San Francisco Art Association
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Art Association (1871–1961) was an organization that promoted California artists, held art exhibitions, published a periodical, and established an art school. Over its lifetime, the association helped establish a Northern California
regional flavor of California Tonalism
as differentiated from Southern California
American Impressionism
. The San Francisco Art Association (SFAA) merged with the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA) in 1961 to create the San Francisco Art Institute
(SFAI).
ists led by Virgil Macey Williams, with two goals: the promotion of art exhibitions and the forming of an educational institution which taught fine art. The artist J.G. Denny was selected as the first director, and members such as Albert Bierstadt
, Andrew P. Hill
, Ernest Narjot, William Keith
, and Charles Christian Nahl
and Arthur Nahl came together to establish the focus of the organization. The presence of painter-photographer George Henry Burgess
among the founders connected the association with the nascent field of fine art photography
.
Within a few months, SFAA had elected its first honorary member: Albert Bierstadt
, landscape painter and a devotee of the stereograph
. By 1874, SFAA had 700 regular members and 100 life members, the latter paying $100 for the privilege. The quarterly receptions were attracting some 1000 people and the semi-annual exhibitions, running for two months each, brought over 7000 viewers. In 1874, there were similar public art institutions in only three other United States
cities: New York
, Boston
, and Washington, D.C.
. In 1906, the devastating fire following the earthquake
destroyed the school, but SFAA rebuilt it in one year, calling the new formation the San Francisco Institute of Art.
In 1916, Pedro Lemos was let go as the school's director and France-trained Lee Randolph took the lead. The school's name was changed to the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), and its philosophy shifted to one of conservative European training, with an emphasis on meticulous preparatory work and craftsmanship, on Beaux-Arts
sensibilities, and on traditional skills such as mural painting, and life and figure drawing.
in 1872, a web of interconnections between it and SFAA was apparent. Many artists were members of both organizations, and art patronage from well-to-do Bohemians helped provide a living for artists who joined the Bohemian Club. SFAA exhibits in the late 19th century were very successful—many of the participating artists sold a year's worth of production to wealthy Bohemian and society patrons. By 1915, SFAA prosperity was intimately tied to Bohemian purchasing habits.
In 1880 at SFAA, Eadweard Muybridge
demonstrated his Zoopraxiscope
.
Following the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915
, the exposition organizers decided to give the Palace of Fine Arts
to SFAA. In writing up the contract, the negotiating teams were each led by a Bohemian Club member: Charles Templeton Crocker represented SFAA, and his uncle William H. Crocker
stood for the Panama-Pacific group. The building, intended only for temporary use, was deeded to SFAA. Its large exhibit space was used to show locally-owned fine art, and SFAA printed up a letterhead bearing the title "San Francisco Museum of Art." By November 1916, SFAA was confident enough to begin publishing the San Francisco Art Association Bulletin, intended as an annual journal. The Crockers formed committees within SFAA and filled the positions with successful businessmen. A shift in focus occurred in which traditional patronage practices came to the fore—the aesthetic wishes of the corporate class began to affect the artists' choices in subject matter and style.
Against best intentions, attendance at the Palace of Fine Arts was too light to prevent heavy operating losses of $10,000–14,000 each year from 1915 to 1922, and the collection of public art remained small, overwhelmed by the vast space. Landscape painting, once the strength of SFAA fell off in volume. By the mid-1920s, only one modest landscape by reliably compliant Arthur Frank Mathews
was being shown at the Palace.
, a favorite project of SFAA member Herbert Fleishhacker
. Large murals began to appear in public spaces, painted by SFAA artists, and were favorably reviewed by art critics and the public alike. A combination of corporate class patronage, CSFA mural training and years of private experience came together to allow the mural artists to succeed. In 1924, the de Young Museum
was voted a civic maintenance program, the Legion of Honor museum was finished, and in 1926, a bond was passed to reinforce the weakening Palace of Fine Arts structure. Three public museums were available to San Franciscans.
.
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
regional flavor of California Tonalism
Tonalism
Tonalism was an artistic style that emerged in the 1880s when American artists began to paint landscape forms with an overall tone of colored atmosphere or mist. Between 1880 and 1915, dark, neutral hues such as gray, brown or blue, often dominated compositions by artists associated with the style...
as differentiated from Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
American Impressionism
American Impressionism
Impressionism, a style of painting characterized by loose brushwork and vivid colors, was practiced widely among American artists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-An emerging artistic style from Paris:...
. The San Francisco Art Association (SFAA) merged with the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA) in 1961 to create the San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute is a school of higher education in contemporary art with the main campus in the Russian Hill district of San Francisco, California. Its graduate center is in the Dogpatch neighborhood. The private, non-profit institution is accredited by WASC and is a member of the...
(SFAI).
Early history
SFAA was founded on March 28, 1871 by a group of some 23–30 artists, primarily landscape artLandscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
ists led by Virgil Macey Williams, with two goals: the promotion of art exhibitions and the forming of an educational institution which taught fine art. The artist J.G. Denny was selected as the first director, and members such as Albert Bierstadt
Albert Bierstadt
Albert Bierstadt was a German-American painter best known for his lavish, sweeping landscapes of the American West. In obtaining the subject matter for these works, Bierstadt joined several journeys of the Westward Expansion...
, Andrew P. Hill
Andrew P. Hill
Andrew Putnam Hill was an early Californian painter and photographer best known for successfully leading an effort from 1899 to 1902 to save a forest of large redwoods in Big Basin, California and as a result, creating the California State Park System.-Big Basin:The trees, Sequoia Sempervirens,...
, Ernest Narjot, William Keith
William Keith
William Keith may refer to:*William Keith of Galston , Scottish soldier during the Wars of Scottish Independence.*William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal*William Keith, 6th Earl Marischal , Scottish peer and naval officer...
, and Charles Christian Nahl
Charles Christian Nahl
Carl Christian Heinrich Nahl , later known as Charles Nahl, and sometimes Karl Nahl, Charles Christian Nahl or Charles C. Nahl, was a German-born painter who is called California's first significant artist.-Early years:He was the son of Georg Valentin Friedrich Nahl and Henriette Nahl...
and Arthur Nahl came together to establish the focus of the organization. The presence of painter-photographer George Henry Burgess
George Henry Burgess
George Henry Burgess was an English landscape painter, wood engraver and lithographer.-Life and work:Born in London, England, Burgess studied at the Somerset House School of Design in that city. In 1849, he traveled to California to join the Gold rush...
among the founders connected the association with the nascent field of fine art photography
Fine art photography
Fine art photography refers to photographs that are created in accordance with the creative vision of the photographer as artist. Fine art photography stands in contrast to photojournalism, which provides a visual account for news events, and commercial photography, the primary focus of which is to...
.
Within a few months, SFAA had elected its first honorary member: Albert Bierstadt
Albert Bierstadt
Albert Bierstadt was a German-American painter best known for his lavish, sweeping landscapes of the American West. In obtaining the subject matter for these works, Bierstadt joined several journeys of the Westward Expansion...
, landscape painter and a devotee of the stereograph
Stereoscopy
Stereoscopy refers to a technique for creating or enhancing the illusion of depth in an image by presenting two offset images separately to the left and right eye of the viewer. Both of these 2-D offset images are then combined in the brain to give the perception of 3-D depth...
. By 1874, SFAA had 700 regular members and 100 life members, the latter paying $100 for the privilege. The quarterly receptions were attracting some 1000 people and the semi-annual exhibitions, running for two months each, brought over 7000 viewers. In 1874, there were similar public art institutions in only three other United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cities: New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
School of art
In February 1874, SFAA founded the San Francisco School of Design, installing Virgil Macey Williams as director. In 1893, the institution's name changed to California School of Design—the change included an affiliation with the University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. In 1906, the devastating fire following the earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
destroyed the school, but SFAA rebuilt it in one year, calling the new formation the San Francisco Institute of Art.
In 1916, Pedro Lemos was let go as the school's director and France-trained Lee Randolph took the lead. The school's name was changed to the California School of Fine Arts (CSFA), and its philosophy shifted to one of conservative European training, with an emphasis on meticulous preparatory work and craftsmanship, on Beaux-Arts
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
sensibilities, and on traditional skills such as mural painting, and life and figure drawing.
Bohemian Club patronage
From the beginning of the Bohemian ClubBohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
in 1872, a web of interconnections between it and SFAA was apparent. Many artists were members of both organizations, and art patronage from well-to-do Bohemians helped provide a living for artists who joined the Bohemian Club. SFAA exhibits in the late 19th century were very successful—many of the participating artists sold a year's worth of production to wealthy Bohemian and society patrons. By 1915, SFAA prosperity was intimately tied to Bohemian purchasing habits.
In 1880 at SFAA, Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard J. Muybridge was an English photographer who spent much of his life in the United States. He is known for his pioneering work on animal locomotion which used multiple cameras to capture motion, and his zoopraxiscope, a device for projecting motion pictures that pre-dated the flexible...
demonstrated his Zoopraxiscope
Zoopraxiscope
The zoopraxiscope is an early device for displaying motion pictures. Created by photographic pioneer Eadweard Muybridge in 1879, it may be considered the first movie projector. The zoopraxiscope projected images from rotating glass disks in rapid succession to give the impression of motion. The...
.
Following the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915
Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915)
The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California between February 20 and December 4 in 1915. Its ostensible purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely seen in the city as an opportunity to showcase its recovery...
, the exposition organizers decided to give the Palace of Fine Arts
Palace of Fine Arts
The Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina District of San Francisco, California, is a monumental structure originally constructed for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in order to exhibit works of art presented there. One of only a few surviving structures from the Exposition, it is the only one still...
to SFAA. In writing up the contract, the negotiating teams were each led by a Bohemian Club member: Charles Templeton Crocker represented SFAA, and his uncle William H. Crocker
William H. Crocker
-Biography:He was born in 1861 in Sacramento, California.He attended Phillips Academy, Andover and Yale University, where he was a brother of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity...
stood for the Panama-Pacific group. The building, intended only for temporary use, was deeded to SFAA. Its large exhibit space was used to show locally-owned fine art, and SFAA printed up a letterhead bearing the title "San Francisco Museum of Art." By November 1916, SFAA was confident enough to begin publishing the San Francisco Art Association Bulletin, intended as an annual journal. The Crockers formed committees within SFAA and filled the positions with successful businessmen. A shift in focus occurred in which traditional patronage practices came to the fore—the aesthetic wishes of the corporate class began to affect the artists' choices in subject matter and style.
Against best intentions, attendance at the Palace of Fine Arts was too light to prevent heavy operating losses of $10,000–14,000 each year from 1915 to 1922, and the collection of public art remained small, overwhelmed by the vast space. Landscape painting, once the strength of SFAA fell off in volume. By the mid-1920s, only one modest landscape by reliably compliant Arthur Frank Mathews
Arthur Frank Mathews
Arthur F. Mathews was an American Tonalist painter who was one of the founders of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. Trained as an architect and artist, he and his wife Lucia Kleinhans Mathews had a significant effect on the evolution of Californian art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
was being shown at the Palace.
Murals
SFAA promoted a series of civic bond issues in the mid-1920s, written to fund new museums. Work began on the Palace of the Legion of HonorCalifornia Palace of the Legion of Honor
The California Palace of the Legion of Honor is a fine art museum in San Francisco, California...
, a favorite project of SFAA member Herbert Fleishhacker
Herbert Fleishhacker
Herbert Fleishhacker , son of Aaron Fleishhacker and Delia Fleishhacker, was an American businessman, civic leader and philanthropist. He built Fleishhacker Pool, the world's largest swimming pool, in 1924....
. Large murals began to appear in public spaces, painted by SFAA artists, and were favorably reviewed by art critics and the public alike. A combination of corporate class patronage, CSFA mural training and years of private experience came together to allow the mural artists to succeed. In 1924, the de Young Museum
M. H. de Young Memorial Museum
The M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, commonly called simply the de Young Museum, is a fine arts museum located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It is named for early San Francisco newspaperman M. H...
was voted a civic maintenance program, the Legion of Honor museum was finished, and in 1926, a bond was passed to reinforce the weakening Palace of Fine Arts structure. Three public museums were available to San Franciscans.
Merger
In 1961, SFAA merged with CSFA, and the art school took its modern name, the San Francisco Art InstituteSan Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Art Institute is a school of higher education in contemporary art with the main campus in the Russian Hill district of San Francisco, California. Its graduate center is in the Dogpatch neighborhood. The private, non-profit institution is accredited by WASC and is a member of the...
.
External links
- San Francisco Art Association, Smithsonian Archives of American Art
- Sunshine Muse, by Peter Plagins
- Lights and shades in San Francisco, by Benjamin E. Lloyd
- The San Francisco Art Association, 1899, list of members from Our Society Blue Book
- The San Francisco Art Association, by Betty Hoag McGlynn