Robert Brackman
Encyclopedia
Robert Brackman was an artist
and teacher
of Russian origin, best known for large figural works, portrait
s, and still life
s.
, Ukraine
, he emigrated from the Russian Empire
in 1908.
Brackman studied at the National Academy of Design
from 1919 to 1921, and the Ferrer School
in San Francisco. From 1931, he had a long career teaching at the Art Students League of New York
where he was a life member. He also taught at the American Art School in New York City
, the Brooklyn Museum
School, the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts
, and the Madison Art School in Connecticut
.
He painted portraits of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
, Charles Lindbergh
, John Foster Dulles
, Miirrha Alhambra
(Pauline Joutard de Evia) as well as portraits commissioned by the United States Air Force Academy
and the State Department.
He painted actress Jennifer Jones to serve as a prop in the 1948 film Portrait of Jennie
, where it represents a portrait painted by the character of Eben Adams (Joseph Cotten
).
The American artist Elaine Hamilton
was a student of Brackman.
His two daughters, now have families of their own residing in Connecticut: Roberta has three sons and four grandchildren, and the other daughter,Celia, two children and one grandchild.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
of Russian origin, best known for large figural works, portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
s, and still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
s.
Biography
Born in Odes'ka OblastOdessa Oblast
Odesa Oblast, also written as Odessa Oblast , is the southernmost and largest oblast of south-western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Odessa.-History:...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, he emigrated from the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
in 1908.
Brackman studied at the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
from 1919 to 1921, and the Ferrer School
Modern School (United States)
The Modern Schools, also called Ferrer Schools, were United States schools, established in the early twentieth century, that were modeled after the Escuela Moderna of Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, the Catalan educator and anarchist...
in San Francisco. From 1931, he had a long career teaching at the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
where he was a life member. He also taught at the American Art School in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
School, the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts
Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts
The Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is an art college in Old Lyme, Connecticut-History:The Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts was founded in 1976 by Elisabeth Gordon Chandler as a figurative academy for the teaching of sculpture, figure drawing, Illustration and painting dedicated to the fine arts...
, and the Madison Art School in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
He painted portraits of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
John Davison Rockefeller, Jr. was a major philanthropist and a pivotal member of the prominent Rockefeller family. He was the sole son among the five children of businessman and Standard Oil industrialist John D. Rockefeller and the father of the five famous Rockefeller brothers...
, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, , was a prominent socialite and philanthropist and the second-generation matriarch of the renowned Rockefeller family...
, Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
, John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world...
, Miirrha Alhambra
Miirrha Alhambra
Pauline Joutard was a French-born pianist who performed under the stage name Miirrha Alhambra.Her sister Flora Joutard and she had studied in Bad Homburg before touring Europe and South America together in the early 1900s...
(Pauline Joutard de Evia) as well as portraits commissioned by the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
and the State Department.
He painted actress Jennifer Jones to serve as a prop in the 1948 film Portrait of Jennie
Portrait of Jennie
Portrait of Jennie is a 1948 fantasy film based on the novella by Robert Nathan. The film was directed by William Dieterle and produced by David O. Selznick. It stars Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.-Plot:...
, where it represents a portrait painted by the character of Eben Adams (Joseph Cotten
Joseph Cotten
Joseph Cheshire Cotten was an American actor of stage and film. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original productions of The Philadelphia Story and Sabrina Fair...
).
The American artist Elaine Hamilton
Elaine Hamilton-O'Neal
Elaine Hamilton-O'Neal, , professionally known as Elaine Hamilton, was an internationally known American abstract painter and muralist born near Catonsville, Maryland...
was a student of Brackman.
His two daughters, now have families of their own residing in Connecticut: Roberta has three sons and four grandchildren, and the other daughter,Celia, two children and one grandchild.