Clarrence Kerr Chatterton (1880-1973) "Inlet at Ogunquit, Maine." Oil on canvas, 27 1/2 x 35 1/2 inches. Signed lower left: C.K. Chatterton. Original frame, carved verso: frame made for C.K. Chatterton by Carl Sandelin - framemaker/133 E 60th St NYC. Offered by MME Fine Art, LLC.

Clarence Kerr Chatterton was a firm believer that painting should be a pleasant experience, unburdened by overthinking. “An artist should express himself with as little fuss as possible in a frank, uncompromising manner,” he said. “I paint sunlight, blue skies and houses because I like them.” This uniquely straightforward approach to art infused Chatterton’s paintings of the American landscape with a sense of honesty and calm contentment -- qualities that helped establish him as one of most influential Realists of the twentieth century.

A native of bucolic Newburgh, New York, Chatterton trained at the New York School of Art from 1900 to 1904. He studied under such luminaries as Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase and counted George Bellows, Gifford Beal, Guy Pene DuBois, Rockwell Kent, and Edward Hopper, with whom he shared studios, among his fellow students. As Chatterton’s recognition steadily increased, he landed his first major exhibition at the Wildenstein Gallery in New York City, where he shared wall space with the French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. In 1915, Chatterton returned to Newburgh and started teaching painting and applied art at nearby Vassar College. One of the first artists-in-residence at any college in the United States, Chatterton went on to found the school’s studio art program. Chatterton taught at Vassar for nearly 35 years, sharing his distinct approach to painting with generations of aspiring artists.

Inlet at Ogunquit, which is being offered by the New York-based gallery MME Fine Art, was made after Chatterton’s first trip to New England in 1918. Chatterton and his  friend, Edward Hopper, headed to Monhegan Island -- a small, rocky parcel of land off the coast of Maine -- passing through Ogunquit on the way. Chatterton was so enamored with Ogunquit’s idyllic landscape and vibrant art scene, that for the next 30 years he spent every summer in the seaside town teaching a course on landscape drawing and painting.

Clarrence Kerr Chatterton (1880-1973) "Inlet at Ogunquit, Maine." Oil on canvas, 27 1/2 x 35 1/2 inches. Signed lower left: C.K. Chatterton. Original frame, carved verso: frame made for C.K. Chatterton by Carl Sandelin - framemaker/133 E 60th St NYC. Offered by MME Fine Art, LLC.

Inlet at Ogunquit is a magnificent example of Chatterton’s structured yet relaxed style. The scene, awash in warm light, shows two men attending to an unseen task. Their boat, still and tethered, evokes a sense of nostalgia for late summer’s delightfully languorous afternoons. An ordered symmetry in the composition adds to the painting’s calmness while a mix of impressionistic brushwork and smoother, more realistic renderings creates a dynamic contrast. The work stands as an exceptional example of Chatterton’s singular style as well as his honest and spirited approach to painting and life. Mindy Moak, Co-Founder and Principal of MME, said, “When all of the planets align so that a painting is an absolutely stellar example in mint condition, the entire provenance consists of the artist and the family he sold the work to and finally, the painter’s resume is extensive and outstanding, we know we are presenting a fantastic opportunity for collectors.”

For more information about Clarence Kerr Chatterton’s Inlet at Ogunquit, Maine offered by MME Fine Art, view the full listing HERE.