Farm at Silves, Algarve (Portugal), 1984. Oil on canvas, 43 x 38 in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger 1984”. With Jameson Modern label verso: “Farm at Silves, Algarve, 1984”. From the estate of the artist. $16,500.
Boston Expressionist painter Jason Berger began visiting Portugal in the early half of the 1970s and would return for a part of almost every summer for the next twenty years, before moving there permanently in 1994. Berger painted mostly in the Algarve, Portugal’s southernmost region known for its beautiful beaches and sparkling water, yet he eschewed these scenes in favor of others he considered more visually and intellectually interesting – buildings, trees, streets, boats – anything that would produce an expressive landscape. Portuguese Summer celebrates the artist’s love of the country, and his uncanny ability to encapsulate its vibrant hues and atmosphere on canvas. Works in the exhibition span four decades, detailing Berger’s summer sojourns and eventual residency in his adopted homeland and longtime muse, Portugal.
Berger first visited Portugal with his then wife, artist Marilyn Powers, in the early 1970s. The artist recalled, “We spent a month in Faro and a month in Portimão… I was very happy with the motifs I found there, and Portugal certainly affected my painting style.” After Powers tragically passed from breast cancer in 1976, Berger returned to Portugal the next summer on a painting excursion with his son and a former student, staying in the small fishing village of Ferragudo. On this trip he met Estela Couto, who would become his second wife in 1978. Subsequent summers were spent on property owned by Estela’s family –her mother’s house in Carvoeiro and her grandmother’s house in Lagoa. Berger remained in Portugal even after Estela’s death in 1997, later marrying artist Leena Rekola in 1999. The couple lived and painted together in Portugal for nearly a decade, only moving back to the United States in 2008 due to Jason’s poor health.
Berger’s summers abroad were a prolific time for the artist. He worked en plein air in Portugal, rising early between 5 and 8 o’clock in the morning before heading out to spend an entire morning, day, or several days on one painting. He worked on motifs, painting the same scene - a garden, boatyard, café, whatever else - multiple times, exploring different colors and angles. The resulting variations uniquely detail the effects of light and perspective on a singular location, showcasing Berger’s particular approach to his environment and landscape painting.
Front Cover:
Trees and Houses, Parede (Portugal), 1981. Oil on canvas, 32 x 39 ½ in. $14,000.
Back Cover:
Garden, Lisbon, 1988. Oil on canvas, 42 x 36 in. $16,500.
Portuguese Summer visits some of Berger’s favorite towns and villages in the Algarve, including Carvoeiro, Estombar, Mexilhoeira, Silves, and Tavira. Berger also painted along the west coast of Portugal in Aveiro, Colares, Parede, and the capitol, Lisbon, where the artist and Estela had an apartment and would meet each July before traveling down to the Algarve coastline.
Of Berger’s connection to Portugal, Estela once noted: “He loves to paint in Portugal. For some reason, he feels very comfortable with the landscape here, as well as with the country and the people. He may have some difficulty with language, but he has an association with the people and the country that is fascinating to observe.” Portuguese Summer celebrates this love of the land through paintings bursting with the vivid colors of Berger’s seaside summers along Portugal’s Atlantic coast.
Aveiro (Portugal), 1999. Oil on canvas, 31 x 39 in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger 99”. Titled verso: “Aveiro”. From the estate of the artist. $14,000.
The Red Café. Oil on canvas, 43 x 55 in. Signed lower left: “Jason Berger”. With Jameson Modern label verso: “The Red Cafe”. From the estate of the artist. $25,000.
Factories, Mexilhoeira (Portugal), 2001. Oil on canvas, 28 ½ x 36 in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger 2001”. Inscribed verso: “Factories / Mexhloiera”. From the estate of the artist. $13,000.
Factories, Mexilhoeira, Looking Towards Portimao (Portugal), 1992. Oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger ‘92”. Inscribed verso: “Factories / Mexhloiera, Looking Towards Portimao”. From the estate of the artist. $10,000.
Bridge Estombar (Portugal)
Oil on canvas, 27 x 22 ½ in. Signed lower right: “Jason Berger”. From the estate of the artist. $8,000.
Garden Estombar, circa 1989. Oil on canvas, 42 x 46 in. Initialed lower right: “J.B.”. From the estate of the artist. $20,000.
Garden of Estombar, Algarve, Portugal, 1988. Watercolor, 20 x 25 in. Signed lower right. From the estate of the artist. $4,500.
Untitled [Garden of Estombar], 1988. Watercolor, 19 x 22 in. Initialed lower right. From the estate of the artist. $6,000.
Untitled [The Garden Estombar], 1989. Oil on canvas, 25 x 32 in. Signed lower right: “Jason Berger”. Dated verso: “89-3-21”. From the estate of the artist. $12,500.
Garden in Estombar, Portugal, 2002. Oil on canvas, 50 ½ x 37 ½ in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger 2002”. Titled verso: “Garden in Estombar”. From the estate of the artist. $18,000
Praia da Rocha, Algarve
Oil on paper, 9 ½ x 13 in
Signed lower center: “Jason Berger”.
From the estate of the artist.
$3,000.
Abandoned Boat, Portugal, 2003
Oil on canvas, 12 ½ x 15 ½ in.
Signed and dated lower right: “JB.2003”. Titled verso: “Abandoned Boat / 2003”. From the estate of the artist.
$4,000.
Postcards from Portugal, 2003. Oil on canvas, 35 x 55 in. Signed and dated lower right: “jason berger 2003”. From the estate of the artist. $18,000.
Fishing Boats, Tavira, 2004. Oil on canvas, 28 x 36 in. Signed and dated lower right: “jason berger 2004”. $12,500.
Trees in Carvoeiro, Portugal, 1985. Oil on canvas, 31 x 39 in. Signed lower right: “Jason Berger”. Titled, dated, and signed verso: “Trees in Carvoeiro/ 1985/ J Berger”. From the estate of the artist. $15,000.
Dafundo (Lisbon), 1999
Oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in.
Signed and dated lower right. From the estate of the artist. $11,000.
Trees – Colares, Portugal, 1999. Oil on canvas, 31 ½ x 39 ¼ in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger 1999”. Titled verso: “Trees – Colares”. From the estate of the artist. $14,000
[Algarve,
The Porch at Night, Algarve, Portugal, 1986
Watercolor,
Portugal], 1978. Oil on canvas, 32 x 39 ½ in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger ’78”. From the estate of the artist. $14,000.
7 ½ x 9 in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason Berger 1986”. From the estate of the artist. $1,800.
Factories,
Initialed
Almond Trees in Bloom, Tavira, 1999. Oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in. Signed and dated lower right: “Jason berger ’99”. Inscribed verso: “Almond Trees/ In Bloom/ Tavira”. $11,000.
Montijo, Lisbon. Oil on paper, 12 x 15 ¼ in.
lower right: “JB”. From the estate of the artist. $4,000.
