Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen (1850-1921) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on November 2, 1850, the son of a famous Danish violinmaker. Jacobsen came to New York in 1873 and with a letter of introduction, was hired as a violinist for the New York Symphony Orchestra. However, this life did not appeal to him, and he decided to look for other work. As with most Danes, the lure of the sea and ships was part of his blood. He would spend his afternoons off sketching ships down at Battery Park, where an employee of the Marvin Safe Company noticed his drawings, and offered him a job decorating safes. It was while he was doing work for the Marvin Safe Company that Capt. Adolf Ludwig King, a Swedish captain for the Old Dominion Line noticed his work, and gave him his first commissions for ship portraits. This was to start Antonio Jacobsen on his lifes work as a ship portrait painter, a vocation he achieved with remarkable success. In 1878 he married Mary Melanie Schmidt at the church of the Strangers in New York City. They lived in New York until 1880 when they purchased a large Victorian home in West Hoboken (now Union City) where Jacobsen set up his studio. This house originally had the address of 705 Palisades Avenue, and then in 1896 the numbers of the street changed, and the house was then numbered 31 Palisades Avenue. The artists home was a Mecca for seafarers and artists, including Fred Pansing, James E. Buttersworth, F. Bishop and Frederick Cozzens. On Sundays, Jacobsen would arrange concerts at his house, and he and his friends would play chamber music. Many tales exist regarding the artists personality, eclectic interests, and artistic methods - including his improvidence, multi-linguistic and musical talents, voracious book reading and collecting, and the utilization late in his career of his two sons painting backgrounds in his work. During all but his last few years, Jacobson enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle that reflected the financial success of his lifes work. Toward the end of Antonio Jacobsens career his clientele shifted from the steamship companies to the art dealers selling these paintings for a mere $10 apiece. Jacobsen suffered a number of tragedies towards the end of his life. In 1909 his wife, Mary died; in 1917 a fire destroyed part of his house; in 1918 his two sons were called up for military service in World War I; and as his life changed he became depressed and suffered a number of minor strokes. The last stroke left him in a coma for five days, and he died on February 2, 1921. Jacobsen deserves the dual title of marine historian and marine artist. His clients, mostly ships officers, crewmen, and owners demanded accuracy - and accuracy is what they received. He chronicled the transition from sail to steam and the full commercial magnetism of the port of New York. Jacobsen also painted a number of yacht portraits and yachting scenes that were commissioned by some of the most prominent families in the New York area. He worked from daylight to dusk, and often had several painting going at one time in order to meet promised deadlines. He was a prolific artist with over 2400 known works. Works by Jacobsen can be seen in most major collections of marine art. Two of the most extensive public collections are The Mariners Museum; Newport News, VA and the Peabody Museum in Salem, MA From Sail To Steam, The Story Of Antonio Jacobsen, Marine Artist by Anita Jacobsen, 1972 Antonio Jacobsen The Checklist by Harold S. Sniffen, 1984 Lots 140 thru 144 are the Property of Alfred Jacobsen, Grandson of the Artist Antonio Jacobsen

Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen (American, 1850-1921)

Sailing on Moonlite Waters

細節

Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen (American, 1850-1921)
Sailing on Moonlite Waters
signed 'A. Jacobsen' (lower right)
ink and gouache on paper laid down on board
2½ x 4 in. (6.5 x 10 cm.)

來源

Antonio Jacobsen
hence by descent