Mid Century Nautical Paintings

Byron Brown, Two Boats, 1956, oil on canvas, 14 x 18 in.. Blue Heron Fine Art (for sale)

Camille Hilaire, Chioggia, 21.25 x 25.5 in., oil on canvas, Koller Auctions (sold for 5,500 CHF in 2009)

John F. Leonard, Untitled LXV, ca.1965, oil on board, 22 x 30 in., Ro Gallery (for sale)

Artist unknown (unsigned), Regatta, ca. 1940

I am not sure why, but paintings with a nautical subject-matter seemed to be very popular during the mid-century, perhaps because they projected a sense of prestige and leisure?  I normally don't like images of sailboats and such, but when they are produced in a semi-abstract method as these shown here, that's a different story! I have pulled some of my favorite  mid-century nautical paintings to share.

Makota Masuda, Cote d'Azur, ca. 1955, oil on canvas, 25 x 32 in., Treadway Gallery (sold in 2010)

Robert Helman, Untitled, oil on canvas, 20 x 23.5 in.. At time of post on Ebay for $1,500

Doris A. White, Untitled, ca. 1960, oil on canvas, 18 x 16 in., Daniel Simhon Fine Art (sold)

Zvi Mairovich, Jerusalem St.- Haifa Israel, 1960, oil on canvas, 16 x 19 in., Chez Camille (For Sale $3,200)

Artist unknown (unsigned), Rooftops & Sailboats, mixed media, 27.5 x 43.5 in., Clars Auctions (sold in 2010)

Ella McLeod, Ships and Sails, oil on canvas, 14.75 x 19 in., Matthew's Galleries

Landau, Sailboats, oil on board, 24 x 31 in., Clars Auctions (sold in 2009)

Jacques Henri Guyot, Waiting for the Wind, 42 x 24 in., Bonhams (sold for $366 in 2010)

Giacomo Balla, Le Vele, 1919, Galleria Berman.  I know this is not mid-century but wanted to include it.

Vernon Wohnhas, Untitled, ca. 1980, 28.5 x 36.75 in.  Again, not mid-century but still a nice piece.

B. C. Binning, A Summer Seascape for Christmas Time, 1951, serigraph, 8.5 x 5.5 in.  I plan on dedicating an entire post to B.C. in the future, but I couldn't bear not putting one of his pieces in!