American Impressionism 2014-15

Frank Benson

Date: 1899

Credit Line: Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Collection

Object number: 1999.11

Text Entries: After training at Boston's School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Frank Benson continued his studies in Paris at the Académie Julian from 1883 to 1886, returning to teach at his alma mater in 1889. A diversity of subject matter, wide-ranging experimentation, and masterful synthesis of impressionistic and academic techniques marked Benson's work during his years with The Ten. Although he enjoyed the prestige of exhibiting with the group in New York, Benson's independent reputation suffered outside of the Boston area. Along with Joseph DeCamp, he was characterized by a New York critic as one of "The Tarbellites," artists whose style and subjects were associated with fellow Bostonian Edmund Tarbell's poetic interiors. The Sisters is a "spontaneous" portrait of Elisabeth and Sylvia, Benson's two youngest daughters, playing at their summer home in Maine. One of the artist's most impressionistic works of art, the painting was proclaimed a "triumph" when first exhibited in Boston and later won silver medals at exhibitions in the United States and in Paris. Benson's award-winning painting was shown at The Ten's 1901 Annual Show in New York.