A Walk In The Woods

It is said that art builds bridges, and that's exactly what is happening here with this astonishingly lifelike work by noted 19th century artist Narcisse Virgil Diaz de la Pena. This painter is best known for his forest and storm scenes and it's easy to see why - the view here is so authentic it is as if one were looking out on it in person! This painting is another breathtaking example from the Pantages Portfolio, which will will be available for viewing and purchase starting on September 28, 2018.

Frenchman Narcisse Virgil Diaz de la Pena (1808-1876) had a rough start in life; he became an orphan and lost a leg to infection before he was a teenager. He began formally studying art at 15, focusing on painting after first working in porcelains. Over time, he met fellow artist Théodore Rousseau and really admired Rousseau's style and ability to capture forests on canvas so well. They eventually became good friends. Diaz de la Pena worked his entire adult life as a successful and highly sought-after artist. His paintings are part of the permanent collection of the Louvre, The Wallace Collection in London, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Isabella Stewart Museum in Boston, among many others.

Catch the Spirit

What do you see here? A landscape, certainly. But don't the mountains in the back of the the work also hint of a majestic bird in flight or even a sacred figure? Only the artist, Elliott Daingerfield, knows for sure. This wonderful painting, from the Pantages Portfolio, truly soars to new heights.

Elliott Daingerfield (1859–1932) was an American painter best known for his religious, as well as landscape works. This example in some ways is a hybrid of these two areas. He was born in West Virginia and but grew up and spent much of his life in North Carolina. He completed his art training in New York and studied at the Art Students’ League. Daingerfield traveled to Europe in the late 1890’s where he became very interested in religious themes. He painted the mural in the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin in New York City. Later in his life he began writing about art, authoring several magazine articles as well as artist biographies. He was a full member of the National Academy of Design from 1906 onward. As a favorite son of North Carolina, Daingerfield’s work has been exhibited at the North Carolina Museum of Art and his childhood home in Fayetteville has been made into a local museum.

I'm Not Telling

What's on your mind? Only the subject knows for sure, and he's been sworn to secrecy. This handsome, untitled painting of a pensive man is by artist Samuel Brecher, and one of the world-class portraits available through the Pantages Portfolio.

Samuel Brecher (1897-1982) was born in Austria but spent most of his adult life in New York City. He is best known for his oil on canvas portraits and landscapes. Professionally, he was also an art instructor and participated in the WPA teaching project from 1933 through 1938.  Brecher taught painting classes at the Newark School Fine & Industrial Arts from 1946 through 1974. He won many awards and exhibited extensively throughout his career, starting in 1924. Brecher's works are included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Newark Museum of Art, Florida Southern College, and several museums in Israel, among many others.

Blue Belle

This lovely painting of a "blue belle" is another highlight from the Pantages Portfolio. Painted in 1930's, the girl's hairstyle and dress style align perfectly to the period. Jim Pantages has a great eye for fine portraits, and this oil on canvas example by Eben Comins is certain to turn many heads.

Eben Comins (1875-1949) was born in Massachusetts and spent much of his personal and professional life around the Boston area. A Harvard graduate, he would go on to paint as well as teach for most of his career. Comins taught for over three decades at St. Paul School of Fine Arts, Wellesley College, the Swain School of Design in New Bedford, as well as through his own studio in Boston. He won a gold medal in 1915 at the Panama Exposition for his contribution to art instruction. Comins is best known for his landscapes and fresco paintings; his "Good Harbor Beach, Gloucester, Massachusetts" sold at Christie's in New York in 2009 for $32,500.

City Slickers

Hartford, CT is nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World" because of the large number of companies in that industry calling the city their headquarters. Founded in 1635, it is also one of our country's oldest cities. You can really feel the heartbeat of the city in this early-20th century painting entitled Main Street, Hartford, CT.  This work is by artist Ernest Meyer and is another featured highlight from the Pantages Portfolio.

Ernest Meyer (1863-1952) was born in Germany but moved to America as a young man. He would go on to call New York City home for most of his life. He studied under several well known American artists including William Merritt Chase, John Henry Twachtman, James Carroll Beckwith, Frank Vincent DuMond, and Charles Henry Turner. Meyer is best known for his landscape paintings. His professional associations included the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts and the Salmagundi Club, and he exhibited his paintings at venues including the National Academy of Design, the Brooklyn Art Association, and the Boston Art Club.

Full House

There's no place like home, where ever that may be. This thoughtful painting of an urban "full house" is another highlight from the remarkable Pantages Portfolio. This Edmund Quincy work features six people - but who knows how many more are working, playing, or sleeping within the structure as well?

Edmund Quincy (1903-1997) was somewhat of a renaissance man. He is probably best known as a portrait, townscape, and landscape artist, but he also wrote and published poetry and fiction. Quincy attended Harvard University and graduated in 1925. He also studied at the Students League and with Albert Herter, Georges Degorce, George Noyes and F. Whiting. Quincy spent much of his later life and time living and painting in Italy.