Accession Number
1953.654
Medium
watercolor
Dimensions
Sheet: 32.5 x 38.2 cm (12 13/16 x 15 1/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Credit Line
Anonymous Gift
Tags
Drawing Early Modern (1901–1950) Watercolor American Color: White
Background & Context
Background Story
The Harbor from c. 1925 is one of Gaertner's watercolor subjects, depicting a harbor scene with the atmospheric effects and precise rendering that distinguish his work in the medium. Gaertner's harbor subjects—like his urban scenes—combine the specific local knowledge of a Cleveland painter with the atmospheric sensitivity that watercolor allows. The c. 1925 date places this in Gaertner's early period, when he was establishing the combination of precise urban and industrial subjects with atmospheric watercolor technique that would define his career.
Cultural Impact
Gaertner's harbor watercolors are important in the history of Cleveland School painting because they demonstrate that the Cleveland School's precise urban subjects could be served by the atmospheric sensitivity of watercolor as well as by the more detailed oil technique. The Harbor shows Gaertner establishing the combination of specific local knowledge and atmospheric watercolor that would define his contribution to the Cleveland School.
Why It Matters
The Harbor is Gaertner establishing his Cleveland School watercolor: a harbor scene rendered with the atmospheric sensitivity that watercolor allows and the specific local knowledge of a Cleveland painter. The c. 1925 watercolor shows the combination of precise subject and atmospheric technique that would define Gaertner's career.
