New England Art Union facts for kids

The New England Art Union was a special group in Boston, Massachusetts, that existed from about 1848 to 1852. Its main goal was to "encourage artists" and "promote art" in New England and across the United States. Important people like Edward Everett, Franklin Dexter, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow were leaders of this group.

Even though it didn't last long, the union was very active. It had a public art gallery on Tremont Street where people could see beautiful artworks. They also published a journal to share information about art. Famous artists like Chester Harding, Fitz Henry Lane, and Alvan Fisher worked with the union.

A Look Back: The Art Union's Story

The New England Art Union started around 1848 and officially became a company in Massachusetts in 1850. Its board of directors included well-known people from Boston. These were not just artists but also important business leaders and thinkers. Some of the famous names were Edward Everett, Franklin Dexter, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The union wanted to help American art become even better. They aimed to find and support the best American artists. They also wanted to teach the public more about art. To do this, they decided to make and share high-quality art prints. For example, in 1851, they gave their members a special print. It was an engraving of Washington Allston's painting called "Saul and the Witch of Endor." The original painting was also shown in the union's gallery.

The leaders of the union believed their work was part of a bigger national effort. They wanted American art to be as great as the famous art from Europe and ancient times. They felt that in countries with kings and queens, art was always supported. But in America, the people themselves had to support art. They believed that by creating art unions, ordinary people could help artists grow and become famous. They hoped the New England Art Union would help American artists become as well-known as great artists like Michael Angelo or Praxiteles.

In the mid-1800s, many art unions started in the U.S. Some were more respected than others. The New England Art Union was known for being very trustworthy. One person who observed their work said that the people leading the New England Art Union were true gentlemen. They would not lie or make false claims about their art. This person felt that having leaders like Edward Everett, Henry W. Longfellow, and Franklin Dexter was a strong guarantee of the union's quality.

The Art Union's Gallery

Around 1850, local guides and art magazines announced that the union's gallery was open to everyone. It was located at 38 Tremont Row in Boston. They said the gallery already had "a number of meritorious works," meaning many good artworks. People like Adin Augustus Ballou, whose father was a socialist, visited the gallery.

The gallery showed art by many different artists. Some of these included Joseph Ames, Thomas Ball, A. Bierstadt, Benjamin Champney, Fitz Henry Lane, and J.F. Kensett. Many artists connected with the union had their studios in Boston's Tremont Temple. Sadly, this building burned down in 1852. After the fire, other artists collected money to help those who had lost their studios.

The Union's Journal

In 1852, the New England Art Union published its own journal called the Bulletin. This publication was quite special. It featured a well-made sketch of the engraving of Washington Allston's painting, "Saul and the Witch of Endor." It also included a lively woodcut drawing by Hammatt Billings. This drawing was made to illustrate parts of Mr. Longfellow's famous poem, "The Skeleton in Armor."

Images for kids

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  Cover of Bulletin, 1852

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  Artists exhibiting in the Art Union gallery, 1852

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  Washington Allston's "Saul and the Witch of Endor," 1820, exhibited at the Art Union gallery

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  Engraving of Allston's "Saul and the Witch of Endor"

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  Illustration in the 1852 Bulletin of stanzas from Longfellow's "Skeleton in Armor"