Charles Edward PARTHESIUS
1921–1997, USA

Charles Edward Parthesius was born on April 25, 1921, in Maspeth, Queens, New York City. His father was from Dutch-German extraction and my mother was born in Switzerland. He dabbled in art was at an early age. With his two older brothers, sat at the kitchen table copying characters from the comics, while his mother was the critic, who encouraged them by praising our work.

He pursued an art education by attending as an art major, in high school, where he graduated in 1939 with honors. Watercolor was his favorite medium. He was entering local art exhibits, picking up ribbons along the way. While participating in an outdoor art show on Long Island, he was approached by a man running a private art school. He thought so much of his work, he asked him to teach art at the school.

Later he became interested in enamels. Parthesius worked in the style of French impressionists such as Manet, Pizzarro, Boudin, Monet, Renoir and others that have a lot of color in their work. He tried to bring out the nostalgic times of the turn of the century. The ladies in his paintings are dressed in lovely tresses and the men have derbies or high hates. Sometimes he used a standard background which includes children playing ball, flying kites, or carrying balloons.

During his lifetime his enamels became very popular and the artist's works were known to have been owned by such notable celebrities as Sammy Davis, Jr., Barbara Eden, Dean Martin, Paul Mellon, Ethel Merman, Liza Minelli, Princess Jacqueline Oblinsky, Prince Philip of England, Merriweather Post, Vincent Price, Mario Puzzo, Ronald Reagan, Frank Sinatra, Sr., Red Skelton, and John Wayne.

Charles Edward Parthesius died in Lindenhurst, New York on April 19, 1997.

Source: http://www.artisfungallery.com