Johann Berthelsen (American, 1883–1972)Queensborough BridgeSigned 'Johann Berthelsen' bottom right; also titled and signed on upper stretcher verso and with the Artist's copyright stamp verso, oil on canvas24 x 30 in. (61 x 76.2cm)PROVENANCE:Private Collection, Greenwich, Connecticut.Sotheby's, New York, sale of March 3, 2010, lot 144.Acquired directly from the above sale.Private Collection, Colorado.NOTE:Berthelsen first experienced New York as a seven-year-old child when he and his family immigrated from Denmark in 1890. Though they would eventually settle in Wisconsin for the duration of his childhood, Berthelsen eventually returned to New York thirty years later to be part of the city’s thriving arts community. It was at this time that he began to paint the subjects for which he is so well-known: sweeping steel skyscrapers, vibrant urban life, quiet city streets blanketed with snow and the majestic bridges that warmly welcome awestruck newcomers and natives alike. Throughout his career, Berthelsen successfully painted landscapes, still lifes and portraits, yet he always returned to his first love--New York City, and it was primarily this subject matter that helped establish his reputation and burnish his enduring success. The present collection features five extraordinary scenes of iconic locations throughout the city--Madison Square Park (present lot), Brooklyn Bridge (lots 22 and 25), Washington Square (lot 24), and the Queensborough Bridge (lot 23). Each composition is a celebration of city life, a glimpse of his experience in the heart of America, romantically and poetically rendered with energetic impasto, rich color and a tender nostalgic touch.