Frances C. Houston Explained

Frances C. Lyons Houston (January 14,[1] 1851[2] or 1867[3] or January 17, 1867[4] – 1906) was an American painter. Houston was born in Hudson, Michigan. She died in Windsor, Vermont in October 1906.

Houston primarily worked in oils, but also did work in watercolors, pottery, goldsmithing, and jewelry making. Her primary subjects were portraits.[5] Among her subjects noteworthy subjects was the actress Ethel Barrymore.[6]

Life and career

Houston was born in Hudson, Michigan, though her date of birth is debated as being either January 14, 1851[7] or 1867[8] [9] [10] [11] or January 17, 1867.[12] Her parents were Lafayette A. Houston and Charlotte (Hand) Lyon Houston.[13]

Houston studied in Paris with the French artists Jules Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger at the Julian Academy. She also lived in Italy for a short time. She married William C. Houston, a Boston businessman. After her marriage she took classes at the school of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston where she took the classes of Thomas Dewing. Dewing and Houston would remain close for the remainder of her life. Dewing painted a portrait of her which is currently on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.[14] Dewing would later encourage Houston and her husband to move to Cornish, New Hampshire, where Dewing had a summer home. At this time Cornish had a thriving art community which included Augusutus Saint-Gaudens, George de Forest Brush, and Charles Platt, among others. Houston had a summer home in Cornish from 1891 to 1906. She was popular among the other members of the community, praised for her genial and kind personality. Houston often painted portraits of other Cornish residents.

Houston was a member of the Boston Water Color Club, the Boston Society of Arts & Crafts, the New York Water Color Club.

Houston was an avid gardener. She was also active in the local community. Houston founded "The Mothers and Daughters' Club" with another woman of the Cornish community,[15] Laura Walker, wife of Henry O. Walker. The group was started with the goal of allowing the women who lived in Cornish seasonally to become closer to the wives of the local farmers. The club involved group readings, travel talks, rug and carpet creation, and weaving. Houston made designs for rug weaving, and those made by the club were sold starting in 1903. Part of the purpose of weaving the rugs and carpets was to teach women about art.

Later in life Houston shifted her focus away from painting, though she continued to exhibit, particularly at the Boston, New York, and Philadelphia Exhibitions.

After Houston passed away, Dewing convinced the editor of Century Magazine to reproduce Houston's portrait of Ethel Barrymore, and wrote that it was her last work before she passed. Dewing also praised her work for its beauty and technique. Houston's works were exhibited after her death at Doll & Richards in Boston in 1908, from March 26 to April 7.[16]

Exhibitions

Houston exhibited at the Boston Art Club in 1880 and at an Atlanta Exposition in an unknown year, where she received a bronze medal. Houston exhibited at the Great Art Loan in Detroit, Michigan in 1883. Houston first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1889[17] with a study of Woman of Capri. Houston exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1890 with Head of a Capri girl.[18] At this time she had an address at 115, Rione Amedeo, Naples. She also exhibited in 1900 at the Paris World's Fair with a portrait,[19] where she received an honorable mention award. Houston also exhibited at the Worcester Art Museum in 1903.[20] Houston's work Indian Summer was exhibited at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904 for which she received a medal, and she also showed two pieces of jewelry.[21] Houston exhibited at the St. Botolph Club in Boston in 1905.[22]

List of known works

Portraits

Other

References

  1. Book: University Art Galleries, University of New Hampshire. A Circle of Friends: Art Colonies of Cornish and Dublin. University Art Galleries, University of New Hampshire, Durham. 1985.
  2. Book: Clement, Clara Erskine. Women In The Fine Arts: From the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.. Hacker Art Books. 1974. New York City, New York. 165.
  3. Book: Petteys, Chris. Dictionary of Women Artists: an international dictionary of women artists born before 1900. G.K. Hall & Co.. Boston, Massachusetts.
  4. Book: Gibson, Arthur. Artists of Early MICHIGAN: A Biographical Dictionary of Artists Native To or Active In Michigan 1701-1900. registration. Wayne State University Press. 1975. Detroit, Michigan. 139.
  5. Book: Johnson, Jane. The Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940. Baron Publishing. 1980.
  6. Web site: The Century illustrated monthly magazine. v.75 1907-1908.. HathiTrust. en. 2018-12-12.
  7. Book: Hobbs, Susan A.. The Art of Thomas Wilmer Dewing: Beauty Reconfigured. The Brooklyn Museum. 1996. 20, 91–92.
  8. Book: Fielding, Mantle. Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers. 1974. 0-913274-03-8. 176. Modern Books and Crafts . registration.
  9. Book: Ulrich Thieme, Felix Becker. Allgemeines Lexikon Der Bildenden Künstler von der Antike Bis Zur Gegenart: Siebzehnter Band Heubel-Hubard. 1924.
  10. Web site: American art annual. v.4 (1903).. HathiTrust. en. 2018-12-12.
  11. Web site: American art annual. v.6 (1907-08).. HathiTrust. en. 2018-12-12.
  12. Book: Michigan State Library. Biographical Sketches of American Artists. 1924. Lansing. 158.
  13. https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinamerica02marq/page/558/mode/2up HOUSTON, Frances C.
  14. Web site: Portrait of Frances C. Houston. Smithsonian American Art Museum. en-US. 2018-12-13.
  15. News: Pleasure and Profit for Farmers' Wives: Unique Club for Country Women in New England Which Makes Life Worth Living. Van Horne. Elizabeth. November 7, 1912. Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper.
  16. Book: The Archives of American Art. Collection of Exhibition Catalogs. G.K. Hall & Co.. 1979. Boston, Massachusetts. 407.
  17. Book: Fink, Lois Marie. American Art at the Nineteenth-Century Paris Salons. registration. Cambridge University Press. 1990.
  18. Book: Graves, F.S.A., Algernon. The Royal Academy of Arts: A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904 Volume IV Harral to Lawranson. Henry Graves and Co. LTD.. 1906. London, England. 165.
  19. Web site: American art annual. v. 3 (1900/1901).. HathiTrust. en. 2018-12-12.
  20. Book: Worcester Art Museum. Catalogue of summer exhibition, 1903.. 1903. Worcester Art Museum. Worcester Art Museum Library.
  21. Book: Official catalogue of exhibitors. Universal exposition. St. Louis, U.S.A. 1904. : Division of exhibits. Department A. Education [to H. Agriculture; J. Horticulture to P. Physical Culture; R. Livestock.]]. 1904. Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis Mo). Boston Public Library.
  22. Book: St. Botolph Club. Paintings by Mrs. Frances C. Houston 1905. 1905.
  23. Web site: Frances C. Houston (American, 1867-1906), A standing female nude. www.christies.com. en. 2018-12-14.
  24. Web site: Frances C. Houston The Spinner MutualArt. www.mutualart.com. en. 2018-12-14.

External links

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