Dreams of a Greece that isn’t coming back. Watercolors from an album with views of Greece done by artist Miltiadis Thon (1875-1945) whose album it was. It was part of a 2003 Bonhams auction.

Watercolor from an album that belonged to artist Miltiadis Thon with 135 watercolors done by the artist with various depictions of landscapes and seascapes of Greece. 1845. Signed and dated on the lower left. Image © Bonhams 2001-2023. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/10584/lot/19/?category=list
Watercolor from an album that belonged to artist Miltiadis Thon with 135 watercolors done by the artist with various depictions of landscapes and seascapes of Greece. 1895-1937. Signed on the lower right. Image © Bonhams 2001-2023. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/10584/lot/19/?category=list
The Parthenon. Watercolor from an album that belonged to artist Miltiadis Thon with 135 watercolors done by the artist with various depictions of landscapes and seascapes of Greece. 1895-1937. Signed on the lower right. Image © Bonhams 2001-2023. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/10584/lot/19/?category=list
Watercolor from an album that belonged to artist Miltiadis Thon with 135 watercolors done by the artist with various depictions of landscapes and seascapes of Greece. 1895-1937, closer to 1937 judging by the automobile which belonged to the watercolorist himself. Signed on the lower right. Image © Bonhams 2001-2023. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/10584/lot/19/?category=list

Miltiadsis Thon was a Greek artist of German descent. He was a descendant of Karl Christian Friedrich Thon, a Bavarian, who settled in Athens in 1833 when he arrived as a member of the court of King Otto.

Catching a sea breeze with Swedish landscape artist Anna Palm de Rosa. Living from 1859 to 1924, her watercolors of steamers and sailing ships were very popular. 

Panoramavy över Stockholms slott. 1891. Swedish. Watercolor. Anna Palm de Rosa, artist. Image source: bukowskis..com. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 70 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anna_Palm_de_Rosa-Panoramavy_%C3%B6ver_Stockholms_slott.jpg

Stranden vid Skagen, Danmark. Undated, by 1924, Swedish. Anna Palm de Rosa, artist. Image sourced from an older auction catalogue. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 70 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skagen_Danmark_x_Anna_Palm_de_Rosa.jpg

Vy över Stockholms Slott och Helgeandsholmen. Undated, by 1924. Swedish. Signed on the lower left. Anna Palm de Rosa, artist. Collections of the National Museum, Stockholm. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 95 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:View_of_the_Royal_Palace,Stockholm(Anna_Palm_de_Rosa)-_Nationalmuseum-_26271.tif

Fingal’s Cave, Staffa, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. Depictions in various media and artists.

Fingal’s Cave, Staffa, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. British. 1792. Nicholas Pocock, watercolorist. Pencil, pen and ink, and watercolor on paper. Signed and dated “N Pocock 1792” on the lower left. Image © Christie’s 2022. Fair use license. via https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/dramas-light-land-martyn-gregory-collection-british-art/nicholas-pocock-o-w-s-bristol-1740-1821-maidenhead-1/144022?ldp_breadcrumb=back

Vue de la Grotte de Fingal a l’Ile de Staffa une des Hebrides
[View of Fingal’s Cave at the Isle of Staffa, One of the Hebride
s]. 1804. French, done in Paris. Hand colored engraving. Michel Picquenot (born 1747), engraver after Josephus Augustus Knip (1777-1847). Image © George D. Glazer 2022. Fair use license. via https://www.georgeglazer.com/wpmain/product/view-of-fingals-cave-at-the-isle-of-staffa-josephus-augustus-knip-paris-1804/
Fingal’s Cave, Isle of Staffa. ca. 1847. British. Pencil, watercolor and bodycolor. William Leighton Leitch, artist (1804-1883). Image © Royal Collection Trust. Fair use license. via https://www.rct.uk/collection/919679/fingals-cave-isle-of-staffa
Fingal’s Cave, Island of Staffa, Scotland. 1884. American. Oil on canvas. Thomas Moran, artist (1837-1926). Collections of the High Museum of Art, Atlanta. Artwork itself in the public domain due to age. via https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/fingal%E2%80%99s-cave-island-of-staffa-scotland-thomas-moran/mQHHFqVi5xwxog?hl=en

Down to the water with French painter of marine subjects Henriette Gudin who signed her works as “Mme Fauchier” after she married in 1850. Living from 1825 to 1892, she was the daughter of the painter painter Jean Antoine Théodore de Gudin.

Scène de plage avec des pêcheurs de crabe au clair de lune. Before 1876. French. Signed on the lower left. Image source:
duesseldorfer-auktionshaus.de/
In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 100 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Henriette_Gudin_Strandszene.jpg

Vessels on the Bosphorus. ca,. 1850. French. Image source: Christies. Signed on the lower left. In the public domain in the United States because the artist died over 100 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Henriette_Gudin_-_Vessels_on_the_Bosphorus.jpg
Marine scene. Undated, by 1876. French. Oil on panel. Signed on the lower left. Image © 2008-2021 Bukowski Auktioner AB. Fair use license, via https://www.bukowskis.com/en/lots/1222828-henriette-herminie-gudin-oil-on-panel-signed

“Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean, September, 1871.” Three hand-colored lithographs from 1872 done in New Bedford, Massachusetts by Benjamin Russell. Looks awfully cold. Part of a current Swann Galleries auction catalogue.

“Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean, September, 1871: Blossom Shoals.” 1872. American. Hand-colored lithograph. John Henry Bufford, lithographer after Benjamin Russell. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/-WHALING–JH-Buffords-lithographers-Group-of-3-prints-depict?saleno=2580&lotNo=281&refNo=783413
“Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean, September, 1871″. The names of the various whaling vessels are listed including the ‘Victoria” over at the far right. 1872. American. Hand-colored lithograph. John Henry Bufford, lithographer after Benjamin Russell. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/-WHALING–JH-Buffords-lithographers-Group-of-3-prints-depict?saleno=2580&lotNo=281&refNo=783413
“Abandonment of the Whalers in the Arctic Ocean, September, 1871: The ‘Europa,’ the ‘Daniel Webster,’ the ‘Midas,’ the ‘Chance,’ the ‘Arctic’ , the ‘Progress’, and the ‘Lagoda’: Ships receiving the Captains, Officers, and Crews of Abandoned Ships” 1872. American. Hand-colored lithograph. John Henry Bufford, lithographer after Benjamin Russell. Image © Swann Auction Galleries. Fair use license. via https://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/Lots/auction-lot/-WHALING–JH-Buffords-lithographers-Group-of-3-prints-depict?saleno=2580&lotNo=281&refNo=783413

These hand-colored lithographs appear to have been part of a larger set. Lithographs in sets or otherwise were very popular in 19th century America and the drawings for these images was probably done with the intention of selling them as prints. They refer to incident known as the Whaling disaster of 1871 off the northern Alaskan coast in which a fleet of 33 American whaling ships stayed were trapped in the Arctic ice in late 1871 and subsequently abandoned. Amazingly, no one died.

Please note that in my area where people went whaling from in the 19th century we regard these as history. I know depictions of whaling are not seen like that everywhere. However these images depict no actual whales, that and the ocean won.

Down to the seashore with French painter Claude-Joseph Vernet. Living from 1714 to 1789, his father and his son were artists too.

“The Shipwreck.” 1772. French. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated “J. Vernet / F. 1772” on the bottom left. Collections of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. In the public domain in the United States because the artist has been dead over 100 years. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vernet,Claude_JosephThe_Shipwreck-_1772.jpg
A Storm on a Mediterranean Coast.” 1767. French. Oil on canvas. Collections of the Getty Center, Los Angeles. In the public domain in the United States because the artist has been dead over 100 years. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claude-Joseph_Vernet_-A_Storm_on_a_Mediterranean_Coast-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
“Shipwreck.” 1763. French. Oil on canvas. Collections of the Hermitage, Saint Petersburg. In the public domain in the United States because the artist has been dead over 100 years. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Vernet_-Shipwreck-_WGA24740.jpg
“A Seashore.” ca. 1776. French. Oil on canvas. Collections of the National Gallery, London. Image source:
National Gallery, London
. Cc0 License 1.0. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claude-Joseph_Vernet_-A_Sea-shorec_1776-_National_Gallery_UK.jpg

On a little holiday with French painter André Hambourg who painted seascapes and lots of beach scenes. Living from 1909 to 1999, he studied at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs.

“A Trouville marée haute temps couvert.”ca. 1965. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “A. Hambourg” on the lower left. Signed with the artist’s initials and inscribed “a. h.” © Estate of the artist. Image © Bonhams 2001-2021. Fair use license. via https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26669/lot/22/?category=list&length=96&page=1
“Avant le Depart pour Les Voiliers.” Undated. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “a. Hambourg” on the lower right. Initialed “a. h.” and inscribed as titled on the reverse. © Estate of the artist. Image © 2021 William Doyle Galleries, Inc. Fair use license. via https://doyle.com/auctions/20pt01-important-paintings/catalogue/22-andre-hambourg
“A marée basse le matin (Trouville).” Before 1968. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “A Hambourg” on the bottom left. Also signed with the artist’s initials and titled on the back. © Estate of the artist. Image  © Freeman’s 2021. Fair use license. via https://www.freemansauction.com/auction/lot/535-andr-hambourg-french-1909-1999/?lot=543876&sd=1
“Marée haute beau temps, Deauville.” 1990. French. Oil on canvas. Signed “A. Hambourg” on the lower right. Inscribed and dated “Deauville 1990.” Also inscribed and titled on the reverse. © Estate of the artist.  Image © 2021 William Doyle Galleries, Inc. Fair use license. via https://doyle.com/auctions/0205211-european-and-american-paintings-sculpt/catalogue/164-andre-hambourg 

Down to the water not so long ago. English. Robert Salmon, painter. Living from 1775 to 1845, he was British but came to the United States in 1828 and painted there for several years. Painting maritime scenes and seascapes, he is considered the father of American Luminism.

“British and German Vessels in a Stiff Breeze at the Mouth of a Harbor.” 1840. Oil on panel. Signed and dated “R. SALMON/1840” on the lower right. inscribed “No 53/Painted by R. Salmon/1840” on the reverse. Inscribed on the reverse with provenance information in a later hand. Image © 1999 – 2020 SKINNER, INC, Fair use license. via https://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/3455B/lots/40
“View of Palermo.” 1845. Oil on canvas. Collections of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid. In the public domain because the artist has been dead over 100 years. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Salmon_-_View_of_Palermo.jpg
“Ferryboat.” 1835. Oil on panel. Signed and dated “R. S. 1835” on the lower right. Image source: Heritage Auctions. In the public domain because the artist died over 100 years ago. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Salmon_-_Ferryboat.jpg

Light filled landscapes with a romantic air filled with sun and water. French. Félix Ziem, artist. Living from 1821 to 1911, Ziem is known for his light-filled depictions of waterways in Venice and Constantinople (Istanbul).

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“Aqua Alta.” Undated. Oil on panel. Signed “Ziem” on the lower right. Image source: Christies. In the public domain in the United States because the artist has been dead over 70 years. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Felix_ziem_aqua_alta).jpg

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“View of Istanbul.” 1850-1900. Oil on canvas. Source: Ophelia2. Collection of the Pera Museum, Istanbul. In the public domain in the United States because the artist has been dead over 100 years. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:F%C3%A9lix_Ziem_-_View_of_Istanbul.jpg

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‘Topi et Gondole dans le Bassin.” Undated. Oil on canvas. Signed “Ziem” on the lower right. Image © CHRISTIE’S 2020. Fair use license. via https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/felix-ziem-french-1821-1911-topi-et-5673203-details.aspx

Down to the water with American painter Alfred Thompson Bricher (1837-1908). Studied with Albert Bierstadt and part of the tail end of the Hudson River School.

ap08.237.3
Marine landscape. ca. 1895. Oil on canvas. Collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the public domain. via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/10215

Alfred_Thompson_Bricher_-_Castle_Rock,_Marblehead_-_Google_Art_Project
“Castle Rock, Marblehead.” 1878. Oil on canvas. Collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1925. via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alfred_Thompson_Bricher_-_Castle_Rock,_Marblehead_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

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“Grand Manan.” ca. 1888. Oil on canvas. Image © Birmingham Museum of Art. Artwork itself in the public domain. via https://www.artsbma.org/collection/grand-manan/