Cornelia Van Auken Chapin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cornelia Van Auken Chapin
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| Born | August 7, 1893 |
| Died | December 4, 1972 (aged 79) |
| Partner(s) | Marion Sanford |
| Relatives | Katherine Garrison Chapin (sister) Marguerite Caetani (half-sister) Schuyler Chapin (nephew) |
Cornelia Van Auken Chapin (born August 7, 1893 – died December 4, 1972) was an American artist. She was famous for making sculptures of animals and birds. She often carved these directly from stone, without first making sketches or models. This special way of working made her unique.
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Early Life and Family
Cornelia Chapin grew up in New York City. Her family was well-known in society. Her father, Lindley Hoffman Chapin, was a lawyer. Her mother, Cornelia Garrison Chapin, was an actress.
She also had famous relatives. One was a Supreme Court Justice. Another was a merchant who helped build railroads. Her sister, Katherine Garrison Chapin Biddle, was a poet. Katherine's husband, Francis Biddle, was a top lawyer for the U.S. government. Her nephew, Schuyler Chapin, managed the famous Metropolitan Opera. Her half-sister, Marguerite Caetani, was a publisher.
Becoming a Sculptor
Cornelia loved art from a young age. She started with pencil drawings and watercolors. By the early 1920s, she decided that sculpture was her true passion. She studied with Gail Sherman Corbett. Later, she shared art studios with Genevieve Karr Hamlin and Marion Sanford.
Chapin became very interested in creating animal shapes. In 1934, she moved to Paris to learn a special technique. This was called direct carving. She learned it from Mateo Hernandez. Direct carving means shaping the sculpture directly from a block of stone. Artists usually don't make models or sketches first.
Cornelia would go to the zoo to carve animals. This was an unusual way to use direct carving.
Achievements and Recognition
In 1936, Cornelia Chapin became very successful. Her sculpture called Tortoise was a big hit. She was then chosen as a member of the Salon d'Automne in Paris. She was the only foreigner and the only woman to receive this honor that year.
When World War II began, she returned to the United States. She shared a studio with Marion Sanford. This studio used to belong to the famous sculptor Gutzon Borglum. In 1949, she showed her work at a big sculpture event. It was held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. From 1951 to 1953, Chapin served on the New York City Art Commission.
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Chapin was most famous for her sculptures of birds and animals. But she also sculpted human figures. From the 1930s to the early 1960s, she showed her art in many places. These included galleries in New York, Paris, and Washington, D.C. She won many awards for her work.
Some of her awards included:
- The 2nd Grand Prize at the 1937 Paris International Exposition. She won for her sculptures "Pelican in Repose" and "Tortoise in Volcanic Rock."
- The Sculpture Prize from the Asbury Park Fine Arts Society in 1939.
- An Honorable Mention from the Allied Artists of America in 1941 for her sculpture "Paquita the Bear."
She also gave talks about direct carving at museums and schools. Cornelia Chapin was a member of several important art groups. These included the National Academy of Design and the National Sculpture Society. She was also a founding member of the Sculptors Guild.
You can find Cornelia Chapin's sculptures in public places. These include the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. and Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Later Life
In her later years, Cornelia Chapin lived and worked with Marion Sanford. They lived in Lakeville, Connecticut. Cornelia Chapin passed away in Connecticut in 1972.
Selected Works
- Reigning Christ, Triumphant, The Great Cross, above the High Altar, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City
