Lot 31
Armin Hansen(American, 1886-1957)Three fishermen hauling in the nets 34 1/4 x 40in overall: 43 1/2 x 49 1/2in
28 April 2015, 18:00 PDT
Los Angeles and San FranciscoSold for US$40,000 inc. premium
Looking for a similar item?
Our California Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
Client Services (San Francisco)
Client Services (New York)
Armin Hansen (American, 1886-1957)
Three fishermen hauling in the nets
unsigned
oil on canvas
34 1/4 x 40in
overall: 43 1/2 x 49 1/2in
unsigned
oil on canvas
34 1/4 x 40in
overall: 43 1/2 x 49 1/2in
Footnotes
Provenance
Private collection, Northern California.
Exhibited
San Francisco, Mechanics Institute.
Salinas, National Steinbeck Center, 2001 – 2004.
Armin Hansen was a prominent American painter renowned for his plein-air methods and portrayals of rugged fisher folk. Often described as an Impressionist, Hansen refused to be pigeonholed. His style was aggressive and confident, reflecting the intrepidness of his subjects. Hansen formally trained in San Francisco and Europe, afterwards residing in Niewpoort, Belgium for four years working as a crewmember on North Sea trawlers and painting fishing scenes, maritime seascapes, and picturesque villages along the coast. His experience with the resilient and hardworking seafaring community became a repeated theme in his artistic representations. Hansen first visited sleepy Monterey in 1913 after teaching briefly at UC Berkeley and immediately began production on a series depicting the community's fishing industry. During the 1920s, Hansen lived near the Stevenson House, often hosting members of Monterey's avant-garde, including the Society of Six. Hansen also became acquainted with the local fishermen spending his days sketching along the pier and coastline. Gradually his style evolved, expressively utilizing new perspectives and a deeper palette. Hansen identified with the no-nonsense mentality of fishermen and maintained a modest lifestyle. He resided in an understated studio-home until building a fine Spanish-style home and studio next door to artist Julian Greenwell on El Dorado Street. He lived there until his death on April 23, 1957.
Three Fishermen Hauling in the Nets depicts rugged men trawling off the California coast. Dressed in their foul weather gear and positioned in various modes of action, Hansen implies not only movement but also grueling hard labor. His colors are cool, with muted shades of blues, reds, and violets, highlighted with touches of acid yellow. Hansen's figures were never portraits of individual fishermen instead they were archetypal masculine mariners– fearless and honorable men of the sea. Hansen had first-hand experience with the romance and reality of the life as a fisherman. Hansen implored an upshot angle and dramatic spotlighting to intensify the scene, forcing the viewer to be pulled up with the nets while looking up to the three trawlers. The artist's brushstrokes echo humanity's relationship with nature, communicating broadly the hardship and physical labor and the importance of nerve.