Entrance to the Harbor of St. Thomas

Danish-born painter Carlsen immigrated to the United States in 1872. His extensive art training was all European, starting with the École des Beaux-Arts de Copenhagen, and then the Danish Royal Academy, and the Académie Julian. He counted American impressionists Childe Hassam, J. Alden Weir, and John LaFarge among his closest colleagues. This painting was awarded Jennie Sensan Medal, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (1916), for best landscape shown by American artist. This is the largest of at least four known variations of this composition and location in the U. S. Virgin Islands by Carlsen. The artist produced these paintings for several years after visiting the Caribbean on a family trip in 1913. There is also some evidence that he may have visited the Caribbean again with his family in 1916.