Anthony Thieme
Encyclopedia
Anthony Thieme was a landscape and marine painter and a major figure of the Rockport (MA) School of American regional art. He was a contemporary of important Rockport artists Aldro Hibbard
, Emil Gruppe
, W. Lester Stevens, Antonio Cirino, and Marguerite Pierson.
Born in Rotterdam
on February 20, 1888, Thieme studied at the Academie of Fine Arts in Rotterdam
for two years and then, briefly, at the Royal Academy, the Hague
. He traveled widely in Europe, frequently finding work as a stage designer.
Thieme traveled to the United States at the age of 22. He quickly found work as a stage designer at the Century Theater in New York, designing sets for the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. When the commission ended, he traveled to South America, primarily Brazil and Argentina. Stage work again provided his livelihood. A return to Europe followed with further work in England, France, and Italy.
Returning to the United States with a contract for additional stage work, Thieme found himself in Boston. He discontinued work on the stage in 1928 and from then on made his living with the sales of his paintings and etchings. Thieme married Lillian Beckett in 1929 and moved to Rockport, MA. He established the Thieme School of Art. He exhibited his work frequently at the Grand Central Art Galleries
in New York.
He continued to travel widely; Mexico, Guatemala, Florida, and France were major destinations, always painting en plein air
.
Thieme committed suicide on December 6, 1954 in Greenwich, CT. The circumstances of his death are not fully understood. There have been stories of deep depression or major illness, but no definitive rationale for his suicide has emerged.
Thieme's paintings are widely collected and often sold at major auction houses such as Sotheby's
and Christies. Prices for his work have been climbing steadily. Thieme's prices realized at auction are probably higher than any of his Rockport contemporaries with Aldro Hibbard
and Emil Gruppe
providing the nearest competition.
Anthony Thieme was a full member of the American Watercolor Society
, Art Alliance of America, the Salmagundi Club
, the Boston Art Club
, North Shore Art Association
, Rockport Art Association
, New York Water Color Club, Art Alliance of Philadelphia and the National Arts Club
.
The Pocock Fine Art & Antiques gallery http://www.pocockfineart.com specializes in the work of the artist.
Aldro Hibbard
Aldro Thompson Hibbard was a prominent American plein air painter. He was born in Falmouth, MA, but lived most of his life in Rockport, MA. His depictions of snowy landscapes, particularly in Vermont are highly regarded...
, Emil Gruppe
Emil Gruppe
Emile Albert Gruppé was an American painter born in Rochester, New York to Helen and Charles P. Gruppe. He lived the early years of his life in the Netherlands as his father Charles Paul Gruppe, painted with the Hague school of art and acted as a dealer for the Dutch painters in the US...
, W. Lester Stevens, Antonio Cirino, and Marguerite Pierson.
Born in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
on February 20, 1888, Thieme studied at the Academie of Fine Arts in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
for two years and then, briefly, at the Royal Academy, the Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. He traveled widely in Europe, frequently finding work as a stage designer.
Thieme traveled to the United States at the age of 22. He quickly found work as a stage designer at the Century Theater in New York, designing sets for the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. When the commission ended, he traveled to South America, primarily Brazil and Argentina. Stage work again provided his livelihood. A return to Europe followed with further work in England, France, and Italy.
Returning to the United States with a contract for additional stage work, Thieme found himself in Boston. He discontinued work on the stage in 1928 and from then on made his living with the sales of his paintings and etchings. Thieme married Lillian Beckett in 1929 and moved to Rockport, MA. He established the Thieme School of Art. He exhibited his work frequently at the Grand Central Art Galleries
Grand Central Art Galleries
The Grand Central Art Galleries were the exhibition and administrative space of the nonprofit Painters and Sculptors Gallery Association, an artists' cooperative established in 1922 by Walter Leighton Clark together with John Singer Sargent, Edmund Greacen, and others...
in New York.
He continued to travel widely; Mexico, Guatemala, Florida, and France were major destinations, always painting en plein air
En plein air
En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors.Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism...
.
Thieme committed suicide on December 6, 1954 in Greenwich, CT. The circumstances of his death are not fully understood. There have been stories of deep depression or major illness, but no definitive rationale for his suicide has emerged.
Thieme's paintings are widely collected and often sold at major auction houses such as Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
and Christies. Prices for his work have been climbing steadily. Thieme's prices realized at auction are probably higher than any of his Rockport contemporaries with Aldro Hibbard
Aldro Hibbard
Aldro Thompson Hibbard was a prominent American plein air painter. He was born in Falmouth, MA, but lived most of his life in Rockport, MA. His depictions of snowy landscapes, particularly in Vermont are highly regarded...
and Emil Gruppe
Emil Gruppe
Emile Albert Gruppé was an American painter born in Rochester, New York to Helen and Charles P. Gruppe. He lived the early years of his life in the Netherlands as his father Charles Paul Gruppe, painted with the Hague school of art and acted as a dealer for the Dutch painters in the US...
providing the nearest competition.
Anthony Thieme was a full member of the American Watercolor Society
American Watercolor Society
The American Watercolor Society is a nonprofit membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolor painting in the United States. It was founded in 1866 by eleven painters and, originally, was known as the American Society of Painters in Water Colors...
, Art Alliance of America, the Salmagundi Club
Salmagundi Club
The Salmagundi Club, also known as the Salmagundi Art Club, was founded in 1871 in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, in the United States. It currently is located at 47 Fifth Avenue...
, the Boston Art Club
Boston Art Club
The Boston Art Club, Boston, Massachusetts, for nearly 157 years, serves as a nexus for Members and non Members to access the world of Fine Art. Currently more than 250 members maintain an active environment for the support and promotion of these works....
, North Shore Art Association
North Shore Art Association
The North Shore Art Association of East Gloucester, Massachusetts is one of the oldest art associations in the United States. Founded in 1922, it was the gathering place of some of the great American Artists of the 20th century....
, Rockport Art Association
Rockport Art Association
Rockport Art Association is one of the oldest art associations in the United States. It started as an artist's cooperative and became a gathering place of New England artists of the 20th century. The artists Aldro Hibbard, Antonio Cirino, Paul Strisik, Anthony Thieme, W...
, New York Water Color Club, Art Alliance of Philadelphia and the National Arts Club
National Arts Club
The National Arts Club is a private club in Gramercy Park, New York City, New York, USA. It was founded in 1898 to "stimulate, foster, and promote public interest in the arts and to educate the American people in the fine arts". Since 1906 the organization has occupied the Samuel J...
.
External links
The Pocock Fine Art & Antiques gallery http://www.pocockfineart.com specializes in the work of the artist.