Jonas Lie

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameJonas•Lie
Used nameJonas•Lie
Born29 April 1880 in Moss, Viken (NOR)
Died10 January 1940 in New York, New York (USA)
NOC United States

Biography

Norwegian-born American painter Jonas Lie was best known for colorful paintings of New England and New York city scenes. His father was a brother of Thomasine Lie, who married their cousin, Jonas Lie (1833-1908), the famous Norwegian author, after whom the painter was named. When he arrived in New York at the age of 13, Jonas Lie received an American education and art training. From 1893-97 he studied at the Ethical Culture School, and he attended evening classes at the National Academy of Design during this time, later continuing his art studies at the Cooper Union and the Art Students League of New York.

Lie returned to Norway in 1906 to reconnect with the Norwegian side of his family. During this trip he also traveled to Paris and was influenced by Claude Monet, and Monet’s use of color and light can be seen in some of his seascapes. Lie often depicted the sea, channels, and ships with dramatic perspective. He became known for colorful impressionistic scenes of harbors and coves, painted during the many summers he spent on the coasts of New England and Canada. In 1913 he was commissioned to document the construction of the Panama Canal.

The Regatta of Fishing Boats could be the painting Fishing Boats, painted in oil on canvas, 56 x 66 cm. Interestingly, it still contains a reference on the reverse that it was exhibited in the Museum of History, Science and Art in Los Angeles. This is where the exhibition of art competitions took place in 1932.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1928 Summer Olympics Art Competitions USA Jonas Lie
Painting, Paintings, Open (Olympic) AC