A 1940s Watercolor of Diamond Head Viewed From Waikiki Beach

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This lovely watercolor evokes the pleasures of vacationing in Hawaii in the late 1940s to the early 1950s. Viewed from … Read more This lovely watercolor evokes the pleasures of vacationing in Hawaii in the late 1940s to the early 1950s. Viewed from Waikiki Beach, the backdrop is Diamond Head’s beloved profile—just as it was before the addition of high-rise buildings which now fragment the lovely scene. As with all our dreams of paradise, the beach only belongs to the attractive couple. A single surfer riding the wave nearly to the beach is hidden beyond the palm trees’ shade, while two little sailboats navigate just beyond the surf. Yet, rendered mostly in pale olive and earthen tones, it is like a faded snapshott—a secret memory taking one back across the decades.
Unconfirmed but intriguing, this professionally executed work may have been painted by San Francisco Bay Area watercolorist Louis Dessauer (American 1893-1987). In other works, the artist signed only his last name, in the lower right-hand corner and on an angle, just as with this work. Best known for his landscapes and maritime scenes, Louis Dessauer was primarily active in California, where he lived in Marin County’s town of Ross. But like so many Californians, he might easily have ventured out to the Hawaiian Islands on vacation.
Signature: lower right (photo #6 ). Image dimensions: 11” h x 14” w See less