Benjamin F. Nutting
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Franklin Nutting (ca.1803-1887) was an artist in Boston
, Massachusetts
in the 19th-century. He taught drawing in local schools, and published do-it-yourself
drawing instruction materials. In his lifetime, he participated in numerous art exhibitions.
in 1816.
He began working as an artist in Boston around 1826, painting portraits, and also drawing "on stone for lithographers" such as Pendleton's Lithography
(ca.1828-1833); Annin & Smith
; and B.W. Thayer & Co.
.
(ca.1876). As a teacher and artist, he was associated with the Boston Artists' Association
. He also worked as "an artist, drawing teacher and lithographer" for Francis Oakley in Boston, probably in the 1850s-1860s. In 1880, he taught drawing/painting on West Street.
. He exhibited 2 oil paintings in the 1847 exhibit of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association
; and his watercolor "A New England Farm" was included in the association's 1884 exhibit. His watercolor "Apple Branch and Jug" was included in the 1880 exhibition of American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
.; and his watercolor "A New England Kitchen" was exhibited in the Lydian Gallery, Chicago, in 1880. He also showed works at the Boston Art Club
(1873, 1875–1876).
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in the 19th-century. He taught drawing in local schools, and published do-it-yourself
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
drawing instruction materials. In his lifetime, he participated in numerous art exhibitions.
Biography
Nutting graduated from the Boston Latin SchoolBoston Latin School
The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts. It is both the first public school and oldest existing school in the United States....
in 1816.
He began working as an artist in Boston around 1826, painting portraits, and also drawing "on stone for lithographers" such as Pendleton's Lithography
Pendleton's Lithography
Pendleton's Lithography was a lithographic print studio in 19th-century Boston, Massachusetts, established by brothers William S. Pendleton and John B. Pendleton . Though relatively short-lived, in its time the firm was prolific, printing portraits, landscape views, sheet music covers, and...
(ca.1828-1833); Annin & Smith
Annin & Smith
Annin & Smith was an engraving firm in Boston, Massachusetts, in the 19th-century, established by William B. Annin and George Girdler Smith. The firm kept offices on Court Street and Cornhill.-Works with engravings by Annin & Smith:...
; and B.W. Thayer & Co.
B.W. Thayer & Co.
B.W. Thayer & Co. was a lithographic printing studio owned by Benjamin W. Thayer in Boston, Massachusetts in the 1840s-1850s. Clients included music publisher William H. Oakes.-External links:* * . Flickr.* . Keffer Collection of Sheet Music....
.
Teaching
He taught drawing at the Chauncy-Hall School; and the Roxbury Latin SchoolRoxbury Latin School
The Roxbury Latin School is the oldest school in continuous operation in North America. The school was founded in Roxbury, Massachusetts by the Rev. John Eliot under a charter received from King Charles I of England. Since its founding in 1645, it has educated boys on a continuous basis.Located...
(ca.1876). As a teacher and artist, he was associated with the Boston Artists' Association
Boston Artists' Association
The Boston Artists' Association was established in Boston, Massachusetts by Washington Allston, Henry Sargent, and other painters, sculptors, and architects, in order to organize exhibitions, a school, a workspace for members, and to promote art "for the art's sake."-History:According to the...
. He also worked as "an artist, drawing teacher and lithographer" for Francis Oakley in Boston, probably in the 1850s-1860s. In 1880, he taught drawing/painting on West Street.
Exhibitions
Nutting showed frequently in art exhibitions during his lifetime. Early in his career, his work appeared at Boston's American Gallery of Fine Arts (1835); and the Boston Art Association (1844) Several of his paintings were displayed in 1851-1852 in the gallery of the New England Art UnionNew England Art Union
The New England Art Union was established in Boston, Massachusetts for "the encouragement of artists, the promotion of art" in New England and the wider United States. Edward Everett, Franklin Dexter, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow served as officers of the board. The short-lived but lively...
. He exhibited 2 oil paintings in the 1847 exhibit of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association
Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association
The Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association of Boston, Massachusetts, was "formed for the sole purposes of promoting the mechanic arts and extending the practice of benevolence." Founding members included Paul Revere, Benjamin Russell, and others...
; and his watercolor "A New England Farm" was included in the association's 1884 exhibit. His watercolor "Apple Branch and Jug" was included in the 1880 exhibition of American Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
.; and his watercolor "A New England Kitchen" was exhibited in the Lydian Gallery, Chicago, in 1880. He also showed works at the Boston Art Club
Boston Art Club
The Boston Art Club, Boston, Massachusetts, for nearly 157 years, serves as a nexus for Members and non Members to access the world of Fine Art. Currently more than 250 members maintain an active environment for the support and promotion of these works....
(1873, 1875–1876).
Selected publications
- Initiatory drawing cards. Boston: M.J. Whipple, 1848.
- View in New England: series of drawings from Nature, by various artists. Boston: 1849-1852.
- Pioneer drawing cards. Boston: Higgins & Bradley, 1856.
- Self-instructing drawing lessons. Boston: John D. Brooks. ("This little book contains a series of sketches admirably arranged to aid the young pupil in acquiring the rudiments of the art of drawing, even without a teacher.")
Further reading
- John Keep Nutting. Nutting genealogy: A record of some of the descendants of John Nutting, of Groton, Mass. Syracuse, NY: C. W. Bardeen, 1908.
- Jourdan Moore Houston. "M. J. Whipple's New England Scenery From Nature Series: A Yearbook of Tappan & Bradford Artists, 1849-1852." Imprint. Vol. 27, no. 2 (Autumn 2002), 27-44.
External links
- WorldCat. Nutting, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin) 1803?-1887
- American Antiquarian Society. Image of Nutting's Pioneer Drawing Cards (Boston: Higgins and Bradley, 1856)