James Carroll Beckwith son of a grocery store owner who became a famous portrait painter

James Carroll Beckwith (September 23, 1852 October 24, 1917) is a famous American artist of the late XIX early XX centuries, an outstanding representative of the portrait genre. He was also a skilled master of landscape and everyday life, an ardent adherent of the realistic style of painting. His work was highly appreciated by his contemporaries, and his best paintings today are kept in American museums and private collections. There are many interesting events in the artist’s biography, and his works have repeatedly received prestigious awards at international competitions and exhibitions.

James Carroll Beckwith has been active in community and teaching activities for many years. He was president of the National League for Free Arts and was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Biography

James Carroll Beckwith was born on September 23, 1852 in the small town of Hannibal, Missouri. Shortly after this event, the family of the future painter moved to Chicago, where his father opened a grocery store. From childhood, James was fond of drawing and deliberately chose the career of an artist after graduating from high school. The family business brought a good income, so parents could pay for their son’s education at the prestigious Chicago Institute of the Arts, where young Beckwith entered in 1868.

But the Great Fire of 1871 completely destroyed most of the houses in Chicago, after which the city could not recover from the consequences of the disaster for a long time. His studies at the institute were suspended indefinitely and James decided to leave for New York to continue his studies at the National Academy of Design, where he was mentored by Lemuel Wilmarth.

Having received an academy diploma, in 1873, James Beckwith went to Paris, which at that time was rightfully considered the world’s most important center for the arts. In the French capital, the young artist first got a job as an assistant in the studio of the painter Adolphe Yvon, and then continued his studies with the outstanding portrait painter Carolus-Duran. At the same time, he met his compatriot John Singer Sargent and together with him helped Yvon create frescoes for the recently restored Luxembourg Palace.

Immediately after returning to the States in 1878, Beckwith was appointed professor at the Art Students League of New York, a newly opened educational institution.

He quickly gained fame as a skilled portrait painter and acquired wealthy customers.

In addition, James often painted landscapes and paintings of the historical genre, and was also fond of decorative design and enjoyed fresco painting public buildings and pavilions.

In the early 1880s, James Beckwith co-founded the National Free Arts League and was elected president. He insistently demanded the abolition of duties on the import of works of art into the United States and, as a result, managed to achieve the desired result. In the summer of 1887, Beckwith married Bertha Hall and lived happily with her until his death, although they never had children. The wife became a faithful friend of the master, together they often traveled to the States and Europe. The artist has repeatedly taken part in World Exhibitions, representing his homeland with dignity and receiving the highest awards.

In the early 1910s, the painter lived in Italy for several years. Here he became interested in plein air and created a number of beautiful landscapes depicting ancient ruins. Returning to the United States, the artist continued to lead an active life and never complained of health problems. But on October 24, 1917, at the age of 65, James Beckwith died suddenly in a luxurious room at the Schuyler Hotel, where he lived with his wife for many years. The master’s remains were interred in New York’s Kensiko Cemetery, where many prominent figures in American art, science and sports are buried.

The most famous paintings by James Carroll Beckwith

The brilliant painter has created hundreds of wonderful works during his professional career. And yet, the most famous paintings by James Carroll Beckwith are:

• Portrait of William Walton (1886) is a work for which the author was awarded a gold medal at the 1899 Paris World Exhibition. Beckwith’s teacher Carolus-Durand admired this work as the best portrait in the history of American painting.
• “Portrait of Mark Twain” (1890) is one of the most recognizable artistic depictions of the great writer. Mark Twain himself really liked this picture, about which he personally wrote to the author in a letter of thanks.
• “Woman with a Guitar” (1896) is a romantic masterpiece of the painter, created by him under the obvious influence of the Impressionists. Although the heroine of the picture turns her back to the viewer, she surprisingly makes a vivid unforgettable impression on him.
• Portrait of Evelyn Nesbit (1901) is the earliest portrait of a famous American model and actress. The artist was the first to appreciate the beauty of a young girl and painted this picture a couple of weeks after the 16-year-old model arrived in New York in search of a better life.