Lionel Walden 1861 - 1933

Mrs. Lurline Matson Roth, Hillsborough, California

Canvas is not lined. SURFACE: in generally good condition; scattered craquelure --at upper corners and in sky UNDER ULTRA VIOLET: no apparent inpainting
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The 'SS Malolo' was the first of four luxury liners built for the famed Matson Lines of Hawaii.  When completed in Philadelphia in 1926, she was the largest, most technically advanced and luxurious ship made in the United States.  Her usual route was west coast--Hawaii service, although she made many longer trips to the Far East, Australia and New Zealand.  Renamed 'Matsonia' in 1937, she was requisitioned by the U.S. Navy and served as a troop transport ship during WWII.

Walden, the son of an Episcopalian clergyman, grew-up in various cities in the U.S.  He moved to Paris as a young man and studied under Carolus Duran.  He became a successful artist there, adept at both figural painting and in depicting seascapes.  "The King of Bohemia", as he was known to his artistic circle, was a frequent contributor to the Paris Salons and received several awards and honors for his work.  He also exhibited work in the Saint Louis Exposition of 1900 and the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915.
His first visit to Hawaii was in 1911, at the invitation of a friend and fellow-artist, Kimo Wilder, whom he had met in Paris.  So taken was he by the beauty and light of the Islands that he became a frequent visitor and an active participant in Hawaii's artistic life.  He contributed to many group shows of Hawaiian artists and was for many years involved with the Hawaiian Society of Artists and the Honolulu Academy of Arts (formed in 1927).
Walden was considered the finest seascape painter of his time in Hawaii.  Unlike many of his peers, he preferred to concentrate on the many moods, colors and movements of the ocean rather than in depicting the drama of volcanic eruptions and lush landscapes, although he did paint these themes on occasion as well. 
While he is best known for his moonlit views of the Hawaiian coast, Walden's primary residence and first love was France.  He died there in Chantilly in 1933.