The Fitchburg Art Museum Is Currently Celebrating Its 75th Anniversary
. For the first time in this museum’s history, there is a gallery reflecting it’s founder’s passions. The art that is now on exhibit is that of Eleanor Norcross. These pieces are from Norcross’s own collection and long term loans from museums and private collections. This is one of the exhibits that launches a look at pioneering American artists of the 19th century. Norcross’s exhibit is titled, ” Norcross: Character is Everything.” Other permanent exhibits at the Fitchburg Art Museum are that of; Egyptian art and artifacts, European and American paintings and graphics, decorative art, and contemporary American and regional artists.
The selections of paintings shown at the Fitchburg exhibit are only a small portion of her entire collection. After her father died in 1898, she had always wished of establishing an art museum in Fitchburg. She began exhibiting her work in the spring of 1886, when she showed a portrait of her father in the National Academy of design in New York, as well as in a Paris salon. She continued to show fairly regularly after that. She displayed her work mostly in French exhibitions. Until 1905 she painted mainly portraits and views of the interior of her studio.
While she was living in Washington, she began attending classes at the Art Student League in New York, in either the fall of 1878 or spring of 1879. She spent the winters with her father in Washington and her summers in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. She continued living like this for five years, as she was traveling frequently between Washington, Fitchburg, and New York.
In June of 1883, Norcross made the decision to reside in Paris. In the late fall of 1883, she entered the Paris studio of Alfred Stevens. Stevens was a prominent Belgian-born painter who taught a class for women. She remained a student of Alfred Stevens for two years. As a student of Stevens, she studies with two women with whom she developed lasting friendships with, Geraldine Reed and Barrone Alix d’ Anethan. During her early years in Paris, Norcross kept a journal in which she wrote about Steven’s classroom comments and discussions, as well as her impressions. In this journal, she wrote, “character is everything,” the words that title her exhibit in Fitchburg. The journal also shows that Norcross visited Holland, England, Germany, Belgium, and Italy. Some of the time she was accompanied by her father, who joined her in June of 1884.
Looking at Norcross’s painting, “Two Children,” in the Fitchburg Art Museum, its style jumps out at the audience. It appears as though it is a cross between both realism and romanticism. The incredible detail in the figures, along with the precision or color and shading, are what suggests its realistic qualities. During the late 19th century realism was very popular with American artists, such as Thomas Eakins and Winslow Homer. At the same time, there was also a strong influence of the new style of romanticism in America. It is evident in Norcross’s painting, “Two Children,” she was influenced by romanticism as well. Although her figures are detailed, the lines are blurred and not as well defined as most realistic paintings. Her use of color helps to blend the lines for a smooth transition of one shape to another, rather than sharp edges.
Eleanor Norcross used oil on canvas to create most of her artwork. Her painting, “Two Children,” uses oil on canvas as well. The painting depicts two children, one of which appears to be older than the other, maybe by one or two years. The older child is a little girl dressed in a light pink dress with a matching hat. The younger child appears to be a little boy, about the age of a toddler. This child is dressed in a light blue outfit. Both children appear to be dressed well, suggesting that maybe they come from a proper or well to do background.
There is both open and closed forms in this painting. The little girl is that of a closed form. Her arms are slightly held outward, but her hands are almost together, closing off the form. The little boy is an open form. His hands are slightly raised, as though he is throwing or attempting to catch something. The background of this painting is rather simple. It is basically just filler colors in the back; there are no distinguishable figures or objects that you could see. The fact that one figure is closed and the other is opened form, it seems to balance the painting
She used mostly soft colors throughout the entire painting. Using warm tones against cool tones to add contrast. A pastel green is used to create the shading in the little girl’s dress, which is also a use of complementary colors. Whereas red and green complement each other. She used the same idea when painting the little boy. His pastel blue outfit is contrasted by a tan-ish or orange tone, because blue and orange are complementary colors. Along with her soft colors, Norcross uses a very delicate brush stroke, which sets the softness for the entire painting.
There is painting that was done by one of Norcross’s friends, Barrone Alix d’Anethan. This painting was done with oil on canvas as well. Alix painted a view of a park in Paris near Norcross’s apartment. The strong resemblance between the two painting suggests that they painted together. Alix’s painting is a little more involved than that of Norcross’s, but it depicts the same children doing the same thing. It is titled, “Children in the Park Monceau.” Both children that are in the foreground of Norcross’s painting are in the foreground of Alix’s painting. The backgrounds however, are different. Norcoss basically stopped her painting after she represented the children. Alix on the other hand, included a background depicting women and children on a bench in the park, with a background of trees and shrubs.
Alix d’Anethan had the same style as Norcross. She was very detailed with color and shading, her figures appeared very life like. This suggests her ideas of realism. She too, had romantic qualities, but not so much as Norcross. Alix created lines that were well blended, but not as undefined as those of her friend. Alix too, used the ideas of pastels and complementary colors throughout the entire painting. The color scheme that both women painted created a feeling of life and happiness. The children playing in the park during the springtime is an image that would make most audiences feel happy.
There is a piece of music, composed by Antonio Vivaldi, which goes very well with both of these paintings. This music sample is labeled Spring, it is one of four parts of a concerto called The Four Seasons. Vivaldi was an Italian composer and violinist, and he is considered the most influential of his age. He was born in Venice in 1678, and his father who was also a violinist trained him. Antonio was ordained a priest in 1703, and began teaching music at a school for orphaned girls, called Ospedale della Pieta. He trained students, composed concertos and oratorios for weekly concerts, and at the same time, establishing an international reputation. Vivaldi’s works include more than 500 concertos and over 70 sonatas; about 45 operas; and religious music, masses and motets.
Antonio Vivaldi’s concertos provided a model genre throughout Europe, affecting the styles of many composers. His opus 8 concertos titled The Four Seasons are early examples of orchestral program music. Like most of his music, they are known for the fast paced rhythms and strong contrasts. The Four Seasons was composed during the Baroque Era, around 1725. The Baroque Era consisted of strong, rhythmic, highly ornamental instrumental and vocal music. The entire music sample is that of violins. The melody of Spring, consists of many leaps, in order to create the accent that is needed for a bright tone quality. Although there are many leaps, the melody is still considered to be, legato, because the violins connect together so smoothly. The tempo of Spring is allegro, or moderately fast. This tempo is lively and upbeat, written to symbolize nature’s annual rebirth.
Spring has a relationship to the two paintings, in a way that they both create the same feelings of liveliness and happiness. Children are full of energy and life, especially in a park on a beautiful spring day. Spring creates a mood that is similar to that feeling. The violins create the light airy sound s of a spring day, as the upbeat tempo would lighten up any mood.
