| The Ponce de Leon Artist Colony
To the north of the Ponce de Leon, Flagler built studios for artists. The artists painted for guests in the winter and sold the work they had completed over the summer, or taught the guests how to paint. Receptions were held in the Grand Parlor of the Ponce de Leon to display the work. or visitors could go directly to the studios. Guests could visit the studios on Friday evenings. The painters paid for the studios and they rented rooms in the hotel if possible to be near the wealthy patrons. Otto Henry Bacher (March 30, 1856 - August 16, 1909) was born in Cleveland, Ohio and became one of the foremost artists of the late 19th century. He had his early training in Cincinnati and then became a student in Munich, Germany, where he studied in the late 1870s. From 1885-86, he studied at the Academie Julian in Paris. He produced with Whistler a number of etchings of Venice that shocked audiences and became the cornerstone of modern art. He first studied art under Willis Seaver Adams before entering the Royal Academy in Munich, Germany. He became a member of the National Academy of Design in the United States. He also taught at the Cleveland Academy of Arts. Several of his works hung in the Ponce de Leon; two of these were large etchings of Old Saint Augustine. Mr. Bacher worked, and studied with Whistler in his studio in Venice, for many months, and later wrote of the work and life of Whistler. His works include the etchings that were done for the Carrere and Hastings book about the hotels. He was an associate in the National Academy of Design, a member of the Society of American Artists, and one of the founding members of the Society of Illustrators (1901). In that same year he won a prize at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. George Seavey (1841-1916) was the brother of the hotel manager, and a gentleman with an enviable reputation as a flower painter. He had an atelier in the Studio Building in Boston. He also had another studio near The Maplewood Hotel in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. He had been painting in St. Augustine since 1883. His specialty was flower painting. His ability was appreciated by Mr. Flagler, who owned at least seven of his pictures, three of which occupied positions of honor in the parlors of the Ponce de Leon, while the others were in Mr. Flagler’s private residence in New York. When his brother left the Ponce de Leon hotel so did he. Frank Shapleigh (1842-1906) was born in Boston and went to study in Paris, France. He painted throughout New England, in St. Augustine, Florida, California, and in Europe. From 1877 to 1894 he was artist-in-residence at the Crawford House. Shapleigh wintered at the Ponce de Leon Hotel, St. Augustine, from 1866 to 1894 where he was an artist-in-residence. After a trip to Europe he built a summer home/art studio in Jackson, New Hampshire. Today Shapleigh is best known for his well-executed White Mountain landscapes that include all of the major tourist attractions and personal, intimate landscapes of New Hampshire. Shapleigh painted Mt. Washington and the other well-known mountains from dozens of different locations. He enjoyed painting reproduction on canvas of almost every interesting feature of the Ancient City. Mr. Shapleigh made St. Augustine his headquarters for several winters and while here devoted himself exclusively to the scenes in and about town. W. Staples Drown was a son of Rev. E. L. Drown, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church. He originally studied painting in Paris and Venice. He was the pupil of John B. Johnson. He taught painting, had a very large class of young people. His paintings were mostly watercolors or oils of St. Augustine. Robert S. German was a native of southern Germany. He received his education in art at the famous schools of Stuttgart and Dusseldorf. He also spent a year in London, and while there obtained he patronage of the royal family, many who sat for their portraits. His specialty was India ink. Mr. German painted portraits almost exclusively. He made a specialty of miniature portraits done on ivory. A crayon portrait of Walter Lyon and Dr. F. F. Smith were on exhibition in his studio. While in London, Mr. German made crayon portraits of Admiral Seymour, Lord Charles Beresford, General Wolseley, and all the participants in the war with Egypt. In 1890 he was sick and stayed at the Alcazar. While there he specialized in watercolors. Mrs. Kemp-Welsh – She painted pictures of buildings most notably the Ponce de Leon and Memorial Presbyterian Church. She also painted landscapes. Sometimes her work would include portrait. 1892 was her first year in St. Augustine. She was from England, but had spent time in Egypt. Her husband, Mr. H. Kemp-Welsh, was the owner of East Florida Land and Produce Company. This was Mrs. Kemp-Welsh’s first trip to the United States. Laura Woodward - She painted scenery and marine pictures. She spent time along the Indian River and at Lake Worth. She also spent time on Anastasia Island studying how light reflects on the water. Miss Robbins of Boston had Mrs. Kemp-Welsh studios in 1892. She liked watercolors and pictures of flowers, specializing in still life paintings. She became a painter for the Barcelona hotel. Marion Foster was born in Minerva, Ohio, and at an early age began to show evidences of artistic skill, which developed into a remarkable talent. She later moved to New York and was also known as a lady of literary distinction. She published “A Book of Rhymes for Children.” She was a wheelchair-bound invalid. Her paintings were full of sunshine and beautiful women. She painted portraits of James Garfield, Chester Arthur, and Grover Cleveland. In the 1888 season she sold a painting “Met By Chance” for $1,000. She had another claim to fame as “Patti’s Mascotte of Paris.” Felix F. de Crano, (1842- September 15, 1908) a well-known artist of his day. Mr. de Crano was not an impressionist but produced the effects by broad treatment, depending largely on light and shade for artistic effects. He had studied in London, Paris, and Rome. He belonged to the French school varying toward the broader impressionist style. He died September 15, 1908 in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. Martin Johnson Heade (August 11, 1819- September 4,1904) He was born in Lumbermill, Pennsylvania the eldest of eight children where his last name was originally Heed. He started in Pennsylvania under the primitive artist Edward Hicks. He spent time in England, Paris, Rome and South America. Through his meeting Frederic Church (1826-1900) in New York he became a landscape painter. He was not accepted in the New York art establishment and denied membership in the Century Association. He was never elected an associate of the National Academy of Design. In 1883 he moved to St. Augustine. Mr. Heade’s paintings occupied positions of honor in many of the art exhibitions of the country. Some time before the completion of the Hotel Ponce de Leon Mr. Flagler found in this artist’s collection several paintings which he particularly admired; two of these he purchased, paying $2,000 each for them. They hung in the upper rotunda of the hotel. Among his works is a beautiful landscape scene on the San Sebastian marshes, with a view of the city of St. Augustine, and the towers of the San Sebastian in the distance. He has over 620 known paintings. F. Arthur Callender had a large studio and art class in 1895 and gave occasional receptions in the Oxford, Jacksonville. In the 1880s he was a student at the Julian Academy in Paris. In 1892 – 93 he was visiting painter at Tulane University. In 1893 he painted for Louisiana at the Columbian Exposition. His St. Augustine pictures were principally of the low lands of Louisiana. He died in 1917. Marie a’ Becket specialized in scenery and was primarily a watercolorist. She was the daughter of Charles E. Becket, also an artist. She studied with William Morris Hunt (1824-1879) in Boston. The Tatler complained that sometimes it was difficult to find her studio open because she was a social favorite. It was, however, worth the wait because of the beauty of her work. Path through an Autumn Wood was one of her paintings. She studied in Europe with Charles-Francis Daubigny (1817-1878) and was a member of the New York Women’s Art Club. She died in 1904. Charlotte Buell Coman – (1833-1924) born in New York City she married and moved to Iowa as a house wife. At the age of 40 she decided to become a painter after being recently widowed. She studied art in Paris and Holland. To avoid being prejudiced as a woman artist she signed her works as C. B. Coman. Her paint “Road to Town, Florida was exhibited in the 1893 Columbian Exposition. She was a landscape and floral artist. |
| Ponce de Leon Artist Colony |
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| Cattleya Orchid and Three Brazilian Hummingbirds, 1871
oil on wood, 34.8 x 45.6 cm (13 3/4 x 18 in.) Gift of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation 1982.73.1 - National Gallery of Art |