Edward Steichen (American, 1879-1973) Huntington Harbor, circa 1900-05 Oil on canvas laid on panel 24 x 25 inches (61.0 x 63.5 cm) Sight lower right: Edward J. Steichen PROVENANCE: The artist; Dorothy Lowell, New York, possibly acquired from the above; By descent to the present owner. Though celebrated as one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, Edward Steichen began his career as a painter, producing a small but significant body of Tonalist-inspired oils at the turn of the century. Huntington Harbor belongs to this early and highly sought-after period, when Steichen was deeply engaged with the aesthetic currents of Whistler and the American Tonalists, exploring atmosphere, mood, and the poetic potential of light. The present work exemplifies this sensibility. A luminous expanse of water and sky dissolves into subtle gradations of green and blue, punctuated by distant sailboats that flicker along the horizon. The composition is deliberately spare, emphasizing tonal harmony over detail. Light is not blatant but rather suggested—diffused, ephemeral, and quietly radiant. In this, Steichen aligns himself with the legacy of James McNeill Whistler, whose influence can be felt in the painting's restrained palette and meditative stillness, as well as with contemporaries such as George Inness and Dwight Tryon, who similarly sought to evoke mood rather than narrative. Paintings such as Huntington Harbor reveal Steichen at a formative moment, before photography would become his primary medium. Yet even here, one senses the artist's lifelong fascination with atmosphere and the transformative power of light—qualities that would later define his photographic practice. The painting's provenance adds an additional layer of cultural resonance. It was formerly owned by Dorothy Lowell, a prominent radio actress and tastemaker of her time, whose collecting reflected both sophistication and a keen eye for modern artistic expression. Rarely seen on the market, Steichen's early oils occupy a unique position between painting and photography—quiet, evocative works that capture the spirit of American Modernism. HID12401132022 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

The artist; Dorothy Lowell, New York, possibly acquired from the above; By descent to the present owner.

Condition report available upon request.
Framed Dimensions 28 X 28.5 Inches