Johann Berthelsen Art

B. 1883-1972 - Johann Berthelsen is a late American Impressionist painter. While he did not study art in France, he had ample opportunity to view French Impressionism on exhibit in New York City, Chicago and elsewhere. His New York paintings consistently approach those of the French Impressionists more closely than of his fellow Americans who studied in France. The American Impressionists borrowed liberally from the French movement when producing landscapes. Few, however, produced impressionistically painted figures. Johann Berthelsen is an exception, since he places such figures within his freely painted cityscapes. In this sense Berthelsen is close to the early work of he ‘father’ of French Impressionism, Claude Monet (1840-1926). Also handling of atmospheric effects of the same scene depicted at different times was also a trademark of both artists. Both artists used flags or other color additions to highlight their cityscapes. It seems logical to believe that Monet, not Wiggins, directly or indirectly, was Berthelsen’s most important artistic influence.