Description:

JAMES SANFORD HULME (AMERICAN 1900-1974)
Steamboat on the East River, Manhattan, 1939
watercolor and ink on paper
28.5 x 36 cm (11 1/4 x 14 1/8 in.) [sight]
framed dimensions: 55 x 65 cm (21 5/8 x 25 5/8 in.)
signed and dated upper left

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Somers, New York

LOT NOTES
James Sanford Hulme was born in 1900 in what was then Oklahoma Territory, and went on to become a quietly accomplished figure in mid-20th century American art. His early interest in art led him to formal training at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he studied under Elmer Forsberg, a specialist in print media. After Chicago, Hulme relocated to New York, enrolling at the Grand Central Art School and taking advanced instruction in etching and lithography from noted practitioners such as George Bellows and Joseph Pennell

Hulme worked across media - as a painter, printmaker (including serigraphs, etchings), and illustrator. His subject matter was rooted in the vernacular, focusing on cityscapes, architectural landmarks, streetscapes, docks, and everyday corners of New York and its environs. He was particularly drawn to scenes of New York City - its skyline, Central Park, bridges, docks - works which combine a documentary impulse with an evocative sense of atmosphere. Because many of his works reflect local landmarks, his oeuvre has a sense of place and regional identity - offering viewers a window into mid-century New York beyond the high drama of skyscrapers and into ordinary streets and bridges.

CONDITION
Observed in frame under glass, the work is in good condition, some minor paper yellowing and hardly visible paper curving. No other visible issues to report.

N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.

Keywords: New York City painting, Manhattan Art, East River, 1930s, modernist, regionalist

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October 25, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Bedford Hills, NY, US

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