Hilda Belcher
Encyclopedia
Hilda Belcher is an American
artist known for her paintings, watercolors, portraits
, and illustrations depicting individuals and landscapes, both in formal portraiture and in casual scenes of daily life.
in 1881, Belcher was the oldest child of Martha Wood Belcher, an artist, and Stephen Paterson Belcher, a manufacturer of stained glass
. When she was a teenager, the family relocated to Newark, New Jersey
, but retained their home in Vermont .
Belcher graduated from Newark High School
in 1900 and later moved to New York City to attend the New York School of Art
, where she studied with William Merritt Chase
, Kenneth Hayes Miller
, and Robert Henri
.
After the death of her father in 1906, Belcher lived with her mother and took extended trips to Italy
, England
, and Wales
in 1910; the Rocky Mountains
in the western United States in 1912; and Europe
, for an eleven-month tour, in 1913-14. Belcher also become well known in Georgia
where she painted landscapes of the area around Savannah
and the African American culture in the early part of the century.
Belcher also published illustrations, cartoons, and caricatures that appeared in popular magazines such as Cosmopolitan
, Good Housekeeping
, and Town and Country
, as well as in the catalogs of Sears, Roebuck and Company.
Belcher died on April 27, 1963 in Pittsford, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Rutland, Vermont.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
artist known for her paintings, watercolors, portraits
Portrait painting
Portrait painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to depict the visual appearance of the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait...
, and illustrations depicting individuals and landscapes, both in formal portraiture and in casual scenes of daily life.
Biography
Born in Pittsford, VermontPittsford, Vermont
Pittsford is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for William Pitt. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 2,991. Pittsford was first settled as a frontier town in 1769, about north of Bennington...
in 1881, Belcher was the oldest child of Martha Wood Belcher, an artist, and Stephen Paterson Belcher, a manufacturer of stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
. When she was a teenager, the family relocated to Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, but retained their home in Vermont .
Belcher graduated from Newark High School
Barringer High School
Barringer High School, formerly Newark High School, is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Newark, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Newark Public Schools. Some consider it to be the third oldest public high school in the United States...
in 1900 and later moved to New York City to attend the New York School of Art
Parsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School For Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City's Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane...
, where she studied with William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase
William Merritt Chase was an American painter known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons The New School for Design.- Early life and training :He was born in Williamsburg , Indiana, to the family...
, Kenneth Hayes Miller
Kenneth Hayes Miller
Kenneth Hayes Miller was an American painter and teacher.Born in Oneida, New York, he studied at the Art Students League of New York with Kenyon Cox, Henry Siddons Mowbray and with William Merritt Chase at the New York School of Art. He died in New York City.-Students:Miller taught at the Art...
, and Robert Henri
Robert Henri
Robert Henri was an American painter and teacher. He was a leading figure of the Ashcan School in art.- Early life :...
.
After the death of her father in 1906, Belcher lived with her mother and took extended trips to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1910; the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
in the western United States in 1912; and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, for an eleven-month tour, in 1913-14. Belcher also become well known in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
where she painted landscapes of the area around Savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
and the African American culture in the early part of the century.
Belcher also published illustrations, cartoons, and caricatures that appeared in popular magazines such as Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
, Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
, and Town and Country
Town & Country (magazine)
Town & Country, formerly the Home Journal and The National Press, is a monthly American lifestyle magazine. It is the oldest continually published general interest magazine in the United States.-Early history:...
, as well as in the catalogs of Sears, Roebuck and Company.
Belcher died on April 27, 1963 in Pittsford, and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Rutland, Vermont.
Awards
- Beal Prize, New York Water Color Club - 1909
- Julia A. Shaw Prize - 1926
- Thomas R. Proctor PrizeThomas R. Proctor PrizeThe Thomas R. Proctor Prize is a set of awards given annually by the National Academy of Design in the United States. Protor prizes are awarded annually for sculpture and portraiture....
- 1933 - Honorary master's degreeMaster's degreeA master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury CollegeMiddlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
- 1941
External links
- Hilda Belcher photocopies of photographs of paintings, 1904-(ca. 1947) from the Smithsonian Archives of American ArtArchives of American ArtThe Archives of American Art is the largest collection of primary resources documenting the history of the visual arts in the United States. More than 16 million items of original material are housed in the Archives' research centers in Washington, D.C...