Bridgewater Review

Volume 28 | Issue 2 Article 8

Dec-2009 The Realist Cause: Early 20th Century from the Permanent Collection - 1901-1930 Mary Beth Alger

Recommended Citation Alger, Mary Beth (2009). The Realist Cause: Early 20th Century Paintings from the Permanent Collection - 1901-1930. Bridgewater Review, 28(2), 15-20. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol28/iss2/8

This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The Realist Cause: Early 20th Century Paintings from the Permanent Collection, 1901–1930

Mary Beth Alger

Leon Kroll, Nude, c.1916–1923 Oil on canvas Gift of Dr. Gordon F. Lupien, 1998

Bridgewater Review december 2009 15 the realist cause: early 20th century paintings from the permanent collection mary beth alger Europe and to some degree in the observation of the natural world, even after abstraction had taken hold in not to a particular style or movement but to a common commitment to an and 1930, forms the basis of our collection. theme of published in the of thematic presentations of the college’s permanent collection of art to be with with mood and accomplishedfeeling, here through a evocative skies; and his ability to imbue a landscape New countryside; England his penchant to paint vast, piece demonstrates Kaula’s sensitive appreciation of the of the of hills New Ipswich, New This Hampshire. Tarbell, is represented in our collection by his landscape impressionistic landscapes and a student of Edmund Kaula (1871–1953),William a -born painter of These fiveartistsare representedin our collection. Hibbarrd, Pearson Kaula. Marguerite and William School of , as would their students Aldro would go on to become leading members of the Boston “Ten”, Edmund Tarbell and Joseph Rodefer Decamp Frank Benson, Robert Reid and Edmund Tarbell. Of the Simmons, Joseph Rodefer De Camp, Metcalf, Willard John Twachtman,Henry Edward Thomas Dewing, “Ten” were Frederic Julian Hassam, Child Alden Weir, Members realism. of the New York and Boston-based adamant that was an of inferior type Society in of 1898Artists American when it became Impressionist group. They were “the ten” who left the Ten“The Painters,” American were America’s premier students of these painters. Ten,”“The also as known Bostonacclaimed School of Painting. Others are by of painters as known American Ten,”“The and to the by painters who belonged both to the celebrated group Some of the most important works in our collection, are R ealism, since a group of realist paintings, executed between 1901 Bridgewater T R eview. The series begins with the overarching United States. his article is the first in a series However, the subject, a single girl in a beautiful mo its collapsed space and modeling in large color patches. his French impressionists and Post-Impressionists. Indeed, experience acquainted the artist with the work of the study at the famous Academie Julien in . Paris This one of Ten.”“The wouldKroll later a win fellowship to between 1916–23), was a student of J. H. Twachtman, Girl with an Apple and a nude (both painted sometime work is represented in our collection by two pieces, New (1884–1974),artist Leon England Kroll whose radiant. painting particularly effects and his quick, impasto brushtrokes make this icy snap of a cold day. lighting The artist’s dazzling winter sunshine and capture with utmost precision the er so that he could record the of quality special brilliant winter scenes, often spending hours in very cold weath Edmund Tarbell and Frank Benson. He enjoyed painting impressionist American style. Hibbard studied with painted around 1925, is another fine example ofthe Aldro Hibbard’sAldro (1886–1972) landscape rather than genre scenes. even though his preferred subject would remain the green. Kaula would always be considered a “Tarbell-ite,” palette limited ofcarefully gold, orange-yellow and soft Girl with an Apple reflectsthe stylewith of Cezanne R ealism in this context refers B reaking U p—West R

iver

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, - william j. kaula, Hills of New Ipswich, early 20th century. Oil on canvas.

ment of arrested action, is reminiscent of Vermeer, The painting was recently cleaned and restored by BSC whose work had begun to be collected by Americans at alumna Teresa Carmichael, a highly regarded art the start of the twentieth century. In this instance, the conservator. girl is one of Kroll’s neighbors, whom he painted on born Marguerite Pearson (1898–1978), more than one occasion. whose portrait of her cousin Jeannette Pearson is an- Kroll’s nude is surely one of the highlights of our collec- other fine work from our collection, studied at the tion. There is a certain calculated rationality to this Boston Museum School with Frederick Bosley and representation, as if the artist set out to paint a classical privately with Edmund Tarbell. She would become one nude through deliberate and careful simplification of of Tarbell’s favorite students. In fact, the small cast of form. The entire figure appears to be developed through the Venus de Milo included in the portrait reproduced the basic geometric forms of cone, cylinder and sphere, here belonged to Tarbell, who loaned it to only his a practice also used by Cezanne, but the fluid, sketchy preferred students. Pearson would become an active brushstrokes and warm color produces a piece more member of the Rockport Art Association and eventu- sensual than cooly rational. ally one of the most sought after artists of genre scenes, landscapes and portraits, selling literally thousands of American Impressionist painter Lillian Genth (1876– prints during the 1930s and ’40s. 1953) was born in Philadelphia. She was a student of James Abbot McNeil Whistler in Paris for two years, a In the famous Armory show of 1913, European compliment to her since Whistler rarely accepted female Abstraction commanded American audiences’ atten- students. Genth’s early career is characterized by depic- tion, as did the work of more pioneering American tions of female nudes in pastoral settings. Later on, as artists such as Joseph Stella, John Marin and Stuart the artist began to travel, more exotic themes entered Davis. Following the Ten’s twentieth and final show in her work, as exemplified inC uenca: Spanish Woman in an New York in 1917, critics began to think that the group Outdoor Setting, one of the college’s finest paintings. was no longer the revolutionary force it once was. With Cuenca refers to the picturesque village in the back- their reputation in decline, several members of “The ground, against which a dark-haired woman wearing a Ten” would go on to have successful commercial richly embroidered shawl and a typical Spanish head- careers, painting portraits of businessmen, educators, dress, sits in contemplation of theB natureridgewater around her. Re view december 2009 17 the realist cause: early 20th century paintings from the permanent collection mary beth alger until until 4:00. is The gallery open Monday through Friday from 8:00 Permanent the within Building. Collection Art gallery The works herediscussed are currently exhibited in the shock of white and hair bushy mustache. attention on the shrewd and face distinguished with its for which De Camp was the known, artist focuses our psychological verity. Through a play of light and dark, viewer. is This a portrait formal but not in lacking side of a desk, writing his gaze focused ondirectly the Railway sits and Chicago, Indianapolis Louisville to the an example. In this portrait, the President of the R Joseph Rodefer De Camp’s (1858–1923) statesmen and eventually, United States presidents. ailroad Tycoon Wiliam Henry — M aldro hibbard, ary B and eth Alger is Visiting Lecturer in Art History C urator of M E cDoel cDoel of Indiana is such Breaking Up–West River xhibitions and Portrait of C ollections McDoel ofIndiana joseph rodeferdecam p . Oil on canvas. Gift of BSC alumni. of alumni. BSC on Gift canvas. , c.1925.Oil , c.1918. , Portrait ofRailroadTycoon William Henry Oil on canvas. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Kearney. Gary Mrs. of and Mr. on Gift canvas. Oil lilian genthe, Cuenca: Spanish Woman in Outdoor Setting, early 20th century. Oil on canvas. Gift of Dr. Gordon F. Lupien.

joseph rodefer decamp, Portrait of Railroad Tycoon William Henry McDoel of Indiana, c.1918. Oil on canvas. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Kearney. Bridgewater Review december 2009 19 the realist cause: early 20th century paintings from the permanent collection mary beth alger marguerite Pearson, Portrait ofJeannettePearson Oil on canvas. Gift of Mrs. Irene Pearson Doughty. of Mrs. on Gift canvas. , c.1930.Oil