Frances C. Houston

File:Portrait of Frances C. Houston SAAM-1929.6.33 1.jpg]]

Frances C. Lyons Houston (January 14,{{Cite book|title=A Circle of Friends: Art Colonies of Cornish and Dublin|last=University Art Galleries, University of New Hampshire|publisher=University Art Galleries, University of New Hampshire, Durham|year=1985}} 1851{{Cite book|title=Women In The Fine Arts: From the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|last=Clement|first=Clara Erskine|publisher=Hacker Art Books|year=1974|location=New York City, New York|pages=165}} or 1867{{Cite book|title=Dictionary of Women Artists: an international dictionary of women artists born before 1900|last=Petteys|first=Chris|publisher=G.K. Hall & Co.|location=Boston, Massachusetts}} or January 17, 1867{{Cite book|title=Artists of Early MICHIGAN: A Biographical Dictionary of Artists Native To or Active In Michigan 1701-1900|url=https://archive.org/details/artistsofearlymi0000gibs|url-access=registration|last=Gibson|first=Arthur|publisher=Wayne State University Press|year=1975|location=Detroit, Michigan|pages=[https://archive.org/details/artistsofearlymi0000gibs/page/139 139]}} – 1906) was an American painter. Houston was born in Hudson, Michigan. She died in Windsor, Vermont in October 1906.

Houston primarily worked in oils, but also did work in watercolors, pottery, goldsmithing, and jewelry making. Her primary subjects were portraits.{{Cite book|title=The Dictionary of British Artists 1880-1940|last=Johnson|first=Jane|publisher=Baron Publishing|year=1980}} Among her subjects noteworthy subjects was the actress Ethel Barrymore.{{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.32000000493223;view=1up;seq=977|title=The Century illustrated monthly magazine. v.75 1907-1908.|website=HathiTrust|language=en|access-date=2018-12-12}}

Life and career

Houston was born in Hudson, Michigan, though her date of birth is debated as being either January 14, 1851{{Cite book|title=The Art of Thomas Wilmer Dewing: Beauty Reconfigured|last=Hobbs|first=Susan A.|publisher=The Brooklyn Museum|year=1996|pages=20, 91–92}} or 1867{{Cite book|title=Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers|last=Fielding|first=Mantle|year=1974|isbn=0-913274-03-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofamer00fiel/page/176 176]|publisher=Modern Books and Crafts |url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofamer00fiel/page/176}}{{Cite book|title=Allgemeines Lexikon Der Bildenden Künstler von der Antike Bis Zur Gegenart: Siebzehnter Band Heubel-Hubard|last=Ulrich Thieme|first=Felix Becker|year=1924}}{{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3063385;view=1up;seq=382|title=American art annual. v.4 (1903).|website=HathiTrust|language=en|access-date=2018-12-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3063387;view=1up;seq=162|title=American art annual. v.6 (1907-08).|website=HathiTrust|language=en|access-date=2018-12-12}} or January 17, 1867.{{Cite book|title=Biographical Sketches of American Artists|last=Michigan State Library|year=1924|location=Lansing|pages=158}} Her parents were Lafayette A. Houston and Charlotte (Hand) Lyon Houston.[https://archive.org/details/whoswhoinamerica02marq/page/558/mode/2up HOUSTON, Frances C.], in Who's Who in America; p. 559; 1901-1902 edition; via archive.org

File:Portrait of Ethel Barrymore by Frances C. Houston.jpg

Houston studied in Paris with the French artists Jules Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger at the Julian Academy. She also lived in Italy for a short time. She married William C. Houston, a Boston businessman. After her marriage she took classes at the school of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston where she took the classes of Thomas Dewing. Dewing and Houston would remain close for the remainder of her life. Dewing painted a portrait of her which is currently on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.{{Cite web|url=https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/portrait-frances-c-houston-6764|title=Portrait of Frances C. Houston|website=Smithsonian American Art Museum|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-13}} Dewing would later encourage Houston and her husband to move to Cornish, New Hampshire, where Dewing had a summer home. At this time Cornish had a thriving art community which included Augusutus Saint-Gaudens, George de Forest Brush, and Charles Platt, among others. Houston had a summer home in Cornish from 1891 to 1906. She was popular among the other members of the community, praised for her genial and kind personality. Houston often painted portraits of other Cornish residents.

Houston was a member of the Boston Water Color Club, the Boston Society of Arts & Crafts, the New York Water Color Club.

Houston was an avid gardener. She was also active in the local community. Houston founded "The Mothers and Daughters' Club" with another woman of the Cornish community,{{Cite news|title=Pleasure and Profit for Farmers' Wives: Unique Club for Country Women in New England Which Makes Life Worth Living|last=Van Horne|first=Elizabeth|date=November 7, 1912|work=Leslie's Illustrated Weekly Newspaper}} Laura Walker, wife of Henry O. Walker. The group was started with the goal of allowing the women who lived in Cornish seasonally to become closer to the wives of the local farmers. The club involved group readings, travel talks, rug and carpet creation, and weaving. Houston made designs for rug weaving, and those made by the club were sold starting in 1903. Part of the purpose of weaving the rugs and carpets was to teach women about art.

Later in life Houston shifted her focus away from painting, though she continued to exhibit, particularly at the Boston, New York, and Philadelphia Exhibitions.

After Houston passed away, Dewing convinced the editor of Century Magazine to reproduce Houston's portrait of Ethel Barrymore, and wrote that it was her last work before she passed. Dewing also praised her work for its beauty and technique. Houston's works were exhibited after her death at Doll & Richards in Boston in 1908, from March 26 to April 7.{{Cite book|title=Collection of Exhibition Catalogs|last=The Archives of American Art|publisher=G.K. Hall & Co.|year=1979|location=Boston, Massachusetts|pages=407}}

Exhibitions

Houston exhibited at the Boston Art Club in 1880 and at an Atlanta Exposition in an unknown year, where she received a bronze medal. {{refn|group=nb|She also exhibited in Naples and Philadelphia, though the years of these exhibitions are not known.}} Houston exhibited at the Great Art Loan in Detroit, Michigan in 1883. Houston first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1889{{Cite book|title=American Art at the Nineteenth-Century Paris Salons|url=https://archive.org/details/americanartatnin0000fink|url-access=registration|last=Fink|first=Lois Marie|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1990}} with a study of Woman of Capri. Houston exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1890 with Head of a Capri girl.{{Cite book|title=The Royal Academy of Arts: A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their work from its foundation in 1769 to 1904 Volume IV Harral to Lawranson|last=Graves, F.S.A.|first=Algernon|publisher=Henry Graves and Co. LTD.|year=1906|location=London, England|pages=165}} At this time she had an address at 115, Rione Amedeo, Naples. She also exhibited in 1900 at the Paris World's Fair with a portrait,{{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433019830946;view=1up;seq=20|title=American art annual. v. 3 (1900/1901).|website=HathiTrust|language=en|access-date=2018-12-12}} where she received an honorable mention award. Houston also exhibited at the Worcester Art Museum in 1903.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/catalogueofsumme1903worc|title=Catalogue of summer exhibition, 1903.|last=Worcester Art Museum|date=1903|publisher=Worcester Art Museum|others=Worcester Art Museum Library}} Houston's work Indian Summer was exhibited at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904 for which she received a medal, and she also showed two pieces of jewelry.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/officialcatalogu00loui|title=Official catalogue of exhibitors. Universal exposition. St. Louis, U.S.A. 1904. : Division of exhibits. Department A. Education [to H. Agriculture; J. Horticulture to P. Physical Culture; R. Livestock.]|date=1904|publisher=Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis Mo)|others=Boston Public Library}} Houston exhibited at the St. Botolph Club in Boston in 1905.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/PaintingsbyMrsFrancesHouston1905|title=Paintings by Mrs. Frances C. Houston 1905|last=St. Botolph Club|date=1905}}

List of known works

= Portraits =

Portrait of Ethel Barrymore
Woman of Capri, exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1889
Head of a Capri Girl, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1890
A Standing Female Nude, black chalk on paper, 62.5 by 47.4 cm, sold at auction in 2011 by Christie's{{Cite web|url=https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5405277|title=Frances C. Houston (American, 1867-1906), A standing female nude|website=www.christies.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-14}}
Portrait of Mrs. B, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by John L. Batchelder, Jr., Esq.
Portrait of Rita, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by F.R. Millliken, Esq.
Portrait of Mr. B., displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by J. William Beal, Esq.
Portrait of Mrs. N., displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by George Nightingale, Esq.
Portrait of Francis H. Davenport, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
Portrait Study of an unknown subject, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
Portrait of Mrs. C., displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by Winston Churchill, Esq.
Portrait Head of an unknown subject, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by John I. Batchelder, Jr., Esq.
Portrait of Richard Mann, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by A.E. Mann, Esq.
Portrait of Miss Houston, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by J.C. Fairchild, Esq.
Portrait, Cavaliero Francesco Mancini, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
Portrait of Miss M., displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned from Robert M. Morse, Esq.
Francis, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905 from a loan by J.C. Fairchild, Esq.
Ellen, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905 on loan from Louis Evan Shipman, Esq.
Jane, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, loaned by Pope Veatman, Esq.
Portrait of Miss T., displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905 from a loan by E.V.R. Thayer, Esq.
Portrait of Mrs. W., displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905 from a loan by Samuel D. Warren, Esq.
Portrait of Mrs. M., displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905 on a loan A.E. Mann, Esq.
Charlotte, a portrait of her daughter completed before 1898, last known to be in a private collection
Mrs. J.C. Fairchild and Children, also known as Summer or Portrait Group - Summer, done before 1905, as of 1985 was in a private collection; displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905, where it is noted as being unfinished
Granddaughter Frances with Cat, last known to be in a private collection
Mrs. Winston Churchill, done before 1905

= Other =

Garden with Irises, a pastel, last known to be in a private collection
Summer Evening, done in 1905, exhibited at the St. Botolph Club the same year on loan from Albion Lang, was with the Plainfield Historical Society in 1985, gift of the estate of Albion Lang
Indian Summer, won a medal at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
The Mirror, which was exhibited at the Worcester Art Museum in 1903, and at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
Larghetto, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
Crayon Study of an unknown subject, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
The Spinner, oil on canvas, 15" by 18", displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905 on a loan from W.J Hoyt, Esq., sold at auction in 2010{{Cite web|url=https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/The-Spinner/06CD751EA74EB948|title=Frances C. Houston {{!}} The Spinner {{!}} MutualArt|website=www.mutualart.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-14}}
Liseuse, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
In the Studio, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905
Sabra, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905 on loan from John I. Batchelder, Jr. Esq.
The Dryad, displayed at the St. Botolph Club in 1905

References

External links

[https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Frances-C--Houston/DEFDBB91EED35E15 Works of Frances C. Houston that are recorded as having been auctioned]
[http://www.cooleygallery.com/h_inv/houston.htm Houston's Head and Shoulder Study]
[https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/portrait-frances-c-houston-6764 Thomas Dewing's Portrait of Frances C. Houston]
[https://iamachild.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/frances-c-lyons-houston-1851-1906-american/ Houston's Summer]

Category:1906 deaths

Category:Year of birth uncertain

Category:19th-century American women painters

Category:19th-century American painters

Category:Artists from Michigan

Category:People from Hudson, Michigan