Identity:

Cecilia Beaux was an American portrait painter.

Life:

Beaux studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia (1877-8) and later in Paris at the Académie Julian and the Académie Colorossi (1888-9). She found public sucess with portraits such as Dancing Lesson (1899-1900; Art Institute of Chicago). Her fluid style has been compared to John Singer Sargent. Publications include: 'Why the Girl Art Student Fails', Harper's Bazaar, 1913, pp. 221, 249; Background with Figures, New York, 1930.

JW was rather dismissive of her work, comparing it favourably however with a garish painting at the New English Art Club in 1900, 'beside which' he told Inez Addams 'even Miss Cecelia, your friend becomes mild and modest!' (#00052).

Bibliography:

Archives of American Art, Cecilia Beaux Papers; Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Cecilia Beaux Papers; Cortissoz, Royal, A Catalogue of an Exhibition of Paintings by Cecilia Beaux, exhibition catalogue, American Academy of Arts & Letters, New York, 1935; Drinker, H. S., The Paintings and Drawings of Cecilia Beaux, Philadelphia, 1955; Tappert, T. L., 'Beaux, Cecilia', Grove Dictionary of Art Online, ed. L. Macy, http://www.groveart.com (accessed 1.10.2003).