James Carroll Beckwith
James Carroll Beckwith was an American portrait and genre artist who lived from 1852 to 1917. He worked in the naturalism style. He was highly successful in his lifetime, receiving numerous awards and prestigious commissions.
Beckwith was born in Hannibal, Missouri, but moved to Chicago, Illinois in his early childhood which is where he grew up. He had poor health, which kept him home and gave him some free time to explore painting and drawing. At 16 years old, Beckwith began his art education at the Chicago Academy of Design. In 1871, a large fire destroyed much of Chicago, so Beckwith moved to New York City to study art at the National Academy of Design.
In 1873, Beckwith moved to Paris, France to continue his education. He took classes at the studios of well-known artists, including Carolus Duran. Duran was so impressed with Beckwith, that he invited him to help work on a commission with Duran and John Singer Sargent. In 1878, Beckwith moved back home to New York City in the United States.
Beckwith had an illustrious career. He painted portraits, landscapes, and historical paintings. He also taught classes at the Art Students League of New York. Beckwith’s portrait subjects include a long list of notables, including Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Merritt Chase, to name a few. Beckwith soon became President of the National Free Art League whose goal was to remove duties from paintings. After winning a number of awards at various Expositions and World Fairs, Beckwith moved to Paris in 1893 to work on more murals, before moving to Italy in 1910 to paint en plein air.
He moved back to New York City in 1914 and was an open critic against the burgeoning modern art styles he found popular in the States, including cubism. In 1917, at 66 years of age, James Carroll Beckwith died of a heart attack in his home in New York City.
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