International studio (49.1913)

Susan Ricker Knox, Portrait Painter

From the silhouettes were evolved portrait-
drawings in pastels, which became equally popu-
lar, these were treated broadly with mere color
indications and a few telling lines. Naturally the
oil portrait was quick to follow.
Here Miss Knox has found a strong utterance
for her talents and her sympathy with her sitters
and keen appreciation of human nature are the
keynotes to her success. The artist early in her
career showed a predilection for child portraiture,
greatly aided by her intimate knowledge of child
life, and through this understanding she has been
able to portray the psychology of her infantile
subjects. An excellent example of this is her
sketch, Robin, representing a plump little speci-
men of babyhood, painted in the broadest manner,
with remarkable plastic quality. The direct flat
handling of this baby head has made it almost the
clou of her collection, and not to know Robin is not
to know her trend in portraiture.
The Autocrat shows the ruling spirit of the
infant in the chair, in which he essays to keep the
ball from the older child, who is casting wistful
glances toward the desired plaything. In both
portraits the traits of each child are admirably
rendered.
In the painting of hair Miss Knox is particu-
larly happy, which essential quality the critic
usually ignores, not realizing that it is one of the
most difficult things to accomplish well—and that
the natural “crown of beauty,” with nicely ad-
justed values, has much to do with the integral
success of the portrait.
Miss Knox has been at work for a number of
years on a series of canvases depicting some special
phase of motherhood, where the spiritual relation
is expressed as well as the physical. They are
painted as a further means of self-expression, and
it is in these that she lets her brush and imagina-
tion have full sway; to these are given quaintly
distinctive titles. They are painted for her own
pleasure and naturally have found favor in the
eyes of many. The Usurper is a charming exam-
ple of this branch of Miss Knox’s art.
It must not, however, be supposed that the studio
door remains bolted, when men and women wish
to have their features immortalized. An imposing
list of sitters includes many well-known people in
New York and elsewhere, such as: Mr. Richard
McNamee, the late Mr. D. F. Appleton, Dr. Neil-
son, whose winsome little daughter is reproduced
on this page, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Bridge, Judge
Frink, General Forney, Dr. and Mrs. H. F. Clark,
Mr. George Loveland and a host of others.

Miss Knox’s summer studio, a quaint little
bungalow on a sloping hillside, is at York Harbor,
Maine, where she goes early enough in the season
to paint the elder bloom which she is fond of
introducing in not a few of her canvases. Her
portrait compositions, painted out of doors, are
full of sunshine and warmth of tone.
This summer studio is the portraitist’s great
delight since, turning architect for the nonce, she
drew up the plans and, unconsciously but most
felicitously, achieved excellent rhythm between
roof line and hillside, which has called forth many
a word of commendation from real architects.
The forte of Susan Ricker Knox lies, however, in
her delineation of character, which gift entitles
her to be regarded as a portrait painter of recog-
nized standing. In direct contrast to her simple
but picturesque summer home is her studio in


MISS MARGUERITE
NEILSON

BY SUSAN RICKER
KNOX

LXXIX