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About Frank R. Wadsworth
The son of Dr. Francis I. Wadsworth and Sarah F. W. Wadsworth, Frank was trained at the *Art Institute of Chicago, around 1892. Three years later, he began exhibiting his works there and 1896 marks his debut at the *Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Wadsworth became one of *William Merritt Chase’s favorite students at the *Shinnecock Hills Summer School, which was under Chase’s direction between 1891 and 1902. During his brief life, Wadsworth maintained a busy exhibition schedule in Chicago and at the PAFA. Titles of his works indicate that Wadsworth visited Haarlem and parts of England and as early as 1897 there are Spanish place names, for example, Street in Madrid. Wadsworth died in Madrid, not yet thirty years old, after a summer season with Chase, most likely working as his assistant. He was an outstanding artist who learned Chase’s technical skills, as well. Wadsworth demonstrated a similar command of a heavy loaded brush, modeling forms with light, and setting carefully chosen palettes. From around 1900 is The Horseless Carriage (Pfeil Collection), whose composition, with the high horizon line and diagonally placed road, recalls works by Monet and other French impressionists. Chase did a portrait of Wadsworth, which is in the Los Angeles County Museum.
Girl Reading by a Window is striking in its simplicity and in its naturalistic palette limited to grays, browns, and whites. The subtle red drapery in the background, along with the pale green and violet book covers, relieve this monochromatic effect to some degree. A cold light streams in from the window on the left and strikes the model’s facial features, the greater part of her right forearm, and the simple but elegant white blouse, including highlighted lace trim, while it gently defines the shape of the left hand. Like *Frans Hals, Wadsworth was able to render anatomical forms masterfully with a minimum of brush strokes. The still-life on the table with books and a portfolio is arranged to show off Wadsworth’s talents at depicting objects turned various ways in space. The table, turned at an angle, and the open book demonstrate this use of dynamic spatial arrangement. It is not easy to determine which artist influenced Wadsworth here: Chase, Frans Hals, or *Velázquez; perhaps it is more accurate to say that Wadsworth, like many of his contemporaries (Chase included), assimilated features of all three in the development of his own style.
REF.
Gerdts, 1992-B, cat. no. 80. |
Paintings by Frank R. Wadsworth
| Girl Reading By a Window |
| Oil on canvas : 30 x 24 in |
| signed: reverse |
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Click Picture to Enlarge
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