Marion H. Beckett | |
---|---|
![]() Marion H. Beckett, 1921 | |
Born | New York, New York | February 7, 1886
Died | 1949 | (aged 62–63)
Resting place | Williamstown, Vermont |
Nationality | American |
Known for | Portrait paintings |
Marion Hasbrouck Beckett (February 7, 1886 – 1949) was an American painter. [1]
Beckett was born in New York on February 7, 1886. Her parents were Charles Henry Beckett, originally from Williamstown, Vermont, and Estelle Josephine (Newman) Beckett of Watkins, New York. [2] [3] She was left with a large fortune following her father's death [4] on November 29, 1917. She was Charles and Estelle's only child. [3]
She exhibited a number of paintings at the Annual Philadelphia Water Color Exhibition in 1908. [5] In 1908, Beckett traveled to Paris with Katharine Rhoades and Malvina Hoffman and studied in France for two years. [6] Rhoades had been her friend since 1904 when Rhoades made her debut in New York City. [7] The family was on the Social Register in New York. [8]
A member of Alfred Stieglitz’s artistic circle in New York City, Beckett was known primarily as a portrait painter. [9] Her Portrait of Mrs. Charles H. Beckett and Portrait of Mrs. Eduard J. Steichen were exhibited in the 1913 Armory Show. [10] In 1915, Beckett and Rhodes had a joint exhibition at Stieglitz’s 291 Gallery. [11] Prior to that, the only works of a female non-photographer that Stieglitz exhibited were that of Pamela Colman Smith in 1907. [12] Marion Beckett and her friends Katharine Rhoades and Agnes Ernst Meyer were known as the " Three Graces" of 291, [11] [13] an accolade bestowed by Charles Lang Freer. [14] Agnes Ernst Meyer described Marion as one of "the most beautiful young women that ever walked this earth". She was also described as shy and reserved. [11]
In January 1917, Beckett presented a show of portraits at Marius de Zayas's Modern Gallery. [9] Among the portraits were one that she made of herself, one of her father, Alfred Stieglitz, and Eugene Meyer. [15] A Beckett portrait of Georgia O'Keeffe, made in 1916, [16] was chosen to illustrate a Vanity Fair article in 1922 [17] and a New York Sun article about O'Keeffe's work in 1923. It was also the lead portrait of Beckett's show, which also included a portrait of Katharine Rhoades, [18] [19] in New York at Montross Gallery in January 1925. [16]
In the 1920s, she was the president and a director of the Beckett Water Supply Company. Estelle Beckett was vice-president and a director. [20] [21]
Beckett stopped painting about 1926. Fifteen of her paintings were stored by family members until 1997, including the portraits of O'Keeffe and Agnes Meyers. [16]
Beckett often traveled to Voulangis, France with Agnes Meyer and Katharine Rhoades to visit artist Edward Steichen and his wife and paint portraits. [22] She was the sole guest at their house at the beginning of World War I in 1914, when Germans soldiers were advancing towards the town. They were able to evacuate two days before the Germans arrived at the Steichen's house. [23] In 1917, she worked as a canteen worker for the Red Cross in France, [16] [24] and it was during this time period that she is believed to have begun an affair with Steichen. [16]
By 1919, Beckett established a studio in the Latin Quarter of Paris, where she entertained Steichen. They were believed to have traveled together from France to New York and Vermont, where her mother lived. [4] In 1919, Clara Steichen sued Marion Beckett for $200,000 damages for " Alienation of affections", claiming that Marion had followed her husband to France and had an affair. Clara was unable to prove her claims. [25] [26] It was reported that Beckett had a ten-year affair with Steichen, until about 1926 when she stopped painting. [16]
By 1926, she had an adopted son and daughter. She spent the summers in a house in Williamstown, Vermont [16] [27] and was living in New York City in 1930. [28]
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
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Marion H. Beckett | |
---|---|
![]() Marion H. Beckett, 1921 | |
Born | New York, New York | February 7, 1886
Died | 1949 | (aged 62–63)
Resting place | Williamstown, Vermont |
Nationality | American |
Known for | Portrait paintings |
Marion Hasbrouck Beckett (February 7, 1886 – 1949) was an American painter. [1]
Beckett was born in New York on February 7, 1886. Her parents were Charles Henry Beckett, originally from Williamstown, Vermont, and Estelle Josephine (Newman) Beckett of Watkins, New York. [2] [3] She was left with a large fortune following her father's death [4] on November 29, 1917. She was Charles and Estelle's only child. [3]
She exhibited a number of paintings at the Annual Philadelphia Water Color Exhibition in 1908. [5] In 1908, Beckett traveled to Paris with Katharine Rhoades and Malvina Hoffman and studied in France for two years. [6] Rhoades had been her friend since 1904 when Rhoades made her debut in New York City. [7] The family was on the Social Register in New York. [8]
A member of Alfred Stieglitz’s artistic circle in New York City, Beckett was known primarily as a portrait painter. [9] Her Portrait of Mrs. Charles H. Beckett and Portrait of Mrs. Eduard J. Steichen were exhibited in the 1913 Armory Show. [10] In 1915, Beckett and Rhodes had a joint exhibition at Stieglitz’s 291 Gallery. [11] Prior to that, the only works of a female non-photographer that Stieglitz exhibited were that of Pamela Colman Smith in 1907. [12] Marion Beckett and her friends Katharine Rhoades and Agnes Ernst Meyer were known as the " Three Graces" of 291, [11] [13] an accolade bestowed by Charles Lang Freer. [14] Agnes Ernst Meyer described Marion as one of "the most beautiful young women that ever walked this earth". She was also described as shy and reserved. [11]
In January 1917, Beckett presented a show of portraits at Marius de Zayas's Modern Gallery. [9] Among the portraits were one that she made of herself, one of her father, Alfred Stieglitz, and Eugene Meyer. [15] A Beckett portrait of Georgia O'Keeffe, made in 1916, [16] was chosen to illustrate a Vanity Fair article in 1922 [17] and a New York Sun article about O'Keeffe's work in 1923. It was also the lead portrait of Beckett's show, which also included a portrait of Katharine Rhoades, [18] [19] in New York at Montross Gallery in January 1925. [16]
In the 1920s, she was the president and a director of the Beckett Water Supply Company. Estelle Beckett was vice-president and a director. [20] [21]
Beckett stopped painting about 1926. Fifteen of her paintings were stored by family members until 1997, including the portraits of O'Keeffe and Agnes Meyers. [16]
Beckett often traveled to Voulangis, France with Agnes Meyer and Katharine Rhoades to visit artist Edward Steichen and his wife and paint portraits. [22] She was the sole guest at their house at the beginning of World War I in 1914, when Germans soldiers were advancing towards the town. They were able to evacuate two days before the Germans arrived at the Steichen's house. [23] In 1917, she worked as a canteen worker for the Red Cross in France, [16] [24] and it was during this time period that she is believed to have begun an affair with Steichen. [16]
By 1919, Beckett established a studio in the Latin Quarter of Paris, where she entertained Steichen. They were believed to have traveled together from France to New York and Vermont, where her mother lived. [4] In 1919, Clara Steichen sued Marion Beckett for $200,000 damages for " Alienation of affections", claiming that Marion had followed her husband to France and had an affair. Clara was unable to prove her claims. [25] [26] It was reported that Beckett had a ten-year affair with Steichen, until about 1926 when she stopped painting. [16]
By 1926, she had an adopted son and daughter. She spent the summers in a house in Williamstown, Vermont [16] [27] and was living in New York City in 1930. [28]
{{
cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link)