A Portrait Bust of Mary Baker Eddy

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VOL. 28, NOS. 3 & 4 PUBLISHED BY LONGYEAR MUSEUM AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY FALL/WINTER 1991-92 A PORTRAIT BUST OF MARY BAKER EDDY

In the Main Gallery at Longyear Museum there sits a striking and classically sculpted marble portrait bust of the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy. Over the years much interest has been expressed in its unique history and provenance within the overall record of Christian Science. Its significance ( among the many likenesses of Mrs. Eddy makes it of major importance to our collection. The following articles are based upon documentation in the Longyear files and additional research provided by Ms. Winkel.

Luella Varney Serrao's portrait bust of Mary Baker Eddy, Longyear Collection The only portrait bust for which commissioned her to sculpt busts of asking for her consent to have a por Mary Baker Eddy ever sat was sculpted themselves.1 trait bust done of her in Carrara by Luella Varney (married name Ser Soon after their sittings with Miss marble. Permission obtained, Mr. and rao) in 1889. Varney, Mr. Collins' illness with tuber Mrs. Collins met Miss Varney in According to information in the culosis forced their return to Denver. Cleveland and arranged for the work Longyear collection, Mr. and Mrs. Ed There they learned of Christian Sci while the young sculptress was visit ward Collins, prominent citizens of ence through a friend who had been ing her father. Miss Varney then went Denver, Colorado, first met the young healed of blindness. Placing himself directly to Boston to make the clay American artist Luella Varney in 1885 under Christian Science treatment, model of Mrs. Eddy.3 The following in Rome, Italy. While on an extended Mr. Collins' health began to improve are excerpts from a statement made by visit there, and being greatly impressed immediately; and within three weeks Luella Varney Serrao, dated Septem with an exhibition of her work, they he and his wife became pupils of ber 20, 1919: Bradford Sherman in the first Chris "Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Collins of Den tian Science class ever taught in ver, Colorado, asked Mrs. Eddy if she Quarterly News Fall/Winter 1991-92 Denver. 2 This was December 1885. would give sittings for a portrait bust, c CLongyear Foundation 1991 Vol. 28, Nos. 3 & 4 In February of 1887, Mr. and Mrs. which they wished to have of her in Collins were pupils in Mary Baker marble .... She was then living in her Sent without charge to Members of Longyear Eddy's Normal Class. In early 1888, home on Commonwealth Avenue, Mrs. Mary Collins wrote Mrs. Eddy and I was fortunate enough to procure

February 2016: Minor edits have been made to this newsletter to reflect new 427 information that has come to light since the original publication. rao stated that Mrs. Eddy had been "more pleased with the original clay, and considered that it was as perfect as possible. In some way, however, the true likeness was lost in being transferred to marble by the marble cutter in Rome. "8 Mrs. Serrao ex plains, "Later, during one of my brief visits to America, she [Mrs. Eddy] wrote me, asking me to visit her in her home in Concord, for a two weeks stay. She said she wanted me to see if I did not think that the mouth could be improved - otherwise the bust was perfect. "9 This same difficulty was experi enced in the final cutting of another of Serrao's more well known works, the bust of Susan B. Anthony. She accounts for it by the fact that this was Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. Collins a very busy time in her career, and that she was completing at least a permission of the people next door ing the large figure. But after I had sent dozen busts at that period.10 Com who were just moving in, Mr. and her a photograph, and when I had ments Serrao, "I intended to visit Con Mrs. Spitzer, to do the bust in their both busts well towards completion cord on my return to America, which billiard room. So she could come in marble, in my studio in Rome, she was to have been soon after that. But in, without her hat, at whatever hour wrote cancelling (sic) the latter two other things interfered, and my mar suited her best. Her sittings were usu orders, only retaining the one bust and riage cut off my work until after I ally about an hour long, and I believe a pedistal (sic) for her home.5 ... became a widow. I am very sorry I did that I was about two weeks in doing it. "She told me that she had enjoyed not go to Concord at that time. "11 In "She was a handsome woman, the sittings, and she hoped that the her 1919 statement she says of this ... very agreeable, chatting freely upon bust would be of benefit to me in get missed opportunity, "It is one of the many subjects, but of course mainly ting other orders, and she said that she regrets of my life that I could not upon the Truth that she had discov thought that other students would arrange to accept. "12 ered. She was filled with wonder that order copies when they had seen this In a letter to William R. Rathvon she had been the medium to give it to one. Of course my first marble was for (a member of The Christian Sci the world. She was always enthusias Mr. and Mrs. Collins, the next hers, ence Board of Directors at the time), tic and eager when she spoke of this, and the other one she had ordered her Mission. She told me of cures per I finished up, and it was afterwards formed and of the spreading of the bought by Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Merritt. belief that she thought would quickly The next I made is owned by Mrs. reach all the world .... Longyear. "6 "Dr. Foster Eddy nearly always Later in a document dated Decem accompanied her to the sittings, and ber 2, 1935, Mrs. Serrao writes of the she often dictated to him while she experience, "She [Mrs. Eddy] was ... posed. . .. Sometimes he would read accompanied by Dr. Foster Eddy. the Scriptures to her, and she would She asked me if I would mind if she give her interpretation, which he dictated to him during the sittings. I would take down in shorthand. At was glad to have her do this to keep times she would have him read over her face animated and also because what she had been dictating and I it saved her time in her work. ... She remember she turned to me and said, was interested in the progress of the 'That must be inspiration.' modeling and said that I would no "When the bust was completed, and doubt, make many replicas of this she and her friends were quite satis bust, especially as she would never fied, she gave me an order for one for sit for any other, either bust or paint herself, giving me the half payment; ing, so it would be unique. She stated and soon after, by letter, she gave me this on several occasions. She invited an order for another copy, which she several people to see it. I had always intended for the [Church] in Boston, made it a rule never to consider a bust also she ordered me to make a figure finished until it satisfied [not] only to represent 'Christian Science,' also myself but my sitter and the sitter's for the [Church].4 For this latter I was friends. So it was in this case. " 7 Courtesy of New Hampshire Historical Society to make sketches and send her photo The Newport County Sentinel of Bust of Mrs. Eddy at New Hampshire graphs for her approval, before mak- July 4, 1935 in an article on Mrs. Ser- Historical Society

428 February 2016: Minor edits have been made to this newsletter to reflect new information that has come to light since the original publication. Thomas M. Burton writes of an inter view he had with Mrs. Serrao in New port, R.I. on July 26,1935. "She spoke in detail about her making the clay ( model of Mrs. Eddy's face. She said that she did not take any face mask or cast of Mrs. Eddy in any way what soever. "13 Apparently there had been misunderstandings leading to rumors over the years regarding a "mask" that may have been made of Mrs. Eddy's face either while living or after she had passed on, and clarification of the facts was needed. In actuality, and as a necessary step toward the fin ished marble bust, a plaster mold was made from the sculpted clay model that Mrs. Eddy sat for. This provided a clean, reverse image from which a plaster replica of the original clay was made; and from this plaster replica the finished marble was hewn. Thomas Burton continues, "Mme. Serrao has never taken a face mask from any per son alive, in all her work. [In that type of process, the] likeness [does] not express life in its features, and for that Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution reason she always makes a clay model National Portrait Gallery's bust of Mrs. Eddy of her client. She impressed the im possibility of her ever even thinking Christian Science Board of Directors 4. It is important to note that at this point 1917-33) and his wife. It was given to property for the Original Church had been of taking a mask of any kind to obtain obtained, but construction had not yet her model of Mrs. Eddy's face."14 the New Hampshire Historical Society begun. As mentioned in a previous Long in 1922 and is presently displayed in 5. In a separate statement dated December 2, c year Quarterly News article there is their Library.1a 1935, Mrs. Serrao mentions Mrs. Eddy's evidence of at least five busts being A fourth bust is on exhibit in the cancellation of her order for a second bust 15 Main Gallery at Longyear Museum and allegorical figure symbolizing Christian done. Mrs. Serrao, in correspon Science for the Church in Boston, express dence with Mrs. Longyear, verified and was acquired by Mrs. Longyear ing her recollection that Mrs. Eddy was the authenticity and historical impor around 1911. concerned with "idol worship." Because tance of the bust she had purchased Calvin C. and Frances T. Hill pur the correspondence from Mrs. Eddy to Mrs. stating that it was done from the same chased still another. Mrs. Hill gave it Serrao was in a trunk that was lost on one to the Smithsonian Institute in Wash of Serrao's trans-Atlantic crossings, there is clay model for which Mrs. Eddy had no existing evidence of Mrs. Eddy's actual sat for the artist in 1889, as was the ington, D.C. in 1966. At the time The words in cancellation of the order. very first bust that had been made.1s Christian Science Monitor reported, 6. Longyear. Statement of Luella Varney That first bust, done for Mr. and "In accepting a privately donated gift Serrao, September 20, 1919. Mrs. Collins, was later donated by of a marble bust of Mrs. Eddy, spokes 7. Longyear. Statement of Luella Varney them to the Colorado State Museum in men for the National Portrait Gal Serrao, December 2, 1935. Denver. In fact, in 1927 Mrs. Serrao lery of the Smithsonian Institution 8. Newport County Sentinel, "Noted Sculp referred to Mrs. Eddy as among those tress Arrives At Newport," July 4 , 1935. traveled to Denver, Colorado to attend 9. Longyear. Serrao, December 2, 1935. an exhibit of her work from the collec who have 'made a most significant contribution to the lives of their fel 10. Newport County Sentinel, July 4, 1935. tion of Mrs. Mary Collins. The portrait 11. Longyear. Serrao, December 2, 1935. bust of Mrs. Eddy was one of those on low citizens.' The bust was presented by Mrs. Frances Thompson Hill who, 12. Longyear. Serrao, September 20, 1919. displayY Sadly, that bust was later 13. Longyear. Thomas M. Burton letter to defaced by vandals and subsequently together with her late husband, Cal vin C. Hill, has looked forward to William R. Rathvon, July 28, 1935. obtained by the Christian Science 14. Ibid. Committee on Publication for Colo the day when the bust could be pre sented to the American people. "19 15. Longyear Quarterly News, Vol. 9, No. 1, rado and destroyed in 1951. "Pioneers in the West" p. 130. Although still in the National Portrait The second bust was done for Mary 16. Longyear. Luella Varney Serrao letter to Baker Eddy at her request, and is now Gallery's collection, it is not currently Mrs. Longyear, August 11,1919. in the custody of The Mother Church, on exhibit. 17. Denver Post, "Marble Hand of Woman The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Gabrielle Winkel Links Denver Art and Rome Sculpture" by Cecelia Kelley, October 23, 1927. in Boston. ( 18. Longyear. Collection of Molitar research, The bust that was nearing comple 1. Longyear Museum and Historical Society. New Hampshire Historical Society letter tion when Mrs. Eddy canceled the Autobiography of Mary H. Collins, C. S.D. toR. F. Molitar, October 16, 1963. order for a second was obtained by 2. Ibid. 19. The Christian Science Monitor, "Smithson Edward A. Merritt (member of the 3. Ibid. ian gets bust of Mrs. Eddy," May 28, 1966. February 2016: Minor edits have been made to this newsletter to reflect new 429 information that has come to light since the original publication. LUELLA VARNEY SERRAO: ARTIST/SCULPTRESS

Varney left for Paris with Alena J. man. Six months later they were intro Royer, another American girl who was duced by a mutual friend. studying painting, and then went Irene Osgood reported in The Art on to Rome where she eventually Chronicle, February 1911, in the obtained a degree in art from the Uni poetic tone of the time, "It was in the versity of Rome and opened a studio kindly irony of things that the sculp of her own. Her first exhibition there tor of the beautiful group was not only was a piece titled "Inclination to Art." a woman, but, to Andrea [Teodoro] It was that exhibition that brought Serrao, the woman. "4 He fell in love Miss Varney and her talents to the with her practically on the spot but notice of Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. their courtship was to last eight years. Collins, who had her sculpt portrait Mrs. Serrao herself commented on busts of themselves while they were the eight year wait before marriage visiting Rome. She later had Christian much later, when she said, "If it is Science class instruction with Mr. just a question of happiness, I believe Collins, and also did the portrait bust one is perhaps happier marrying than of Mary Baker Eddy at their request. 3 pursuing art. I knew my husband Also attending Varney's exhibition eight years before I married him. I was Teodoro Serrao (known occasion waited because of my work. Perhaps I ally as Andrea Serrao), an art critic for should have been happier if I had the leading Italian paper of the time, married him right away."s and the son of the Roman governor. After their marriage in 1889, Mr. Luella Varney as a young sculptress Having graduated from law school at Serrao became a successful lawyer in Rome the age of eighteen, he was not yet an authority on international law - It was the spring of 1889 when Mrs. allowed to practice until he was of and a legal advisor to the American Eddy was living at 385 Common age; so Mr. Serrao put in the interven and British Embassies. The Serraos wealth Avenue in Boston, when the ing years as an art critic, writer and and their young son Amerigo (later to soon-to-be married Luella Varney set lecturer on art subjects. He reviewed be named Baron of Castel-Monaldo), up her studio in an adjoining build Miss Varney's exhibit, but was under spent most of their time as a family ing. Mrs. Eddy sat daily for about an the misconception that Varney was a living in Italy. hour (except Sundays} for approxi mately two weeks. Miss Varney was the only sculptor for whom Mary Baker Eddy ever did a live sitting; and she was, like her famous subject, clearly ahead of her time. One must remember that sculpture today is an art form dominated by men, and in Mrs. Eddy's time was even more so.

Luella Varney was born in 1865 in Angola, New York. Her father was Joshua Davis Varney, a civil engineer who moved the family to Cleveland in the early 1870's. Miss Varney stud ied drawing under Prof. Aborn and crayon under Lewis Adams, and was one of the first graduates of the Cleve land School of Art. From 1882-83, Varney studied sculpture under a visiting Italian master artist, N. Can tulamessa Poppoti, with whom she would later study in Europe. She soon did a bas-relief of Goethe which was exhibited and critically acclaimed.1 This brought her two more commis sions. Serrao later recalled, "And at that I lost my head completely, and with the money I made on those two commissions for portraits (sic) busts I I went abroad to study."2 Sculptress with Collins' bust of Mrs. Eddy in 1927 Courtesy of The Denver Post

February 2016: Minor edits have been made to this newsletter to reflect new 430 information that has come to light since the original publication. Mrs. Serrao did very little with her sculpting career while she focused on her role as wife and mother. Her life was full of interest, with her summers spent in travel or at their villa on the Riviera, and the winters at home in Rome. "And, of course," she later said, "one's interest slackens when one isn't competing directly, and without the stimulus of being on my own, so to speak, I didn't work as hard at sculp ture during those years as I should have done. "6 "My marriage checked my career for eighteen years. Marriage must necessarily stop a woman in any work she is doing outside of that. She cannot be conscientious in her duties as a wife and mother and succeed in advancing her talent, too. I would not like to say that I think a woman with Sculptress in her studio some particular talent should remain unmarried for the sake of it, though. her husband's passing in 1907, Mrs. dare Roosevelt, Wilson, and Garfield; Neither would I say that it would be Serrao returned to her home town of Senator Henry M. Rice (now in the worth her while to lay it aside and Cleveland. State Capitol of Minnesota), and Sen marry. It depends on how much she The unsettling political situation of ator and Mrs. H. B. Payne; four cares. Each girl must decide a thing of the world prior to World War I and Supreme Court justices; Julia Ward that kind for herself. It does influence her own personal experience gradu Howe, Edith Van Buren, and the people to hear opinions expressed, ally turned her once again to her work Italian military hero Garibaldi. And and so I think it shouldn't be done. "7 at sculpture. She then conducted a according to D. Undine Baker in 1915, As reported in Cleveland Town career between continents, having "The monument of Archbishop Rappe, Topics, "Madame Varney Serrao was studios in Cleveland, New York and first bishop of Cleveland, which stands an ideal wife, and her personality has Rome. An Art Chronicle article of in the cathedral yard ... is her work, that pure, gracious charm that attracts 1911 mentions her many well-known and to her belongs the distinction of and holds all who have the good for friends and colleagues of the art world having done the bust of every bishop tune to know her."8 The last few years that frequently gathered at her studio of Cleveland, except the present of her marriage was a difficult time for in Rome. 9 On March 26, 1915 the bishop; while her splendid monu Mrs. Serrao though, as her husband Cleveland Press reported that she was ment to the Russian Archbishop of was suffering from blindness, and she living in that city. "Her work" wrote Odessa stands in the cathedral of was his constant companion. After D. Undine Baker in Cleveland Town Odessa."12 Topics, "is strong, beautiful, and in its She also spent a great deal of time variant character shows the sculptress traveling, attending exhibitions of possessed of creative versatility. "10 her work and lecturing, sharing her After the war, Luella Varney Ser impressions of some of her well rao became an outspoken advocate known subjects, including Susan B. for women artists and suggested that Anthony, whose portrait she sculpted they be commissioned to create veter in 1887. Serrao said the woman suf ans' memorials. She said, "There is a fragist, a longtime friend and also a touch about the work of women, deli relative by marriage, had a "strong cate, tense, poignant and sympathetic, face, beautiful in the sense of charac which would help them to put into ter, refinement and intelligence. "13 their memorial designs a depth of Another of her well-known subjects emotion and tenderness of appeal that was Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). would make our war monuments He was a friend of her husband, really worthy of the magnificent sac Teodoro, who brought him to her stu rifices of the men who fell and truly dio. She was the last artist to have the representative of the high ideals for opportunity of a live sitting from him. which they fought. "11 Serrao herself The bust, which she sculpted solely did several busts of soldiers for war for her own pleasure, is now in the memorials. Cleveland Library. According to The Serrao's main subjects, however, Art Chronicle in 1911: "The kind consisted of public figures, politi eyes, humorous expression and splen ( . cians, and society women and chil did head are life-like - they live. dren. A sampling of some of her more She caught Mark Twain in one of his famous works not previously men twinkling moods, and it shines forth Sculptress in her studio tioned are those of Presidents Theo- from the sculptured marble to greet

February 2016: Minor edits have been made to this newsletter to reflect new 431 information that has come to light since the original publication. his countless admirers."14 Serrao was office, or horne, every day for a certain to say of him in 1927, "He was not number of hours, to study with them. I did a little healing work after that, always with the tart-tongued person he is reputed almost instantaneous success. But, when I to be. He was a quiet-spoken, gentle went back to Rome where, so far as I know, man, and his wit in conversation was there was no Christian Science at the time droll, never caustic. "15 I did not follow up with studying nor heal According to the Dictionary of ing work. " 4. The Art Chronicle, "A Sculptress in Rome" Women Artists, Serrao passed away by Irene Osgood, February 15 , 1911. sometime after 1935. 5. Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Bust of Hamilton Ready for Place" by Annabel Sharpe, 1911. Gabrielle Winkel 6. Cleveland Topics, 1920. 7. Cleveland Plain Dealer, Sharpe, 1911. 1. A later article in Cleveland Press, March 26, 8. Cleveland Town Topics, "Art & Artists" by 1915, entitled "War Keeps Woman Sculp D. Undine Baker, October 23, 1915. tor, Former Clevelander, At Work in New 9. The Art Chronicle, Osgood, 1911. Form of Society Portraiture" elucidates 10. Cleveland Town Topics, Baker, 1915. Serrao's success with the bas-reliefform of portraiture. It had been revived as a fad 11 . Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Artist Says with society women in the second decade Women Design The Best War Memorials," of the twentieth century. 1914. 2. Cleveland Topics, article on Luella Varney 12. Cleveland Town Topics, Baker, 1915. Serrao, March 27, 1920. 13. Longyear. Luella Varney Serrao biographi 3. There is a Statement dated October 19,1935 cal files, a Rochester, New York newspaper by Luella Varney Serrao in the Longyear clipping, "Sculptress Recalls Striking Qual Luella Varney Serrao with portrait bust collection in which she says of her experi ities of Susan B. Anthony" by Carolyn she sculpted of Susan B. Anthony ence in Christian Science: "I recall how Reichard, no date. (inset) radiant the Collins were at the great thing 14. The Art Chronicle, Osgood, 1911. that had come to them. I think that Mr. 15. Denver Post, "Marble Hand of Woman Collins had had a great healing in science, Links Denver Art and Rome Sculpture" by and they taught it to me. I used to go to their Cecelia Kelley, October 23, 1927.

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES AT LONGYEAR ... AND A RETIREMENT ... For some time our two able Associ Mr. Conrads is a graduate of The After almost 21 years of service ate Directors, Alan Lester and Loetta Principia College and has pursued to Longyear, Mrs. Loetta L. Lewis Lewis, have been heavily engaged in advance studies at several other has decided to retire effective Decem handling the day to day affairs of colleges and universities. He is a ber 31, 1991. During those twenty-one Longyear and would have been bene seasoned professional manager with years she has served in various capac fitted by the support and vision of an strong experience in planning and ities- as a Guide, as Administrative overall coordinator, long range plan administrative support. Following Assistant, and most recently as Asso ner, and fund raiser that is much many years of service with the Inter ciate Director. We wish her well as she needed by all such organizations if American Development Bank, Mr. pursues some of those special activi they are to maintain and increase their Conrads worked with The First ties that she loves so much, especially usefulness. Church of Christ, Scientist on several the Square Dancing! We are happy to announce that significant projects. Robert A. Conrads was appointed We feel it is a privilege to introduce Director of Longyear Museum and Mr. Conrads. Historical Society effective Novem ber 1, 1991.

LONGYEAR FOUNDATION: Board of Trustees: June A. Austin; Robert C. Dale; Graves D. Hewitt, Chairman; Marian H. Holbrook; Charles B. Hosmer, Jr.; and Marylou Madigan. Director: Robert A. Conrads. Associate Directors: Alan K. Lester and Loetta L. Lewis. QUARTERLY NEWS is published four times annually by Longyear Museum and Histori cal Society, 120 Seaver Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02146. U.S.A. (617) 277-8943. Inquiries about membership and activities are welcome.

February 2016: Minor edits have been made to this newsletter to reflect new 432 Printed in the United States of America information that has come to light since the original publication.