Albion Harris Bicknell (1837-1915) stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the landscape of nineteenth-century American art. A painter, etcher, and educator, Bicknell navigated the evolving artistic currents of his time, leaving behind a diverse body of work that spanned presidential portraits, grand historical compositions, intimate landscapes, and delicate etchings. His career, rooted in New England but shaped by European training, reflects the ambitions and artistic dialogues of a nation forging its cultural identity.
Early Life and Artistic Awakening in New England
Born in Turner, Maine, in 1837, Albion Harris Bicknell's early life set the stage for a dedicated artistic pursuit. Maine, with its rugged landscapes and burgeoning towns, provided an initial backdrop, but it was the intellectual and artistic hub of Boston that would become central to his development. His family's move to the Boston area allowed him access to greater artistic resources, and he commenced his formal studies at the Lowell Institute. This institution, known for its public lectures and educational programs, likely provided Bicknell with a foundational understanding of art and design principles, fostering his nascent talent.
The Boston of Bicknell's youth was a city experiencing significant growth and cultural maturation. While not yet the rival of New York as the nation's art capital, it possessed a vibrant community of artists and patrons. Figures like Washington Allston had earlier established a tradition of ambitious painting, and the city was receptive to new artistic ideas, often filtered through a New England sensibility that valued craftsmanship and moral purpose. It was in this environment that Bicknell began to hone his skills, likely absorbing the prevailing tastes for portraiture and the romanticized American landscape.
Parisian Sojourn: The Crucible of Couture's Atelier
Recognizing the need for more advanced training, Bicknell, like many ambitious American artists of his generation, looked to Europe. He traveled to Paris, the undisputed center of the art world in the mid-19th century, and enrolled in the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. More significantly, he became a pupil of Thomas Couture (1815-1879). Couture was a highly influential teacher, known for his own successful painting Romans of the Decadence (1847) and for an atelier that attracted a diverse international cohort of students.
Couture's teaching methods emphasized strong draftsmanship, a sound understanding of composition, and a technique that combined classical ideals with a more modern, direct approach to painting. He encouraged his students to study the Old Masters but also to engage with contemporary life. His influence on Bicknell would have been profound, instilling a technical facility and an appreciation for academic tradition, while also allowing for individual expression. Other notable artists who passed through Couture's studio, either before, during, or after Bicknell's time, included Édouard Manet, Puvis de Chavannes, Anselm Feuerbach, and fellow Americans such as William Morris Hunt and Eastman Johnson, creating a stimulating, if sometimes ideologically diverse, environment.
Return to Boston: Establishing a Career and Artistic Community
Armed with his Parisian training, Bicknell returned to the United States and, in 1864, established his own studio in Boston. This marked the beginning of a long and productive career in the city. He quickly integrated into the local art scene, becoming a regular exhibitor. From 1864 onwards, he annually showed his works at the Boston Athenaeum, one of the city's premier cultural institutions and a vital venue for artists to gain visibility and patronage. The Athenaeum's exhibitions were important social and cultural events, drawing critics, collectors, and the art-loving public.
Bicknell was also an active participant in the organizational life of Boston's art community. He was a member of the Boston Art Club, a significant association that provided exhibition opportunities and a forum for artists to socialize and exchange ideas. In 1866, he played a role in founding the Allston Club, named in honor of the aforementioned Washington Allston, further indicating his commitment to fostering a supportive artistic environment. This club, though perhaps shorter-lived or less prominent than the Boston Art Club, represented the desire among artists to create their own spaces for discussion and mutual support, a common feature of artistic life in cities like Boston and New York during this period. His involvement suggests a collegial spirit and a desire to contribute to the professionalization of the arts in America.
Master of Portraiture: Capturing Likeness and Character
Portraiture formed a cornerstone of Bicknell's oeuvre and was a genre in high demand in 19th-century America. He gained renown for his ability to capture not only a sitter's physical likeness but also a sense of their character and station. His portraits were sought after by prominent individuals, and he painted several notable figures, contributing to the visual record of his era.
Among his most recognized subjects was President Abraham Lincoln. Bicknell created multiple likenesses of Lincoln, a testament to the enduring fascination with the martyred president and the public's desire for images that conveyed his gravitas and humanity. These portraits would have placed him in a lineage of artists who depicted Lincoln, from photographers like Mathew Brady to painters such as George Peter Alexander Healy. Bicknell also painted other historical figures, including a notable portrait of Daniel Webster, the influential statesman. His approach to portraiture likely balanced the academic precision learned under Couture with a sensitivity to the individual, a quality prized by American patrons who often favored a degree of realism and directness over European affectation. His contemporaries in American portraiture included artists like George Fuller, known for his more poetic and tonalist approach, and later, the more flamboyant John Singer Sargent, who would come to dominate the field.
Chronicler of History: The Ambitious "Lincoln at Gettysburg"
Beyond individual portraits, Bicknell tackled ambitious historical compositions, a genre that carried great prestige in academic circles. His most famous work in this vein is undoubtedly Lincoln at Gettysburg. This large-scale painting, now housed in the Malden Public Library in Malden, Massachusetts, is a significant undertaking, reportedly featuring twenty-two distinct portraits within the scene of Lincoln delivering his iconic address.
Creating such a multi-figure historical painting was a complex challenge, requiring not only skill in portraiture but also a strong command of composition, perspective, and narrative. Bicknell would have had to research the historical details of the event, the appearances of the individuals present, and the setting itself. The painting aimed to capture a pivotal moment in American history, imbuing it with a sense of solemnity and national significance. Such works followed in the tradition of grand historical painting established by artists like Benjamin West and John Trumbull in the early years of the republic, and continued by figures such as Emanuel Leutze, famed for his Washington Crossing the Delaware. Bicknell's Lincoln at Gettysburg demonstrates his ambition to contribute to this tradition and to create works of lasting public importance.
The Printmaker's Art: Bicknell's Foray into Etching
In addition to his work as a painter, Albion Harris Bicknell was a skilled etcher and printmaker. He embraced the medium of etching, particularly from the 1880s onwards, a period that coincided with the international Etching Revival. This movement saw a renewed appreciation for etching as an original art form, distinct from its earlier role primarily as a means of reproducing paintings. Artists like James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Seymour Haden (in Britain), and Félix Bracquemond (in France) were key figures in elevating the status of original etching.
Bicknell became a proficient etcher, producing a considerable body of work. By 1881, he had reportedly completed at least fifty plates. His etchings, which likely included landscapes, genre scenes, and possibly portraits, were exhibited in prominent venues such as the J. Eastman Chase Gallery in Boston and the Union League Club in New York. Some of his earlier prints were published by Dodd, Mead & Co. in New York, indicating a commercial outlet for his graphic work. His involvement in etching demonstrates his versatility and his engagement with contemporary artistic trends. Other American artists active in the Etching Revival included Stephen Parrish, Mary Nimmo Moran, and Thomas Moran, who found in the medium a new avenue for expressive mark-making and tonal subtlety.
Landscapes, Still Lifes, and a Broadening Palette
While renowned for his portraits and historical scenes, Bicknell's artistic interests were not confined to these genres. He also produced still life paintings and landscapes. His landscapes likely drew inspiration from the New England scenery he knew well, perhaps reflecting the influence of the Hudson River School painters like Asher B. Durand or Sanford Robinson Gifford in their detailed observation of nature, or possibly a softer, more Barbizon-influenced style akin to that promoted in Boston by William Morris Hunt, who had also studied with Couture and was a major proponent of French Barbizon painters like Jean-François Millet and Théodore Rousseau.
His still life compositions would have allowed him to explore texture, color, and form in a more controlled studio setting. These works, though perhaps less publicly celebrated than his grander commissions, would have contributed to his overall artistic practice and demonstrated the breadth of his technical skills. The ability to work across multiple genres was a hallmark of a well-rounded academic artist of the period.
Later Years, Teaching, and Artistic Evolution
As his career progressed, Bicknell continued to be an active member of the artistic community. In the 1880s, he taught summer drawing classes, reportedly located between Stoneham and Woburn, Massachusetts. This educational role suggests a desire to pass on his knowledge and contribute to the training of a new generation of artists. Teaching was a common way for established artists to supplement their income and engage with younger talents.
In his later years, Bicknell reportedly turned increasingly to watercolor. This shift in medium often allows for greater spontaneity and luminosity. It's noted that his late watercolors sometimes incorporated elements of storytelling and poetry, suggesting a more personal and perhaps introspective turn in his artistic expression. This evolution reflects a common pattern where artists, having mastered more formal techniques, explore mediums that offer different expressive possibilities. His contemporary, Winslow Homer, for example, became a master of watercolor, using it to capture the raw power of nature with unparalleled immediacy.
Friendships, Artistic Circles, and Recognition
Throughout his career, Bicknell maintained connections with other prominent artists. He was notably friends with John La Farge (1835-1910) and Elihu Vedder (1836-1923). La Farge was a multifaceted artist known for his murals, stained glass work, and sophisticated aestheticism. Vedder was celebrated for his imaginative and often symbolist paintings and illustrations, most famously for Edward FitzGerald's translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The high praise his work reportedly received from such distinguished peers speaks to the quality and respect Bicknell commanded within artistic circles.
These friendships indicate that Bicknell was part of a sophisticated network of artists who were engaged with international trends and were pushing the boundaries of American art. The exchange of ideas and mutual support within such circles was crucial for artistic development and innovation. His works were also collected by public museums, ensuring their preservation and accessibility to future generations, a mark of an artist who achieved a significant level of recognition during his lifetime.
Legacy and Enduring Significance
Albion Harris Bicknell passed away in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1915. His career spanned a transformative period in American art, from the mid-century dominance of the Hudson River School and academic portraiture to the rise of Impressionism and other modern movements. While perhaps not as widely known today as some of his more avant-garde contemporaries, Bicknell's contributions were substantial.
He excelled in multiple genres, demonstrating a high level of technical skill and artistic sensibility. His portraits provide valuable records of prominent figures, his historical paintings commemorate key national moments, and his etchings reflect his engagement with important developments in printmaking. As an educator and an active member of Boston's artistic institutions, he also played a role in shaping the cultural landscape of his time. His work is a testament to the dedication and versatility of American artists in the 19th century who sought to create a rich and distinctive national artistic tradition, drawing on both European training and American subjects and sensibilities. Artists like Thomas Eakins, with his unflinching realism, or Albert Bierstadt, with his grand Western landscapes, represent other facets of this multifaceted era, and Bicknell's career offers another important perspective on the artistic endeavors of the period. His legacy endures in the collections that hold his work and in the story of American art he helped to write.
