John F. Francis
Encyclopedia
John F. Francis was an American painter, primarily of still life
s.
He was born in Philadelphia. Predominantly self-taught as an artist, he worked until 1845 as a portrait painter in central and eastern Pennsylvania. Francis's portraits reveal his early fascination with the most minute details. In 1845, Francis began exhibiting his works at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
and the Philadelphia Art Union, which promoted American artists by awarding paintings to subscribers using lottery-like drawings. It was in this period that he began to concentrate on still life, which had been established as a popular genre in Philadelphia by Raphaelle Peale
and other painters. His first known still life is dated 1850, and by 1854 he ceased to paint anything else. Francis became known as a leading practitioner of luncheon and dessert still life painting , developing an intricate vocabulary of forms required by his specialized subject. William H. Gerdts
writes: "Of all the mid-century still-life specialists, Francis was the most painterly. There is often a freshness and a brio to his paint application that successfully balance his sure delineation of form and his establishment of texture".
Nearly all his paintings depict fruits and desserts. He painted many replicas of his works, and his style underwent little change over the course of his career. According to art historian Alfred Frankenstein
, "his blond, high-keyed palette always provides one of the most distinctive accents in a general exhibition of American still life". Few of his paintings can be dated after 1872 and none after 1880. He was mainly forgotten by the time of his death in 1886.
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.
He was born in Philadelphia. Predominantly self-taught as an artist, he worked until 1845 as a portrait painter in central and eastern Pennsylvania. Francis's portraits reveal his early fascination with the most minute details. In 1845, Francis began exhibiting his works at 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,...
and the Philadelphia Art Union, which promoted American artists by awarding paintings to subscribers using lottery-like drawings. It was in this period that he began to concentrate on still life, which had been established as a popular genre in Philadelphia by Raphaelle Peale
Raphaelle Peale
Raphaelle Peale is considered the first professional American painter of still-life.-Biography:...
and other painters. His first known still life is dated 1850, and by 1854 he ceased to paint anything else. Francis became known as a leading practitioner of luncheon and dessert still life painting , developing an intricate vocabulary of forms required by his specialized subject. William H. Gerdts
William H. Gerdts
William H. Gerdts is an American art historian and Professor Emeritus of Art History at the CUNY Graduate Center. Dr. Gerdts is the author of over twenty-five books on American art. An expert in American Impressionism, he is also well known for his work on nineteenth-century American still life...
writes: "Of all the mid-century still-life specialists, Francis was the most painterly. There is often a freshness and a brio to his paint application that successfully balance his sure delineation of form and his establishment of texture".
Nearly all his paintings depict fruits and desserts. He painted many replicas of his works, and his style underwent little change over the course of his career. According to art historian Alfred Frankenstein
Alfred Frankenstein
Alfred Victor Frankenstein was an art and music critic, author and professional musician.He was the long-time art and music critic for the San Francisco Chronicle...
, "his blond, high-keyed palette always provides one of the most distinctive accents in a general exhibition of American still life". Few of his paintings can be dated after 1872 and none after 1880. He was mainly forgotten by the time of his death in 1886.