Bass Otis
Encyclopedia
Bass Otis was an early American artist, inventor, and portrait painter. He painted hundreds of portraits including many of the best known Americans of his day, and produced the first American lithograph in 1819.
Otis was born in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
, the son of Josiah Otis, a physician, and Susanna Orr. As a youth, he may have been apprenticed to a scythe maker, perhaps to a relative. Later he worked as a coach painter, then studied with Gilbert Stuart
in Boston about 1805-1808. Otis then moved to New York City, perhaps working as an assistant to painter John Wesley Jarvis
. When he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
in 1812, his painting career flourished.
He was elected to the Society of Artists of the United States in 1812, and eight of his portraits were included in the combined exhibition of the Society of Artists and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
. He was elected an academician in the Pennsylvania Academy in 1824. One of Otis's most famous early works showed a scene inside a metalworking shop, probably a reflection of his years as an apprentice. In 1813 he married Alice Pierie of Philadelphia, and they had six children.
Otis patented the perspective protractor in 1815. With Philadelphia publisher Joseph Delaplaine he began painting portraits for “Delaplaine's Repository of the Lives and Portraits of Distinguished American Characters.” In 1816 Otis painted portraits of Thomas Jefferson
, James Madison
and Dolley Madison
. In total, Otis painted twenty-four portraits for the “Repository,” though only the Jefferson portrait was published before the end of the project in 1818. Some of the remaining portraits were exhibited in Delaplaine’s Philadelphia gallery, which became part of Rubens Peale
's New York museum. Otis produced the first American lithograph, which was published in the July 1819 issue of Analectic Magazine
, together with an article on the lithographic process.
According to Otis's notebooks for 1819-26 record over 300 portraits painted, including portraits of artist John Neagle
, the Reverend Shepard Kosciusko Kollock, Victor Marie du Pont
, John Greenleaf Whittier
, Senator John C. Fremont
, and the Reverend James Abercrombie. He painted a famous postmortem portrait of Philadelphia financier Stephen Girard
. Other well-known sitters included author James Fenimore Cooper
, Thomas Garrett
, and U.S. President William Henry Harrison
.
He worked mainly in Philadelphia, but also worked in Boston (1837, 1846-58) and in Wilmington, Delaware (1839, 1840s) and in Providence, Rhode Island
(1858-61). His students included Henry Inman, Peter F. Rothermel
and John Neagle
.
Life and work
East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
East Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,974 at the 2000 census.-History:The lands that would become East Bridgewater were first settled by Carlos Mencia in 1630 A.D. as an outgrowth of the Plymouth and Duxbury plantations...
, the son of Josiah Otis, a physician, and Susanna Orr. As a youth, he may have been apprenticed to a scythe maker, perhaps to a relative. Later he worked as a coach painter, then studied with Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
in Boston about 1805-1808. Otis then moved to New York City, perhaps working as an assistant to painter John Wesley Jarvis
John Wesley Jarvis
John Wesley Jarvis , American painter-Biography:Jarvis was nephew of Methodist leader John Wesley, was born at South Shields, England, and was taken to the United States at the age of five....
. When he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
in 1812, his painting career flourished.
He was elected to the Society of Artists of the United States in 1812, and eight of his portraits were included in the combined exhibition of the Society of Artists and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is a museum and art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1805 and is the oldest art museum and school in the United States. The academy's museum is internationally known for its collections of 19th and 20th century American paintings,...
. He was elected an academician in the Pennsylvania Academy in 1824. One of Otis's most famous early works showed a scene inside a metalworking shop, probably a reflection of his years as an apprentice. In 1813 he married Alice Pierie of Philadelphia, and they had six children.
Otis patented the perspective protractor in 1815. With Philadelphia publisher Joseph Delaplaine he began painting portraits for “Delaplaine's Repository of the Lives and Portraits of Distinguished American Characters.” In 1816 Otis painted portraits of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
and Dolley Madison
Dolley Madison
Dolley Payne Todd Madison was the spouse of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison, and was First Lady of the United States from 1809 to 1817...
. In total, Otis painted twenty-four portraits for the “Repository,” though only the Jefferson portrait was published before the end of the project in 1818. Some of the remaining portraits were exhibited in Delaplaine’s Philadelphia gallery, which became part of Rubens Peale
Rembrandt Peale
Rembrandt Peale was an American artist and museum keeper. A prolific portrait painter, he was especially acclaimed for his likenesses of presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson...
's New York museum. Otis produced the first American lithograph, which was published in the July 1819 issue of Analectic Magazine
Analectic Magazine
The Analectic Magazine was published in Philadelphia by Moses Thomas. Some issues contained reprinted articles from the British press. Washington Irving served as editor 1813-1814. "The first lithograph ever made in America is in this magazine for July 1819. It represents a woodland scene — a...
, together with an article on the lithographic process.
According to Otis's notebooks for 1819-26 record over 300 portraits painted, including portraits of artist John Neagle
John Neagle
John Neagle was a fashionable American painter, primarily of portraits, during the first half of the 19th century in Philadelphia.-Biography:Neagle was born in Boston, Massachusetts...
, the Reverend Shepard Kosciusko Kollock, Victor Marie du Pont
Victor Marie du Pont
Victor Marie du Pont de Nemours was a French diplomat, and after emigrating to the United States, an American businessman. He was the founder of the Du Pont, Bauday & Co., wool manufacturers, brother of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, the founder of the E.I...
, John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. He is usually listed as one of the Fireside Poets...
, Senator John C. Fremont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
, and the Reverend James Abercrombie. He painted a famous postmortem portrait of Philadelphia financier Stephen Girard
Stephen Girard
Stephen Girard was a French-born, naturalized American, philanthropist and banker. He personally saved the U.S. government from financial collapse during the War of 1812, and became one of the wealthiest men in America, estimated to have been the fourth richest American of all time, based on the...
. Other well-known sitters included author James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo...
, Thomas Garrett
Thomas Garrett
Thomas Garrett was an abolitionist and leader in the Underground Railroad movement before the American Civil War....
, and U.S. President William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
.
He worked mainly in Philadelphia, but also worked in Boston (1837, 1846-58) and in Wilmington, Delaware (1839, 1840s) and in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
(1858-61). His students included Henry Inman, Peter F. Rothermel
Peter F. Rothermel
Peter Frederick Rothermel was an American painter.-Biography:Rothermel was born in Nescopeck, Pennsylvania in 1817, although some date his birth earlier, in 1813 or 1814. He had a common-school education, and studied land surveying. At age 20, he moved to Philadelphia and became a sign painter....
and John Neagle
John Neagle
John Neagle was a fashionable American painter, primarily of portraits, during the first half of the 19th century in Philadelphia.-Biography:Neagle was born in Boston, Massachusetts...
.
Further reading
- Craven, Wayne. “Bass Otis: A Critical Commentary” pp. 24-30 in Bass Otis: Painter, Portraitist and Engraver. Wilmington: Historical Society of Delaware, 1976.
- William Dunlap, A History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States (1834)
- Gordon HendricksGordon HendricksGordon Hendricks was an American art and film historian.In 1961 Hendricks published the The Edison motion picture myth in which he showed that it was not Thomas Alva Edison who should be attributed with the invention of the first device for cinema screeningss, but in fact William Kennedy Laurie...
, " 'A Wish to Please, and a Willingness to Be Pleased,' " American Art Journal 2 (1970): 16-29. - Thomas Knoles, "Bass Otis, Philadelphia Portrait Painter," Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society 103 (1993): 179-253.
- John Carpenter McKee, Bass Otis and His Critics, University of Delaware Masters Thesis, 1995.
- Philip J. Weimerskirch, "Lithographic Stone in America," Printing History 11 (1989): 2-15.