WILLIAM THON (1906 2000) Island Shore

Sale 2678 - Lot 109

Price Realized: $ 1,430

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,500

WILLIAM THON (1906-2000)
Island Shore.

Watercolor and ink on Fabriano wove paper, circa 1950. 520x685 mm; 20½x27 inches. Signed twice lower right.

Provenance
Midtown Galleries, New York (label).
Hobe Sound Galleries North, Portland, Maine (partial label).
Midtown Galleries, New York, circa 1987 (label).
Private collection, New York.

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Additional Details

In 2002, the Portland Museum of Art in Maine held a major retrospective of William Thon's work. The exhibition, "The Poetry Within: The Life and Work of William Thon" highlighted his subtle, haunting watercolors, such as the present lot. His artwork reflects his love of the Maine landscape, including the rawness of the wind, crushing water, rocky shoals, and meditative forests. Thon rose to prominence in the 1950's when the abstract expressionist style occupied the art world's attention. He regularly shipped his work to Midtown Galleries in New York, preferring to stay in Maine pretty much isolated from the burgeoning New York art scene.

Thon was born in New York and had very little art education. He attended the Art Students League for one month in 1925 before finding work as a window display designer. Thon sought a greater adventure outside of his city and in 1933 he set off on a sea voyage to Costa Rica in search of buried treasure. He loved sailing but was not successful in his pursuit. He returned to New York seven months later with a wealth of sketches for him to paint from. In 1939, Thon's career gained national attention when his work was accepted for the Corcoran Gallery of Art's Biennial exhibition in Washington, D.C. The following year, Stow Wengenroth introduced Thon to Port Clyde, a small Maine fishing village. Thon purchased four acres where he later built his home and studio. During his World War II naval service, Thon continued to create art and exhibit work when he could. In 1943, he became exclusively represented by Midtown Galleries, and he began to garner critical praise for his work. Thon's works were commercially successful, and he was profiled by Life and twice by American Artist during his lifetime. He was the recipient of several awards and honors during his career, including the American Academy's Prix de Rome in 1947, and total of 14 prizes from the National Academy of Design (elected National Academician in 1968). After Thon's death in 2000, the William E. and Helen E. Thon Endowment was created through his will to support exhibitions and studies at the Portland Museum of Art.