CHARLES LORING ELLIOTT

Background

Charles Loring Elliott was the son of Daniel and Mehitable (Booth) Elliott.

Education

His father, an architect, did not encourage the boy’s artistic ambitions and placed him as a clerk in a store, but in 1834 yielded to his son’s desires and permitted him to go to New York City to study painting.

Young Elliott had done some successful architectural drawing for his father and was urged by John Trumbull, in whose studio he worked for a time, to give up all thought of an artist’s career and devote himself to architecture. The youth persisted, however, studying under John Quidor and by himself, and at length won even Trumbull’s commendation by an illustration from Irving’s Knickerbocker and a scene from Paulding’s Dutchman’s Fireside.

Career

After a decade as an itinerant portrait-painter in central and western New York, during which he painted the portraits of the faculty of Hamilton College, he opened a studio in New York City, which became his permanent home. In 1846 a number of his portraits were sent to the Academy exhibit, including those of Horatio Stone, the sculptor; T. B. Thorpe; Lewis Gaylord Clark; and Sanford Thayer. These were regarded by the ablest judges as the finest work he had yet done; his reputation was established, and thenceforth he was one of the most popular portrait-painters of his time. Among his ideal works exhibited at the National Academy in 1866 were “Don Quixote” and “Falstaff. ” He is said to have painted only one landscape, “The Head of Skaneateles Lake. ” While he did not have the opportunity of study abroad, his work reflects the qualities usually resulting from foreign contacts.

Achievements

• In 1845 his portrait of Ericsson excited general admiration, being called the best American portrait since the time of Stuart. In this year Elliott was elected an associate of the National Academy and soon afterward he was made an Academician. His portrait of Fletcher Harper was considered a masterpiece and was unanimously chosen for the Paris Exhibition as a typical American portrait.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Correspondence Between Commodore Jesse D. Elliott, And Charles G. Loring (1835)

    (This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of th...)

Views

His painting shows an even excellence and a fixed method. He used a brush dipped in freely flowing paint and did not work over any of his detail. He had a delicate sense of art in the management of drapery and in the delineation of a tender expression of the mouth, and a freedom and originality in painting hair. Firm drawing, clean, clear color, and a natural likeness were the characteristics of his portraits, of which he is said to have painted seven hundred. He was warmly praised it for fidelity, genial quality of expression, and rich, harmonious tones of his works.

Membership

associate of the National Academy, an Academician

Personality

His sunny nature and kindliness won him many friends. His only serious fault seems to have been a habit of intemperance, which he eventually overcame by taking a formal pledge witnessed by a friend and signed on the bar after his last drink.

Connections

Elliott was married to Mary Elizabeth Shire (or Stine), by whom he had one son.

Father:

Daniel Elliott

Mother:

Mehitable (Booth) Elliott

Wife:

Elizabeth Shire (or Stine)