William Wendt  (1865 - 1946)

Provenance of 1896 "Yachts Off Newport"
I would appreciate obtaining any information pertaining to this painting. Mr. Wendt, by his own admission, sold one painting during the year of 1896, for which he received $125.00. I am trying to identify which painting that might be.

William Wendt & Samuel Harkness McCrea
We are researching a book based upon the friendship and letters of William Wendt and Samuel Harkness McCrea between the years of 1896 and 1941. Correspondence from Mr. Wendt to Mr. McCrea were only recently located, but their friendship continued until Mr. McCrea's death in 1941. We would appreciate any information available.

Wendt Home in Laguna
Does anyone know the address of the art colony William Wendt started in Laguna Beach?

William Wendt painting
I have a CD ROM (the image I can e-mail) of an oil painting. I want to know if it was painted by William Wendt. Anybody very familiar with William Wendt's paintings?

Large oil painting
I have a large oil signed on lower right Wendt.
It's a nocturn of the flying Dutchman.
Its been in my family maybe 50 yrs purchased maybe Chicago, but we lived in Germany in the late 1950s also. I am trying to find a signature match to find out more about this work.

Wendt in St Ives
I am an English art historian and I am writing a book/curating an exhibition on early St Ives art. In this connection, I am interested to locate paintings or images of paintings executed by this artist in St Ives/Cornwall c.1898-9 and any relevant letters/ephemera. Of particular interest is his Royal Academy exhibit of 1899 A Cool and Shady Woodland.

william wendt
In regard to the oil painting found in Germany signed "Wendt," the painting is probably not by William Wendt. These paintings used to turn up frequently, and none was similar to Wendt's early style. Since he came to the US at age 15, the probability is that the work belongs to another Wendt - not an uncommon German name. If it turned out that it was by WW, it would be of little consequence, except as a curiosity, due to the subject and style.

In the beginning, there was the word.......
On behalf of the bulletin board users, many thanks for your kind reply to the inquiry. I do agree that in art, the image rules but words used to describe the images are also important. If masculine impressionism is an appropriate adjective for big bold brushwork and mountain painters, than feminine could logically follow as descriptive of small detailed brushwork and studio work; ergo, I wonder if our gallerists and collectors should cease the use of the phrase Wendt's "masculine impressionism" unless in reference to a quote or in historical context? I see the sexualization of impressionism as a problematic subject, which diminishes and does not convey the grandeur, spirituality, mysticism, wonder of the Wendt work, which I have viewed. Wendt's opus does not appear to be in need of textual viagarization and I am glad to read that you believe that Wendt would not have found favor with such a tag! I am not familiar with the use of masculine impressionism to describe the work of other artists but perhaps kind site users will contribute to the friendly dialogue about the broad use of a catchy phrase .

"masculine impressionism"
William Wendt’s work was often described as “strong” or “powerful” by early reviewers. The term “masculine” may have been used by one of these folks as a journalistic device, but almost certainly not as an artistic term. Some catchy phrases seem to stick – like the phrase “Dean of Southern California Painters” which has been used in Wendt biographies for decades. Having said that, I can see in Wendt’s work certain strength and self-assuredness which lends itself to the translation of monumental subjects such as Bishop’s Peak (Where Nature’s God Hath Wrought - LACMA Collection). The bold brushstroke, which became a symbol of his mature style, lent itself to the success of such compositions. It would probably be accurate to describe such a piece as “masculine” in that it is powerful and in some sense “rugged.” I can’t see great painters like Guy Rose or Granville Redmond successfully presenting the subjects that Wendt chose to paint. Theirs was a more intimate, studio presentation - Wendt laced up his hiking boots and went to meet nature. Ironically, Wendt’s persona was 180 degrees different from his product. In real life he was a short, shy, sensitive, self-effacing, spiritual man, but he became a tiger with a paintbrush in his hand. It is important to note that other painters were equally forceful in their technique. Edgar Payne is the first name that comes to mind. He too never “fussed” much over a canvas, preferring the “big brush” to make his point. I am not sure that Wendt himself would refer to his work as “physical” and probably wouldn’t enjoy the term “masculine” as it applied to his paintings. I am equally certain that he wouldn’t have described himself as an “impressionist” either. In any event, I wouldn’t get caught up in coined terms – let the work speak for itself.

Masculline Impressionism
Noted in the online bios that the adjective "masculine" was used to describe Wendt's painting style. What exactly is a masculine style ? I looked at his self taught impressionist images on the site and cannot decipher what is masculine or more masculine about his work. Masculine impressionism is a new concept for me, so I hope the Wendt scholars will offer an explanation.
Please post replies to the bulletin board so that all of the Wendtites can share in the responses.