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Edmund Charles Tarbell is among the most important Americam impressionists, although his many poertaits seem more realaistic than impressionistic. He was a major fixture in the Boston art world and a central figure in the Boston School. Edmund was born in West Groton, Massachusetts (1862) and raised by his grandparents in a Boston suburb, Dorchester. The boy exibited a talent for drawing, but was not particularly encouraged. He studied briefly at the Massachusetts Normal School, meaning prepartion for teching (1877-1878). As a teenager, he was apprenticed at the Forbes Lithographic Company (1877). At the time lithogrphy was how images including art work was printed. An this mean producing engravings of any images. Edmund spent 3 years at Forbes. He then entered the Boston Museum School where his artistic formation began (1880). Among the other students in Boston he met Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) and Robert Reid (1862-1929), and studied under Otto Grundmann (1844-90) and Frederick Crowninshield (1845-1918). For aspiring American artists, the great magnet was France. Tarbell sailed for France to study with Benson and Reid at the Academie Julian in Paris (1884). At the time, impressionism, at first a derogatory term, was all the rage. Their teachers included Gustave Boulanger (1824-88), Jules-Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911), Adolphe William Bouguereau (1825-88), and American expatriate William Turner Dannat (1853-1929). It was in France that he sae the Impressionists in full force, but he was alreay influenced by them before arriving in France (figure ). It was here that he became aware of the Impressionists. He also studued the Old Masters in the collection of the Louvre. Before returning to America, Tarbell and Benson together traveled through Italy and England and were able to experience the work of other great masters. Tarbell was an extremely prolific artist. Much of his work was beautiful women. It was in these images, mostly works that were not commissioned portraits, that his impressionist style comes out. He did many portraits, including family portraits. These were done in a more realistic style, presumably to suit the tastes of his clinents. Tarnbell is an important American artist and must be addresses in any art history of America. He is less interesting to HBC as he painted so few boys. We note one beach image and some boys in his family portaits.
Edmunch Charles Tarbell's family traces his lineage back to 1638 only shortly after the Mayflower. The Tarbells were a major presence in Groton, a fontier town they helped settle. We see this Yankee heritage in Tarbell's paintings. his paintings. Edmund was born in West Groton, Massachusetts during the Civil War (1862). His father, Edmund Whitney Tarbell, serving in the Civil War died after contracting typhoid (1863). The Civil War is notorious for the high deth toll, many do nor realize thelarge number of camp deaths due to dusease. Edmund's mother, Mary Sophia (Fernald), remarried a shoemaking-machine manufacturer. Young 'Ned' (Edmunds youthful nickname) and his older sister, Nellie Sophia, were turned over to their paternal grandparents who raised them in a Boston suburb, Dorchester. Edmund exibited a talent for drawing and an interest in art. He took evening art lessons from George H. Bartlett at the Massachusetts Normal Art School.
As a teenager, he was apprenticed at the Forbes Lithographic Company (1877). At the time lithogrphy was how images including art work was printed. An this mean producing engravings of any images. Edmund spent 3 years at Forbes.
He then entered the Boston Museum School where his artistic formation began (1880). Among the other students in Boston he met Frank W. Benson (1862-1951) and Robert Reid (1862-1929)-- two other future members of the Ten American Painters.
They studied under Otto Grundmann (1844-90) and Frederick Crowninshield (1845-1918). For aspiring American artists, the great magnet was France. Tarbell sailed for France to study with Benson and Reid at the Academie Julian in Paris (1884). At the time, impressionism, at first a derogatory term, was all the rage. Their teachers included Gustave Boulanger (1824-88), Jules-Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911), Adolphe William Bouguereau (1825-88), and American expatriate William Turner Dannat (1853-1929). It was in France that he saw the Impressionists in full force, but he was alreay influenced by them before arriving in France (figure 1). It was here that he became aware of the Impressionists. He also studued the Old Masters in the collection of the Louvre. Before returning to America, Tarbell and Benson togethe traveled through Italy and England and were able to experience the work of other great masters.
Tarbell is among the most important Americam impressionists, although his many poertaits seem more realistic than impressionistic. He was a major fixture in the Boston art world and a central figure in the Boston School, often described as the dean. He was also a member of the noted Ten American Painters group. They were strong exponents of the Impressionism. We see the open compositions, play with depiction of light, and visible brush strokes of various thickness.
Tarbell married Emeline Souther (1888). They had four children. And they commonly figured in Tarnbell's work. They lived in Boston and subsequently later in New Castle, New Hampshire. Tarbell had close ties to Portsmouth and the Seacoast region of New Hampshire. He summered with his family on the island of New Castle and had astudio there. It was here he painted his beautiful breezy studies of young women. Before Tarbell purchasing the their home in New Castle (1905), the family spent their summers in rented cottages all long the New England coast. One of his wonderful impressionist works is 'My family at Cotuit' (about 1900). Cotuit was a small Cape Cod community. Everyone except their older daughter is dressed in summer white. This contrasts with the crystal blue ocean water glistening in the background. Josephine stands out in her pink dress even though she is quietly reading. Her idle hand rests on her baby brother’s umbrella covered carriage. To the her left is the youngest daughter, Mary. The middle sister, Mercie, rides a toy horse. On the far left their mother, Emeline, is playing with baby Edmund. Edmund Arnold Tarbell completing the family was their only son. He was born during a family holiday atNew Castle (June 1898).
Tarbell was an extremely prolific artist working over an extended period. His works is characterized by rich colors that emphasize light, tone, and delicate brushwork, all imprsiuonistist fortees. Much of his work was beautiful women often painted with an air of domesticity or an idealized, breezy outdoor air. We see many young women often with characteristic New England interiors, gate-leg tables, Chippendale chairs, and incense jars. Tarbell's young women subjects knit, read, write and drink tea in idelyic doesticity and most characteritically and overall sense of tranquility. It was in his breezy outdoor images, mostly works that were not commissioned portraits, that his impressionist style comes out most strongly. We also see it in background work. Tarbell wrote of 'Girl reading' (1909), “I think it the best single figure I ever painted.” Notably it was not an impressionist work. He also did many portraits, including family portraits. These were done in a more realistic style, presumably to suit the tastes of his clinents. Tarnbell is an important American artist and must be addresses in any art history of America. He is less interesting to HBC as he painted so few boys. We note one beach image and some boys in his family portaits.
Tarbell painted 'Boy on the beach' early in his artistic career (1885). It is not his first work, but one of his first. The only thing we know for sure about the painting is the date and where it was painted. Tarnbell even befored marriage would spend his summers along the New England coast. Another early paiting was a seaside scene. Despite an extrenely prolific artistic career, it was only one of two paintings we know of outside of his son Edmund and children in family portraits he was commissioned to paint. We have no idea who the boy is, presumably just a boy he met enjoying summer at the beach. The boy wears a straw hat along with an old short waist and knee pants. The shirt waist had long sleeves. Short sleeves did not appear until well inyo the 20th century. Knee pants were standard for boys by he 1880s, except in rural areas. The painting does not seem to be an impressionistic work, except perhaps somewhat the background.
Tarbell with a growing reputation received many commissions which included both individual and family portraits. One of these family portraits was 'Mrs. Horatio Nelson Slater and Her Children'. Horatio Nelson Slater was a wealthy Webster, Massachusetts mill owner. His name shows the British influence on th merican upper crust. The first Mrs. Slater died (1880). He married Miss Mable Hunt, daughter of William Morris Hunt, the artist (1891). They had four children were born, all of whom are portrayed in the Tarbell portrait. Slater died (1899) which is why he is nit included in the portrait. The three girls wear white dresses, the oldest two with pink and blue bows and black long stockinngs. The boy wears a smart sailor suit. The children watch the artist. Mother for some reason is rather awkwardly posed. They stand on a magnificent tiger rug and a tapestry forms the background, presumbly an European master work. Note that this is not an impressionst work. Tarbell may have been an accaimed impressionist, but nost clinents wanted a more realistic representtion.
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