life with pineapple, 1877.  [May have been painted in Long Island in June when staying with William Merritt Chase as Carlsen could not afford a luxury like a pineapple at this time.]
– Girl descending steps into a garden, 1877. [Painted in mid-August, 1877.]

Exhibitions (2) :
1877 Boston Art Club, Boston, MA, “First exhibition for 1877“, January 17 – February 10.
1877 Williams & Everett Galleries, Boston, MA, “Exhibition and sale of original paintings : D. T. Kendrick, Phebe Jenks, S. E. Carlsen, M. K. Baker, and George N Cass“, March 19-20.

Articles (1) :
– Daily Evening Transcript, Boston, MA, “Art and artists”, August 22, 1877, 6:2.

Work & documents: