Herbert Cyrus Farnum
Encyclopedia
Herbert Cyrus Farnum was an American artist born in Glocester, Rhode Island
. "Cy" Farnum, as he was more generally known, was a son of Cyrus A. and Mary (Eddy) Farnum. He was a descendant from old New England settlers who trace their history to Ralph and Alice Farnham of England who settled in Ipswich, Ma.
in 1635. The first of the name to settle in Rhode Island was John Farnum, a grandson of Ralph the immigrant, who moved from Uxbridge, Ma.
to Georgiaville, R.I.
in 1755.
As a boy he gave evidence of the great talent that he later developed as an artist. He was a pupil of the Rhode Island School of Design
. H. Cyrus studied at the Academie Julian
in Paris under Jean-Paul Laurens
and (Benjamin) Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant where he won several awards for drawings. He also studied at Académie Colarossi
in the evening, studying figure drawing under Jean-Léon Gérôme
and Castaignehttp://www.bpib.com/illustrat/castaign.htm.He also had the advantage of criticism from Adolphe William Bouguereau
. His most remarkable canvas of that period was his "Tarantella".
On July 21, 1896, a large landscape entitled "Piccolo Piazza, Ana Capri" was accepted by the Royal Academy
of Arts, London, a distinction accorded few American artists.
Mr Farnum returned abroad in April, 1904, when he was absent for 2 years which he spent in London, Paris and then in Madrid
and Algiers
and later spent considerable time in Italy
, with special stay at Capri
.
H. Cyrus belonged in the group of late 19th and early 20th century artists in Rhode Island, and for years his studio in Butler Exchange was an important art centre in the city of Providence
.
After pursuing his art studies in Paris he spent many years in travel and study abroad, following in the footsteps of Marcus Waterman, also a noted RI artist, in Northern Africa, winning a wide reputation for his African subjects. He also painted a number of official portraits for city and state, some of which still hang in the RI state house and the city hall. A number of lovely studies of children, notably of his nephew, Earl F. C. Farnum, and his daughter, Elodie Farnum, the musical genius whose death at an early age was a great blow to him.
Mr. Farnum was married twice. His first wife was Alice Leigh of Fall River, Ma.
, to whom he was married in 1898 in Chelsea, Ma
. To them was born one child, a daughter, Elodie, who gave great promise of becoming a violinist of distinction and was looked upon as one of the most remarkable girls in the city. Her death in 1914 was a tragedy in the artist's life. His wife, inseparable companion of his daughter, failed gradually in health after her child's death and died in December, 1920.
The memory of young Elodie Farnum, as well as her portrait by the artist, survives in the library at the Rochambeau branch of the Providence public library.
Mr Farnum was a prominent figure in RI cycling history, was a veteran member of the RI wheelmen and rated high as a road and track rider. He was captain of the club for many years.
In his later years he maintained his studio at his home on Fruit Hill section of Providence. He was stricken by a cerebral hemorrhage at home on February 15, 1926 and did not recover, leaving his 2nd wife Mabel (Carter) Farnum.
He was a president of the Providence Water Color Club and member of the Providence Art Club. His works are widely owned in Rhode Island.
Glocester, Rhode Island
Glocester is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 9,746 as of the 2010 census. The villages of Chepachet and Harmony are in Glocester. Putnam Pike Glocester is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 9,746 as of the 2010...
. "Cy" Farnum, as he was more generally known, was a son of Cyrus A. and Mary (Eddy) Farnum. He was a descendant from old New England settlers who trace their history to Ralph and Alice Farnham of England who settled in Ipswich, Ma.
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
in 1635. The first of the name to settle in Rhode Island was John Farnum, a grandson of Ralph the immigrant, who moved from Uxbridge, Ma.
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
to Georgiaville, R.I.
Georgiaville, Rhode Island
Georgiaville is a village in Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The village was named after the Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company mill located in the area. The Georgiaville Pond Beach is located in the village and is a popular recreation spot. In the 1920s the Ku Klux...
in 1755.
As a boy he gave evidence of the great talent that he later developed as an artist. He was a pupil of the Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
. H. Cyrus studied at the Academie 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...
in Paris under Jean-Paul Laurens
Jean-Paul Laurens
Jean-Paul Laurens , was a French painter and sculptor, and one of the last major exponents of the French Academic style.Born in Fourquevaux, he was a pupil of Léon Cogniet and Alexandre Bida...
and (Benjamin) Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant where he won several awards for drawings. He also studied at Académie Colarossi
Académie Colarossi
The Académie Colarossi is an art school founded by the Italian sculptor Filippo Colarossi. First located on the Île de la Cité, it moved in the 1870s to 10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, France....
in the evening, studying figure drawing under Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as Academicism. The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits and other subjects, bringing the Academic painting tradition to an artistic climax.-Life:Jean-Léon Gérôme was born...
and Castaignehttp://www.bpib.com/illustrat/castaign.htm.He also had the advantage of criticism from Adolphe William Bouguereau
William-Adolphe Bouguereau
William-Adolphe Bouguereau was a French academic painter. William Bouguereau was a traditionalist; in his realistic genre paintings he used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of Classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female human body.-Life and career :William-Adolphe...
. His most remarkable canvas of that period was his "Tarantella".
On July 21, 1896, a large landscape entitled "Piccolo Piazza, Ana Capri" was accepted by the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
of Arts, London, a distinction accorded few American artists.
Mr Farnum returned abroad in April, 1904, when he was absent for 2 years which he spent in London, Paris and then in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
and later spent considerable time in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, with special stay at Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
.
H. Cyrus belonged in the group of late 19th and early 20th century artists in Rhode Island, and for years his studio in Butler Exchange was an important art centre in the city of Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.
After pursuing his art studies in Paris he spent many years in travel and study abroad, following in the footsteps of Marcus Waterman, also a noted RI artist, in Northern Africa, winning a wide reputation for his African subjects. He also painted a number of official portraits for city and state, some of which still hang in the RI state house and the city hall. A number of lovely studies of children, notably of his nephew, Earl F. C. Farnum, and his daughter, Elodie Farnum, the musical genius whose death at an early age was a great blow to him.
Mr. Farnum was married twice. His first wife was Alice Leigh of Fall River, Ma.
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, to whom he was married in 1898 in Chelsea, Ma
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...
. To them was born one child, a daughter, Elodie, who gave great promise of becoming a violinist of distinction and was looked upon as one of the most remarkable girls in the city. Her death in 1914 was a tragedy in the artist's life. His wife, inseparable companion of his daughter, failed gradually in health after her child's death and died in December, 1920.
The memory of young Elodie Farnum, as well as her portrait by the artist, survives in the library at the Rochambeau branch of the Providence public library.
Mr Farnum was a prominent figure in RI cycling history, was a veteran member of the RI wheelmen and rated high as a road and track rider. He was captain of the club for many years.
In his later years he maintained his studio at his home on Fruit Hill section of Providence. He was stricken by a cerebral hemorrhage at home on February 15, 1926 and did not recover, leaving his 2nd wife Mabel (Carter) Farnum.
He was a president of the Providence Water Color Club and member of the Providence Art Club. His works are widely owned in Rhode Island.
External links
- Herbert Cyrus Farnum at Askart.com