Thomas Dewing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Dewing
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| Born |
Thomas Wilmer Dewing
May 4, 1851 |
| Died | November 5, 1938 (aged 87) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Académie Julian, Paris |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Tonalism |
| Spouse(s) | Maria Oakey Dewing |
| Patron(s) | John Gellatly, Charles Lang Freer |
Thomas Wilmer Dewing (born May 4, 1851 – died November 5, 1938) was an American artist. He was a painter from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Thomas Dewing studied art in Paris, France. He became famous for his paintings of elegant women. Dewing helped start a group called the Ten American Painters. He also taught art in New York City. His wife, Maria Oakey Dewing, was also a talented painter.
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About Thomas Dewing's Life and Training
Thomas Dewing was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents were Sophronia Durant and Paul Dewing. When he was young, he worked as an apprentice. This means he learned a trade by working for someone. He was a lithographic apprentice until he was at least 19.
Studying Art in Paris
In 1876, Thomas Dewing went to Paris, France. He studied at the Académie Julian. His teachers there were Gustave Boulanger and Jules Lefebvre. At this school, he learned a careful way to paint. He learned to show shapes and textures very well. These skills became important in all his artwork.
Life in New York
In 1880, Dewing moved to New York City. There, he met Maria Oakey Dewing. She was a skilled painter too. They got married in 1881. They had a son who sadly died as a baby. In 1885, their daughter Elizabeth was born.
The Dewings spent their summers in Cornish, New Hampshire. This was from 1885 to 1905. They were part of the Cornish Art Colony. In 1903, Thomas lost both his brother and sister. They passed away within a month of each other.
Thomas Dewing's Art Career
After studying in France, Dewing came back to the United States in 1878. He returned to Boston first. In 1879, he painted a work called Morning. This painting showed two women in old-fashioned dresses. It reminded some people of Pre-Raphaelite art. It also had the feeling of James McNeill Whistler's paintings.
Teaching Art
In 1881, Dewing started teaching. He taught at the Art Students League of New York. This was the same year he married Maria Oakey.
His Painting Style: Tonalism
Thomas Dewing is best known for his Tonalist paintings. Tonalism was an American art style. It focused on mood and soft, hazy colors. Dewing often painted elegant women. These women were usually in dreamy, quiet settings. They might be playing music or writing letters. His figures often seemed a bit distant. This made viewers feel like they were watching from afar.
Art Groups and Awards
In 1888, Dewing became a member of the National Academy of Design. He also helped create the Ten American Painters group in 1898. This group broke away from another art society. In 1899, he joined the Society of Landscape Painters. He felt more at home with other Tonalist artists there.
Dewing won several awards for his art. He received medals at exhibitions in Paris (1889), Chicago (1893), Buffalo (1901), and St. Louis (1904). Important art collectors bought his works. These collectors included John Gellatly and Charles Lang Freer.
Later Years and Legacy
After 1920, Thomas Dewing did not paint as much. He lived his later years in his home in Cornish, New Hampshire. His wife, Maria, passed away in 1927 in New York City. Thomas Dewing died in New York in 1938.
His Lasting Impact
Susan A. Hobbs is an expert on Thomas Dewing's art. She helped write a book about him. She also helped organize a big art show in 1996. This show was called The Art of Thomas Wilmer Dewing: Beauty Reconfigured. It was the largest show of his works at that time. It featured 70 of his paintings. These included oils, watercolors, and pastels. The exhibition traveled to the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the National Museum of American Art, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. It ran from March 1996 to January 1997.
Images for kids
- Selected artwork
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The White Dress
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Woman in Black: Portrait of Maria Oakey Dewing, oil on panel, 1887
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Lady in Gold, 1912, Brooklyn Museum
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Art Collections
Thomas Dewing's paintings are in many private collections. They are also in museums across the United States. The Freer Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution has a special room. This room is dedicated to showing Dewing's beautiful paintings.
