DOI Heft:
Nr. 161 (July, 1910)
DOI Artikel:Mechlin, Leila: The art of Cecilia Beaux
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19867#0026
The Art of Cecilia Beaux
nance and expressed in the
firm, set figure, the strong,
sensitive hand.
The principal events in
Miss Beaux's life are so well
known that they need not be
reiterated, but as bearing
directly upon her work and
influencing potently her art
reference should be made
to the fact that she has at-
tained success almost entire-
ly through her own efforts,
using, without scorn, the
means closest at hand to
make a livelihood, while
steadily pressing forward
and casting each aside as,
in the process of advance, it
became useless. At first she
did certain work for the
Geological Survey, and then
as time went on she painted
china, produced crayon por-
traits from photographs and
taught, doing each thing to
the best of her ability as it
came along, studying and
applying each bit of acquir-
ed knowledge, not pamper-
ing her talent but never des-
ecrating it by poor product,
and, withal, so completely
absorbed in the moment that
there was never a thought
of the future, of what might
lay ahead. In this is the key
to her success. It might be
supposed that having thus
helen amory by cecilia beaux made her way step by step
certain limitations were su-
people who live and are capable of change. perimposed, but, if so, compensation has been
There is one portrait, however, wherein Miss found in the resultant accumulation of strength,
Beaux actually created personality. I refer to the the habit of logical thought which is manifested
portrait of John Paul Jones which was presented in her paintings. It is this, perhaps, more than
by the class of 1881 to the United States Naval anything else, that sets them apart from others.
Academy at Annapolis. For this work the painter L- M.
had a replica of Houdon's bust, various prints
and written character sketches, more or less au- The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy is holding in
thoritative. From these she produced the portrait the Albright Art Gallery its fifth annual exhibi-
which, far from being a cold repetition of facts, a tion of selected paintings by American artists,
mere repatterning of features, is a vital interpreta- Miss Beaux is represented by the Mother and Son
tion bound to carry conviction. What we know of mentioned above and the portrait of Miss Agnes
John Paul Jones to-day is written on the counte- Irwin, dean of Radcliffe College, 1894-1909.
x
nance and expressed in the
firm, set figure, the strong,
sensitive hand.
The principal events in
Miss Beaux's life are so well
known that they need not be
reiterated, but as bearing
directly upon her work and
influencing potently her art
reference should be made
to the fact that she has at-
tained success almost entire-
ly through her own efforts,
using, without scorn, the
means closest at hand to
make a livelihood, while
steadily pressing forward
and casting each aside as,
in the process of advance, it
became useless. At first she
did certain work for the
Geological Survey, and then
as time went on she painted
china, produced crayon por-
traits from photographs and
taught, doing each thing to
the best of her ability as it
came along, studying and
applying each bit of acquir-
ed knowledge, not pamper-
ing her talent but never des-
ecrating it by poor product,
and, withal, so completely
absorbed in the moment that
there was never a thought
of the future, of what might
lay ahead. In this is the key
to her success. It might be
supposed that having thus
helen amory by cecilia beaux made her way step by step
certain limitations were su-
people who live and are capable of change. perimposed, but, if so, compensation has been
There is one portrait, however, wherein Miss found in the resultant accumulation of strength,
Beaux actually created personality. I refer to the the habit of logical thought which is manifested
portrait of John Paul Jones which was presented in her paintings. It is this, perhaps, more than
by the class of 1881 to the United States Naval anything else, that sets them apart from others.
Academy at Annapolis. For this work the painter L- M.
had a replica of Houdon's bust, various prints
and written character sketches, more or less au- The Buffalo Fine Arts Academy is holding in
thoritative. From these she produced the portrait the Albright Art Gallery its fifth annual exhibi-
which, far from being a cold repetition of facts, a tion of selected paintings by American artists,
mere repatterning of features, is a vital interpreta- Miss Beaux is represented by the Mother and Son
tion bound to carry conviction. What we know of mentioned above and the portrait of Miss Agnes
John Paul Jones to-day is written on the counte- Irwin, dean of Radcliffe College, 1894-1909.
x