Mary Macomber

August 21, 1861 (age 54)

Fall River, Massachussets, United States

The first of Macomber's pictures to be exhibited was "Ruth, " in the National Academy exhibition of 1889. In the early period, that to which the most characteristic works belong, roughly, from 1889 to 1899, she produced a series of symbolic panels which were admirable in a decorative sense and original in conception. Of these, perhaps the most interesting example was "Love Awakening Memory" (1892), shown at the Chicago exposition of 1893. Her "St. Catherine" was awarded the Norman W. Dodge prize "for the best picture painted in the United States by a woman" at the National Academy exhibition of 1897. It is now in the permanent collection of the Boston Art Museum. "Love's Lament" (1893) went the rounds of numerous exhibitions. In these early pictures, the execution was of a Pre-Raphaelite finish, and the work was essentially decorative. In a period of fourteen years, twenty-five of her pictures were seen in the National Academy exhibitions. In 1898, she made a radical change in her method of painting; she began to stand up while at work instead of sitting. This change of position, with its opportunity for changes of focus, brought about a noticeable broadening of her style. The first work produced in a new manner was "The Hour Glass, " exhibited at the Society of American Artists, 1900. "The Lace Jabot, " which also made its first appearance in 1900, was a self-portrait. "Night and Her Daughter Sleep, " shown at the first exhibition of ideal figure pictures held by the National Arts Club in 1903, is one of the most impressive of her allegories. A fire which occurred in the Harcourt studio building, Boston, in 1903, virtually destroyed Miss Macomber's studio with its contents. Among the paintings ruined was the almost finished "Memory Comforting Sorrow. " The artist set to work and painted the motive for the second time, completing it in 1905. This work was bought for $2, 500 by the Art and Fortnightly Clubs of Fall River and was hung in the Fall River Public Library. Coincident with her change of style she began to paint portraits, and, since a number of commissions came to her from New York, she made several lengthy visits to the metropolis. At this period she had her first and only opportunity to go to Europe. She spent a few weeks in England, France, and Holland, and she returned aflame with admiration for Rembrandt, whose work became the most potent influence in her practice. Her portraits showed this dominant influence plainly, more especially in the arbitrary character of the lighting. Her portrait of her mother (1900) is in the Boston Art Museum. A portrait of Dr. Adams, for many years minister of the First Congregational Church of Fall River, hangs in the parish house of that church. In the later years of her career, she also devoted much time to portraiture. Miss Macomber died of pneumonia in a Boston hospital in 1916. At the funeral in the New Old South Church, a remarkable company of artists and art-lovers paid homage to her character and achievements.

Mary Lizzie Macomber

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artist painter

Background

Mary Lizzie Macomber was born on August 21, 1861, at Fall River, Massachusets. She was the daughter of Frederick William and Mary White Poor Macomber. She came of both Pilgrim and Quaker stock. As a child, she was fond of drawing.

Education

Macomber began to study painting with Robert S. Dunning, an able Fall River painter whose specialty was fruit and flower pieces. Her first efforts were naturally in the same line.

After studying with him for about three years she went to Boston and entered the school of the Museum of Fine Arts, where she took up the study of figure painting. In the second year of her course, her health failed and for nearly three years she was unable to continue her studies.

Later, she resumed work for a short time under the direction of Frank Duveneck, and she then opened a studio in Boston.

Career

The first of Macomber's pictures to be exhibited was "Ruth, " in the National Academy exhibition of 1889. In the early period, that to which the most characteristic works belong, roughly, from 1889 to 1899, she produced a series of symbolic panels which were admirable in a decorative sense and original in conception. Of these, perhaps the most interesting example was "Love Awakening Memory" (1892), shown at the Chicago exposition of 1893.

Her "St. Catherine" was awarded the Norman W. Dodge prize "for the best picture painted in the United States by a woman" at the National Academy exhibition of 1897. It is now in the permanent collection of the Boston Art Museum. "Love's Lament" (1893) went the rounds of numerous exhibitions.

In these early pictures, the execution was of a Pre-Raphaelite finish, and the work was essentially decorative. In a period of fourteen years, twenty-five of her pictures were seen in the National Academy exhibitions. In 1898, she made a radical change in her method of painting; she began to stand up while at work instead of sitting.

This change of position, with its opportunity for changes of focus, brought about a noticeable broadening of her style. The first work produced in a new manner was "The Hour Glass, " exhibited at the Society of American Artists, 1900. "The Lace Jabot, " which also made its first appearance in 1900, was a self-portrait. "Night and Her Daughter Sleep, " shown at the first exhibition of ideal figure pictures held by the National Arts Club in 1903, is one of the most impressive of her allegories.

A fire which occurred in the Harcourt studio building, Boston, in 1903, virtually destroyed Miss Macomber's studio with its contents. Among the paintings ruined was the almost finished "Memory Comforting Sorrow. " The artist set to work and painted the motive for the second time, completing it in 1905. This work was bought for $2, 500 by the Art and Fortnightly Clubs of Fall River and was hung in the Fall River Public Library.

Coincident with her change of style she began to paint portraits, and, since a number of commissions came to her from New York, she made several lengthy visits to the metropolis. At this period she had her first and only opportunity to go to Europe. She spent a few weeks in England, France, and Holland, and she returned aflame with admiration for Rembrandt, whose work became the most potent influence in her practice.

Her portraits showed this dominant influence plainly, more especially in the arbitrary character of the lighting. Her portrait of her mother (1900) is in the Boston Art Museum. A portrait of Dr. Adams, for many years minister of the First Congregational Church of Fall River, hangs in the parish house of that church. In the later years of her career, she also devoted much time to portraiture.

Miss Macomber died of pneumonia in a Boston hospital in 1916. At the funeral in the New Old South Church, a remarkable company of artists and art-lovers paid homage to her character and achievements.

Achievements

Macomber’s symbolic, allegorical, and decorative panels, revealing the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites, were widely admired by her contemporaries. Among her more celebrated works are Love Awakening Memory (1892), Love’s Lament (1893), St. Catherine (1897), The Hour Glass (1900), The Lace Jabot (1900; a self-portrait), Night and Her Daughter Sleep (1903), and Memory Comforting Sorrow (1905). Her paintings are held in the Smithsonian and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Connections

Father:: Frederick William Macomber
Mother:: Mary White Poor Macomber
Sister:: Mary L Macomber
Sister:: Jessie W Macomber

References

Macomber Genealogy (Classic Reprint)

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Mary Lizzie Macomber

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