JESSE ARMS BOTKE (1883-1971)
33. White Peacock and Magnolia
Oil on board
Signed lower right
40 x 32 inches
46 x 38 framed
Provenance:
Private Collection, Los Angeles
Jessie Arms Botke’s portrayal of a white peacock in lush foliage is far from the soothing California landscapes of her contemporaries. However, her work is often included in exhibitions along with the works of her peers, such as, Edgar Payne (1882-1947) and William Wendt (1865-1946), with which Botke associated. Her paintings were well received and she was very successful painting the exotic birds and flowers she loved.
Jesse Arms was born in Chicago and trained at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1911, she moved to New York to work with Albert Herter (1871-1950) at Herter Looms. While preparing tapestry cartoons for Herter, she developed a special talent for depicting birds. This theme continued throughout her life. In 1915, she married the artist, Cornelius Botke (1887-1954). The Botke’s moved to California in 1918, living first in Carmel and eventually settling in Santa Paula.
Jesse Arms Botke became famous for her paintings of exotic birds in floral settings. In White Peacock and Magnolia, she depicts her signature bird, the peacock. In her classic style, the painting is adorned with carefully rendered details, with a decorative style similar to the Japanese screens of the Edo period. Botke became known as one of the most celebrated decorative artists of the twentieth century. She won numerous prizes from the Chicago Art Institute, and was a member of the California Art Club, the California Watercolor Society, and the Foundation of Western Art.
Works held:
Art Institute of
Chicago; Nebraska Art Association; Santa Paula, Bakersfield, Gardena California
High Schools; Mills College, California; Swope Gallery of Art; Norton Gallery of
Art, Florida; Los Angeles County College; University of Chicago; Woodrow Wilson
High School, Oxnard, CA; The Irvine Museum; The Fleischer Collection, Arizona.
The Redfern Gallery
1540 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 T: (949) 497-3356 F: (949) 497-1324 mail@redferngallery.com
at the Montage Resort and Spa
30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 T: (949) 715-6193