Charles Ethan Porter
Encyclopedia
Charles Ethan Porter was an African American still life
painter
.
Porter was born in or about 1847 in Hartford, Connecticut
. His family moved to the nearby village of Rockville
(now part of Vernon, Connecticut
) by the early 1850s. He graduated from the local high school
in 1865.
In 1869, after two years of art study at Wesleyan Academy (now known as the Wilbraham & Monson Academy) in Wilbraham, Massachusetts
, Porter went on to study at New York's National Academy of Design
and was one of the first African Americans to exhibit at the Academy. In 1873 and 1875, he held an exhibit for the American Society of Painters in water color. A subsequent 1876 exhibit was at the National Academy of Design.
In 1878, he opened a studio
in Hartford, Connecticut
. In 1879, Frederic Church commended Porter's paintings. When he traveled to Paris
several years later, he took with him a letter of recommendation from Mark Twain
.
While in France, in 1881, he enrolled in the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs. He was in France from late 1881 to early 1884, probably also studying at the Académie Julian
. He spent several months in the French countryside as well, including the village of Fleury, near Barbizon. Porter returned to the U.S. and opened a studio in New York City
in 1885, and then returned to Hartford
, where he opened a studio in 1887.
He left Hartford for Rockville
in 1889, where he briefly had a studio
in the Fitch Block, and later at the remains of a tower on Fox Hill
, which a family member owned.
In 1910, Porter become a charter member of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts.
Later, his fortunes declined, possibly because of health issues and certainly because of mounting racism nationwide, and he sold his paintings door-to-door in Rockville, Connecticut
, where he died in 1923 in virtual obscurity, around the age of 75.
In recent years, Porter has been rediscovered and is now remembered as the creator of minor masterpiece
s of American
still life
painting
. He is most famous for fruit
and floral still life.
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
.
Porter was born in or about 1847 in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. His family moved to the nearby village of Rockville
Rockville, Connecticut
Rockville is a census-designated place and a village of the town of Vernon in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,708 at the 2000 census...
(now part of Vernon, Connecticut
Vernon, Connecticut
Vernon is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 29,179 at the 2010 census.Vernon was incorporated in October, 1808, from Bolton. Vernon contains the former city of Rockville, incorporated in January, 1889. The town of Vernon and city of Rockville consolidated as a...
) by the early 1850s. He graduated from the local high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in 1865.
In 1869, after two years of art study at Wesleyan Academy (now known as the Wilbraham & Monson Academy) in Wilbraham, Massachusetts
Wilbraham, Massachusetts
Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,868 at the 2010 census...
, Porter went on to study at New York's National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
and was one of the first African Americans to exhibit at the Academy. In 1873 and 1875, he held an exhibit for the American Society of Painters in water color. A subsequent 1876 exhibit was at the National Academy of Design.
In 1878, he opened a studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. In 1879, Frederic Church commended Porter's paintings. When he traveled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
several years later, he took with him a letter of recommendation from Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
.
While in France, in 1881, he enrolled in the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs. He was in France from late 1881 to early 1884, probably also studying at the Académie Julian
Académie Julian
The Académie Julian was an art school in Paris, France.Rodolphe Julian established the Académie Julian in 1868 at the Passage des Panoramas, as a private studio school for art students. The Académie Julian not only prepared students to the exams at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, but offered...
. He spent several months in the French countryside as well, including the village of Fleury, near Barbizon. Porter returned to the U.S. and opened a studio in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1885, and then returned to Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, where he opened a studio in 1887.
He left Hartford for Rockville
Rockville, Connecticut
Rockville is a census-designated place and a village of the town of Vernon in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,708 at the 2000 census...
in 1889, where he briefly had a studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
in the Fitch Block, and later at the remains of a tower on Fox Hill
The Tower on Fox Hill
Tower on Fox Hill is a building located at the summit of Fox Hill in Rockville, Connecticut. The current tower, 72 feet high, stand on the site of a former 60 foot tower which stood briefly during the late 19th century.-History:In earlier times, when Native Americans still lived in the area, the...
, which a family member owned.
In 1910, Porter become a charter member of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts.
Later, his fortunes declined, possibly because of health issues and certainly because of mounting racism nationwide, and he sold his paintings door-to-door in Rockville, Connecticut
Rockville, Connecticut
Rockville is a census-designated place and a village of the town of Vernon in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,708 at the 2000 census...
, where he died in 1923 in virtual obscurity, around the age of 75.
In recent years, Porter has been rediscovered and is now remembered as the creator of minor masterpiece
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
s of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. He is most famous for fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
and floral still life.