Cecilia Beaux Painting Medium

Steve Craighead · 05-13-2007, 08:00 PM

I saw the Cecilia Beaux exhibit at the High Museum in Atlanta yesterday. I was very impressed with her painting of "Dorothea and Francesca", 1898, 80 1/8 x 46 in. also called "the Dancing Lesson". I think it shows some of the finest painting you'll ever find. Her strokes are so deft and fluid. Does anyone know what painting medium she used?

Garth Herrick · 05-14-2007, 12:57 PM

Is this the image? I took some yellow out of it, Steve. If it is too white let me know. The source was on Google Images. It would be nice to see some details as you saw them up close.

Garth

Steve Craighead · 05-14-2007, 01:57 PM

Thanks Garth. That's the painting. I tried to upload the image last night but messed up somehow.
Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me, otherwise I would have taken some close-ups.
I just think this is a great painting in person. I'm not thinking so much of the subject, although they're wonderfully arranged. I'm thinking mostly of the way she handle the paint and how she nailed the figures without killing any spontaneity.
She was compared a lot to Sargent. It's my understanding Sargent used very little painting medium, just lots of paint. Her strokes are definitely fluid and thinned with a medium. I don't think she just used terps. There's very little cracking.
She has a memoir, "Background with Figures". I've never gotten around to reading it. Perhaps, she describes her painting method in there.

Steve

Sharon Knettell · 05-25-2007, 12:32 PM

Steve,

Try www.studioproducts.com Optical White. It is really slurpy and when mixed with other colors it makes them really fluid. It also does not deaden the color like other whites, they remain quite brilliant when you want them to be. Also, I have found I do need retouch varnish or oiling out as the color does not sink in.

Marvin Mattelson · 05-25-2007, 01:56 PM

Cecelia Beaux was considered among the top American artists during her lifetime and this show is long overdue, in that regard. She was world renowned and hugely successful winning top awards and reviews from the powers that be.

I've just returned from Atlanta, where I led two workshops. One evening, after class, the participants of my portrait drawing workshop and I went to see the exhibit at the High. The paintings were absolutely magnificent and the high point (pun intended) of my visit. I can't wait to come back in July for another peek.

I may be mistaken here but I believe Studio Products were not in existence 100 years ago so I doubt she used any of their concoctions. My guess would be that she used either stand oil or sun thickened linseed oil with a bit of thinner.

Personally, I feel that great painting is more a function of who's holding the brush than what the brush was dipped into.

Sharon Knettell · 05-25-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvin Mattelson

I may be mistaken here but I believe Studio Products were not in existence 100 years ago so I doubt she used any of their concoctions. My guess would be that she used either stand oil or sun thickened linseed oil with a bit of thinner.

Personally, I feel that great painting is more a function of who's holding the brush than what the brush was dipped into.

Marvin, really. They were not in production 100 years ago! Qu'un surprize! Were Micheal Hardings available then?

As a long time brush dipper, of probably little regard, I found the loose quality of the paint quite delicious and handled quite differently without the use of mediums and was just passing it along. It was quite different than using the Micheals Harding #2, which, tho' I adore his paints, is getting quite sludge-like.

Marvin you do not have to use it, nor does anyone else.