Morston Constantine Ream, an American painter of the 19th century, carved a distinct niche for himself within the realm of still life art. Though perhaps not as widely celebrated today as some of his more flamboyant contemporaries, Ream's dedication to his craft, his meticulous attention to detail, and his particular focus on the bounty of the dining table earned him considerable recognition during his lifetime. His work offers a fascinating window into Victorian-era aesthetics, culinary interests, and the evolving landscape of American art.
Early Life and a Pivotal Career Change
Born in the town of Lancaster, Ohio, in 1840, Morston Constantine Ream's early life set the stage for an artistic journey that would see him become a respected figure in cities like Cleveland, New York, and Chicago. His initial artistic inclinations led him to an apprenticeship in Cleveland, a common path for aspiring artists of the period to learn the foundational skills of their trade. Following this formative period, Ream, like many ambitious individuals of his time, sought the vibrant artistic environment of a major metropolitan center.
In 1868, he made the significant move to New York City, a burgeoning hub for American art and culture. However, Ream's initial professional pursuit in the city was not painting, but the relatively new and rapidly developing field of photography, specifically as a daguerreotypist. The daguerreotype process, though revolutionary, was known for its use of various chemicals, including mercury vapor, which could indeed pose health risks with prolonged exposure. It is documented that Ream found these "modern photography methods" to be detrimental to his health. This concern became a crucial turning point, prompting him to transition away from photography and dedicate himself fully to the art of painting around the same year he arrived in New York.
This shift from the mechanical eye of the camera to the interpretative hand of the painter is a noteworthy aspect of his biography. While photography was increasingly seen as a competitor to traditional portraiture and even documentary art, Ream's personal experience highlights the physical demands and potential hazards of early photographic processes, steering him towards a medium that allowed for a different kind of artistic expression.
The Allure of the Still Life: Style and Subject Matter
Once committed to painting, Morston Constantine Ream quickly found his métier in still life. He became particularly renowned for his depictions of food – luscious fruits, tempting cakes, an assortment of nuts, and other comestibles often associated with dessert or moments of quiet indulgence. His canvases frequently featured arrangements of peaches, grapes, plums, berries, and sometimes more exotic fruits, alongside wine glasses, biscuits, and confections.
Ream's artistic approach was characterized by a commitment to realism and an honest depiction of his subjects. This was, in part, influenced by the prevailing aesthetic theories of the time, notably those championed by the English art critic John Ruskin. Ruskin advocated for "truth to nature," urging artists to observe and render the natural world with fidelity and reverence. Ream's work embodies this principle, showcasing a keen interest in the accurate representation of textures, colors, and forms. There's a tangible quality to his painted fruits; one can almost feel the velvety skin of a peach or the cool smoothness of a grape.
His compositions often displayed an interest in natural classification, carefully arranging objects in a way that allowed each element to be clearly observed and appreciated. This meticulousness, however, did not result in sterile, overly academic studies. Instead, Ream's paintings possess a painterly quality, with visible brushwork that adds a sense of life and vibrancy to the surfaces. He masterfully handled light and shadow, creating a sense of depth and volume that made his still lifes compelling and inviting. While his work shares some affinities with the rich traditions of Dutch and German still life painting, particularly in its celebration of abundance and material beauty, Ream's style retained a distinctly American sensibility, often simpler and more direct than its European antecedents like those by Jan Davidsz. de Heem or Willem Kalf.
A Family of Artists: The Ream Brothers
Morston Constantine Ream was not the only artist in his family. His older brother, Cadurcis Plantagenet Ream (1837-1917), was also a highly regarded still life painter. The two brothers, while sharing a common artistic domain, developed somewhat distinct styles. It is often noted that Morston's work leaned towards a more painterly execution, perhaps with a slightly softer focus, while Cadurcis was known for an even more precise, almost crystalline detail, sometimes verging on trompe-l'œil, a style masterfully explored by contemporaries like William Michael Harnett and John F. Peto.
The brothers are known to have shared a studio for a period in New York City's Union Square district, a popular area for artists at the time. This collaborative environment likely fostered a degree of mutual influence and support. Both brothers frequently exhibited their works, often at the same venues, contributing to the Ream family's reputation in the American art world. Their shared specialization in still life, particularly fruit and dessert subjects, made their names closely associated with this genre. The subtle distinctions in their approaches provide an interesting case study in how individual artistic temperaments can diverge even within a shared familial and thematic context. The Peale family, including Raphaelle Peale and James Peale, offers an earlier American precedent for such artistic dynasties specializing in still life.
Exhibitions and Growing Recognition
Morston Constantine Ream's dedication and skill did not go unnoticed. He became a regular exhibitor at some of the most prestigious art institutions in the United States. His works were frequently accepted into the annual exhibitions of the National Academy of Design in New York, a key venue for artists seeking to establish their reputations. The National Academy, founded by artists like Samuel F.B. Morse and Thomas Cole, was a bastion of traditional art training and exhibition in America.
Beyond New York, Ream's paintings graced the walls of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) in Philadelphia, another venerable institution with a rich history, associated with artists like Thomas Eakins and Mary Cassatt. He also exhibited with the Brooklyn Art Association, further solidifying his presence in the New York metropolitan art scene. As his career progressed, his reach extended westward. The Art Institute of Chicago, a rapidly growing cultural center, also became an important venue for showcasing his work. This consistent presence in major exhibitions across different cities underscores the appeal and quality of his still lifes, which found favor with both critics and the art-buying public of the era.
The Chicago Years: A New Chapter
Later in his career, Morston Constantine Ream relocated to Chicago, Illinois. He lived in the city for nearly a decade, from the late 1880s until his death. Chicago, recovering and rebuilding with astonishing speed after the Great Fire of 1871, was transforming into a major American metropolis with a burgeoning cultural scene. Ream became an active participant in this artistic growth.
During his time in Chicago, he and his brother Cadurcis reportedly opened a gallery in the city's Union Square area (distinct from the New York Union Square). This venture suggests an entrepreneurial spirit alongside their artistic pursuits. Morston also demonstrated a keen understanding of the art market. He is noted for renting a room at 106 Dearborn Street where he exhibited his own works alongside those of other prominent New York painters, including William H. Martin, Jervis E. Mattingly, and Alexander Wyckoff. This strategy not only promoted his own art but also positioned him among established names, likely enhancing his visibility and marketability in the competitive Chicago art world.
His involvement in Chicago's art community extended to participation in significant local exhibitions. He contributed works to the Chicago Art Club's first exhibition in 1883 and the Calumet Club exhibition in 1885. These activities demonstrate his integration into the local art fabric and his continued commitment to showcasing his paintings. His presence in Chicago coincided with the city's preparations for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, a monumental event that significantly boosted Chicago's cultural standing and featured works by numerous American artists, including luminaries like Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent.
Collaborations and Artistic Connections
While much of an artist's work is a solitary endeavor, collaborations and connections with other artists often enrich their careers. Beyond his close artistic relationship with his brother Cadurcis, Morston Ream is known to have collaborated with at least one other artist. In the 1860s, he worked with Eliza B. Davis, a fellow still life painter and writer, on a painting. Such collaborations, though not always common, could offer opportunities for stylistic exchange and the creation of unique works.
His decision to exhibit his paintings alongside those of Martin, Mattingly, and Wyckoff in Chicago, while primarily a marketing strategy, also implies an awareness of and connection to the broader network of contemporary artists. The art world, then as now, was a web of relationships, exhibitions, and shared influences. Ream operated within this network, contributing his distinct voice to the chorus of American painting. His contemporaries in the still life genre, beyond his brother and the trompe-l'œil masters, included artists like Severin Roesen, whose lavish fruit and flower compositions set a high bar for opulence, and George Henry Hall, known for his rich depictions of fruits and Mediterranean scenes.
Representative Works and Artistic Achievements
Morston Constantine Ream's oeuvre primarily consists of still life paintings. While specific titles of his most famous works might not be as universally recognized as, for example, Gilbert Stuart's portraits of George Washington, the type of work he is known for is very distinct. His "dessert pieces" or "luncheon pieces" typically feature carefully arranged compositions of fruit, nuts, cakes, and wine. Imagine a canvas depicting a gleaming silver compote overflowing with ripe peaches and grapes, a half-eaten piece of cake on a delicate porcelain plate, a few scattered walnuts, and a crystal glass catching the light, all set against a dark, rich background that makes the colors of the food pop. These are the hallmarks of a Ream still life.
His paintings often evoke a sense of quiet domesticity and refined taste, appealing to the Victorian appreciation for abundance and the comforts of home. The textures are rendered with palpable realism: the fuzzy skin of a peach, the smooth gleam of a grape, the crumbly texture of a cake, the hard shell of a nut. His use of light is often subtle but effective, highlighting key elements and creating a gentle play of shadows that adds depth and atmosphere.
One of his significant achievements was having his work acquired for the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. It has been noted that he was among the first, if not the first, Chicago-based artist to receive this honor. This acquisition by a major museum during his lifetime or shortly thereafter is a strong testament to the esteem in which his work was held. His paintings continue to be appreciated for their technical skill, their charming subject matter, and their representation of a particular era in American art and culture. His dedication to the still life genre contributed to its continued vitality in American art, a tradition that stretched back to the Peale family and would continue with artists like Emil Carlsen in the later 19th and early 20th centuries.
Artistic Style and Technique: A Closer Look
Delving deeper into Ream's artistic style, several characteristics stand out. His commitment to realism, influenced by Ruskinian ideals, was paramount. This meant not just a superficial likeness, but an attempt to capture the essential truth of the objects he depicted. This involved careful observation of form, color, texture, and the effects of light.
His technique involved a relatively smooth application of paint, though with enough visible brushwork to avoid a photographic or overly slick appearance, thus retaining that "painterly" quality. This distinguishes his work from the hyper-realism of some trompe-l'œil specialists. Ream was interested in the beauty of the paint itself, as well as the beauty of the objects it represented.
Color played a crucial role in his compositions. He often used a rich, warm palette for his fruits and cakes, contrasting them with cooler tones in the backgrounds or supporting elements like silverware and glassware. This use of color contributed to the appetizing and inviting quality of his still lifes. The arrangements themselves, while appearing natural, were carefully composed for balance and visual appeal, often employing pyramidal or triangular structures to organize the elements on the canvas.
The influence of his early career in photography, though he turned away from it, might have subtly informed his eye for composition and light. Photographers, by necessity, become adept at arranging subjects and understanding how light defines form. It's plausible that this early training honed his observational skills, which he then translated into the medium of paint. His style can be seen as part of a broader 19th-century realist movement that included landscape painters like those of the Hudson River School, such as Asher B. Durand or Frederic Edwin Church, who also emphasized close observation of nature, albeit on a grander scale.
Legacy and Enduring Appeal
Morston Constantine Ream passed away in 1898, leaving behind a substantial body of work that continues to be valued by collectors and art historians. His legacy lies in his consistent and skilled contribution to the American still life tradition. In an era that saw grand landscapes and historical narratives often take center stage, Ream and his fellow still life painters championed a more intimate, domestically focused genre.
His paintings offer more than just aesthetic pleasure; they serve as cultural artifacts. They reflect the dining habits, the available produce, and the aesthetic preferences of Victorian America. The abundance depicted in his works can be seen as a reflection of the era's growing prosperity for a segment of the population.
While he may not have been a radical innovator in the vein of European modernists like Claude Monet or Paul Cézanne, who were his contemporaries, Ream excelled within his chosen field. He created works of quiet beauty and technical proficiency that found a ready audience and earned him a respected place among American artists of his generation. His paintings continue to appear in art auctions and are held in various public and private collections, a testament to their enduring appeal.
Morston Constantine Ream's life and work remind us that the art historical narrative is composed of many voices and many levels of renown. His dedicated pursuit of excellence in still life painting enriched the American artistic landscape, and his canvases remain a delightful and insightful glimpse into a bygone era. His story is one of quiet dedication, skillful execution, and a deep appreciation for the simple beauties of the everyday world.
