ND 237 Hi|33 A95 430RNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES PlHACA, N. Y 1485 Fine Arts Library Sibley HaU G. P. A. CENTE EXHIBITION ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, 1913 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924016450474 G. P. A. HEALY Painted by himself, 1874 EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY GEORGE PETER ALEXANDER HEALY 1813-1894 UPON THE CENTENARY OF HIS BI RTH THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO FROM JANUARY 2 TO JANUARY 19, 1913 rts MP 72f7 H433 50 GKORGE P. A. HKALY GEORGE P. A. HEALY was born in Boston, July 15, 1813. His father was a naturalized American citizen of Irish birth, and his mother an American. Nothing in his early years seemed to indicate his future vocation. His father had been captain in the merchant service, and although the family was acquainted with Stuart, who painted the captain's portrait, the surroundings of the growing chil- dren were by no means artistic. A mere acci- dent revealed to the boy that he had a knack for "taking likenesses," as the good people said; so, to the great sorrow of his parents he resolved to be a painter. The beginnings were hard. Young Healy had no teachers. In those days there were no art schools, on public museums, and very few pictures were exhibited. But nothing daunted, the Yankee boy, gifted with extraordinary facil- ity, with a true and vivid sense of color, and above all with an energy and a perseverance that no difficulties could overcome, went his way cheerfully and unswervingly. He drew every- thing that he saw and painted the portrait of any one who would sit for him, from the family butcher to liis brothers and little sister. Soon "little Healy," as he was generally called, met with some encouragement. He boldly took a studio and had a few sitters. But these sitters were all men and he longed greatly to paint a woman. In the early thirties, the queen of society was Mrs. Harrison Gray Otis. A kind friend gave the boy-painter a word of introduc- tion to her. Mrs. Otis asked her shy visitor what she could do for him and he blurted out: " Sit to me, Madam. I so want to paint a beauti- ful woman !" Healy was then nineteen years of age. The portrait of Mrs. Otis at once made his reputation. But he was intelligent enough to understand that he had yet much to learn, and in 1834 he went to Paris and entered the studio of Baron Gros. There he formed a life-long friendship with the great painter, Thomas Couture. Through the influence of the American min- ister, General Cass, the 3-oung painter obtained sittings from the French King, Louis Philippe, who was so pleased with his portrait that he sent Healy to London to copy some of the pictures in Windsor Castle, and later to America with an order to paint the American statesmen of the day for the Versailles gallery. But the revolu- tion of 1848 put an end to[this royal patronage. It was while engaged on this series of por- traits that Healy conceived the project of paint- ing his great historical picture of Webster reply- ing to Hayne, now in Faneuil Hall in Boston. The picture was executed in Paris. A little later was painted another historical picture representing Franklin before Ivouis XVI, which at the exhibition of 1855 won a gold medal for its author, the highest honor yet awarded an Ameri- can artist. It was at this time that Healy made the acquaintance of William B. Ogden, who has been called the "father of Chicago." Mr. Ogden warmly urged Healy to visit him in Chicago, at that time an overgrown village, and this visit proved so successful, and socially so agreeable, that the artist soon determined to make Chicago his home. The number of por- traits executed during that first year is fabulous. Among the very best is that of his host. During the War of Secession, he painted many of the most celebrated generals, and Ivincoln also sat to him. Incessant work was beginning to tell upon his health, and in 1867 Healy returned to Europe and remained there many years, making, how- ever, frequent trips to America, to Chicago es- pecially. The family home was first in Rome, then in Paris. It was during his sojourn in Italy that Healy was asked to paint a portrait of himself for the Uffizzi gallery of Florence, where it may still be seen. He also executed a large portrait of the reigning Princess of Roumania. This was so well liked by the Prince that on two occasions he asked the artist to visit his palace so as to paint other portraits. Healy happened to be in Bucharest when his kind patrons were proclaimed king and queen. The years spent in Paris were pleasant and prosperous, and during that time the American artist painted many historical personages, among them Thiers, Gambetta, Jules Simon. He went to Berlin to paint Bismarck. Lord Lyons also sat to him, as did also many Americans, among them Whitelaw Reid. In 1892 the artist suddenly determined to re- turn to Chicago and to make it his permanent home. He died in the city of his choice, June 24, 1894. CATALOGUE 1 ARMENIAN BISHOPS Lent by The Art Institute of Chicago 2 PORTRAIT OF A CHII,D (Miss Armstrong) Lent by The Newberry Library 3 ISAAC N. ARNOLD Lent by Miss Arnold REV. DR. BARRY Lent by The Chicago Historical Society 5 MRS. BESLY AS A CHILD Lent by Mrs, Charles H, Besly 6 BISMARCK Lent by The Newberry Library 7 WII^WAM BI,AIR Lent by Mrs. William Blair 8 MRS. WII.I,IAM BLAIR Lent by Mrs. William Blair 9 E. W. BLATCHFORD Lent by Mr. E. W. Blatchford 10 MRS. E. W. BI.ATCHFORD Lent by ■Mr. E. W. Blatchford 11 MISS BI^ATCHFORD AS A CHIIyD Lent by Mr. E. W. Blatchford 12 MRS. J. T. BOWEN AS A CHII.D Lent by Mrs. /oseph T. Bowen 13 DR. O. A. BROWNSON Lent by Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 14 MISS BRYAN AS A CHILD Lent by Miss [ennie B. Bryan 15 MRS. T. B. BRYAN Lent by Miss Jennie B. Bryan 16 JOHN C. CAIvHOUN Lent by Miss Jennie B. Bryan 17 MISS H. I.. CARTER Lent by Miss Carter 18 JAMES CARTKR Lent by Miss Carter 19 KING CHARIvES I OF ROUMANIA Lent by The Newberry Library 20 HENRY CIvAY Lent by Miss Jennie B. Bryan 21 MISS CRAWFORD (Mrs. Eraser) Lent by The Newberry Library 22 RICHARD H. DANA Lent by Mr. J. O. Lyman 23 JUDGE THOMAS DRUMMOND Lent by Miss Drummond 24 S. E. DUBOURJAIy Lent by Madame de Mare 25 BISHOP DUGGAN Lent by The Newberry Library 26 QUEEN EI.IZABETH OF ROUMANIA (Head) Lent by The Newberry Library 27 WHvIvIAM EVERETT Lent by The Newberry Library 28 PORTRAIT OF BABY FARLIN Lent by Mrs. /. H. Farlin 29 GENERA E FOX Lent by Madame de Mare 30 GENERAI, FOX Lent by The Newberry Library 31 \Mm GAMBETTA Lent by 77^1? Newberry Library 32 MISS ROMAINE GODDARD (Madame von Overbeck) Lent by The Newberry Library 33 GENERAIv GRANT Lent by The Newberry Library 34 COL. CHARLES G. HAMMOND Lent by Mrs. William Hubbard 35 JOEL T. HART Lent by The Newberry Library 36 ARTHUR HEALY AS A CHILD Lent by Mrs. Ly Sander Hill 37 G. P. A. HEAI,Y Lent by Mrs. Charles H. Besly 38 G. P. A. HEALY Lent by Miss /ennie B. Bryan 39 G. P. A. HEAEY Lent by Mrs. Ly Sander Hill 40 G. P. A. HEALY Lent by The Chicago Historical Society 41 G. P. A. HEAI,Y Lent by Madame de Mare 42 G. P. A. HEALY Lent by 7^1? Newberry Library 43 G. P. A. HKALY Lent by Mr. G. O' Skaughnessy 44 MRS. G. P. A. HEAIvY Lent by Mrs. Charles H. Besly 45 DUDI^EY HIGGINSON AS A CHII.D Lent by. Mrs. Dudley Higginson 46 GEORGE HIGGINSON Lent by Mrs. V. K. Spicer 47 MRS. GEORGE HIGGINSON Lent by Mrs. V. K. Spicer 48 MRS. HIIvI, AS A BABY Lent by Mrs. Ly Sander Hill 49 MRS. GEORGK ISHAM AS A CHII,D Lent by Mr . George F. Porter 50 HENRY W. KING Lent by Mrs. Cyrus Bentley 51 MRS. TUTHII.I. KING Lent by Mrs. J. H. Far tin 52 FERDINAND DE I.ESSEPS Lent by The Newberry Library 53 ABRAHAM I^INCOIvN Lent by The Newberry Library 54 FRANZ I,ISZT Lent by The Newberry Library 55 LISZT HOLDING A CANDLE L,ent by Miss Longfellow 56 STEPHEN TRIGG LOGAN Lent by The Chicago Historical Society 57 HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW Lent by Mrs. A. V. S. Anthony 58 LORD LYONS Lent by The Newberry Library 59 MADAME DE MARE AS A GIRL Lent by Miss C. /ones 60 MARIE DE MARE AS A CHILD Lent by Madame de Mare 61 E. B. McCAGG Lent by The Chicago Historical Society 62 MRS. E. B. McCAGG Lent by Mr. Louis B. McCagg 63 I.OUIS B. McCAGG AS A CHILD Lent by Mr. Louis B. McCagg 64 KATHLEEN MCCARTHY Lent by Madame de Mare 65 MRS. CYRUS H. McCORMICK, SR. Lent by Mrs. Cyrus H. McCormick 66 JOHN I^OTHROP MOTLEY Lent by The Newberry Library 67 MRS. MAHLON OGDEN Lent by Mrs. F. T. West 68 WILLIAM B. OGDEN, first mayor of Chicago Lent by City of Chicago 69 PRINCESS OF OLDENBURG Lent by The Newberry Library 70 MADAME DE PIERRE and HER DAUGHTER Lent by The Newberry Library 71 MARTIN RYERSON Lent by Old People' s Home 72 MRS. MARTIN RYERSON Ivent by Old People's Home 73 JOHN Y. SCAMMON Lent by The Chicago Historical Society 74 GENERAI, SHERMAN Lent by The Newberry Library 75 JUDGE MARK SKINNER Lent by Mr. M. S. Willing 76 HENRY M. STANI.EY Lent by The Newberry Library 77 MISS STEVENSON Lent by Mrs. L. R. Rutter 78 EDWARD B. STICKNEY Lent by The Chicago Historical Society 79 LOUIS ADOLPHE THIERS Lent by The Newberry Library 80 THE MISSES THORN Lent by The Newberry Library 81 JOHN ROSS VALENTINE Lent by Mr Valentine 82 MRS. JOHN ROSS VALENTINE Lent by Mr. Valentine 83 SAMUEL WARD Lent by The Newberry Library 84- ELIHU B. WASHBURNE Lent Mrs. H. Washburne 85 DANIEIy WEBSTER Lent by The Newberry Library 86 MRS. WEST AS A CHILD Lent by Mrs. F. T. West 87 JEFFE WHITEHEAD Lent by Mrs. E. P. Whitehead 88 MRS. JEFFE WHITEHEAD Lent by Mrs. E. P. Whitehead 89 MRS. WIIvUNG Lent by Mr. M. S. Willing 90 REV. DR. WOODBRIDGE Lent by Mrs. Dickinson 91 HENRY WADSWORTH I,ONGFEI.IvOW Lent by Miss Jen7iie B. Bryan 92 DRAWINGS AND SKETCHES Lent by The family of the artist 93 SKETCHES Lent by Mrs. Charles H. Besly 94- GIRL WITH PITCHER Competition study painted at one sitting at Baron Gros' studio in 1835 Lent by Mrs. Ly Sander Hill 95 GEN. JAMES A. MUIvIvIGAN Lent by Miss Mulligan CATAI.OGUE OF OWNERS Anthony, Mrs. A. V. S 57 Miss Arnold 3 Art Institute of Chicago, The 1 Bentley, Mrs. Cyrus 50 Besly, Mrs. Charles H 5, 37, 44, 93 Blair, Mrs. William 7, 8 Blatchford, E. W 9, 10, 11 Bowen, Mrs. Joseph T. 12 Bryan, Miss Jennie B. . . . 14, 15, 16, 20, 38, 91 Carter, Miss 17, 18 Chicago Historical Society, The . . 4, 40, 56, 61, 73, 78 City of Chicago 68 Dickinson, Mrs 90 Drummond, Miss ....... 23 Family of the Artist, The 92 Farlin, Mrs. J. H 28, 51 Higginson, Mrs. Dudley 45 Hill, Mrs. Lysander .... 36, 39, 48, 94 Hubbard, Mrs. William 34 Jones, Miss C 59 Longfellow, Miss 55 Lyman, J. 22 McCagg, Louis B 62, 63 McCormick, Mrs. Cyrus H 65 Mare, Madame de 24, 29, 41, 60, 64 Mulligan, Miss 95 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 13 Newberry Library, The 2, 6, 19, 21, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35. 42, 52, 53, 54, 58, 66, 69, 70, 74, 76, 79, 80, 83, 85 O'Shaughnessy, G 43 Old Peoples' Home 71, 72 Porter, Mr . George F. 49 Rutter, Mrs. L. R 77 Spicer, Mrs. V. K 46, 47 Valentine, Mr 81, 82 Washburne, Mrs. H. 84 West, Mrs. F. T 67, 86 Whitehead, Mrs. E. P 87, 88 Willing, M. S 75, 89 Cornell University Library ND 237.H433A95 Exhibition of paintings by George Peter 3 1924 016 450 474