To kick off my return to blogging, I've decided to share yet another very special bronze that I own. I won it in an online auction, paying more for it than I did for my car. However I still paid well under the going rate for this bronze had it been listed for sale with an auction house. I am thrilled to own this magnificent piece of history!
Hermon Atkins MacNeil was a 27 year old sculptor and art professor at Cornell University when he was offered an opportunity by his friend and mentor Philip Martiny to work as his assistant on sculpting the many myriad decorations that were to adorn the structures and grounds of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Exposition was set to open in 1892 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage, but construction fell behind and the opening of the White City was pushed out to July 1, 1893.
Here's where an amusing and amazing event occurred. Buffalo Bill Cody, of the famous Wild West Show, had recently returned from a tour of Europe that was a smash hit. Queen Victoria came out of her long period of mourning for a command performance. Two of his Indian warriors challenged each other to climb the then-new Eiffel Tower, making the newspapers worldwide. Coming off of this success and wanting to be part of the next world's largest party, Cody sent his managing partner Nate Salsbury to Chicago to discuss bringing the Wild West Show to the Exhibition. The partners who were financing the Exhibition insisted on taking fully one half of the gross receipts - they really didn't want Cody's "low entertainment" to be a part of their White City. Cody, as one can imagine, turned down that offer flat.
That's when he did something amazing, almost out of spite. He sent Nate Salsbury back to Chicago to rent the land next to the Exposition grounds, immediately outside the gate and close to the train depot. On those fifteen acres, Cody opened his Show a full month BEFORE the Exposition, on June 1. He brought with him 97 paid Sioux Indian performers and another 100 Sioux as his guests, for whom he paid their way as well. The workers who were building the White City would spend their breaks and lunches at the Wild West show.
Hermon MacNeil was no exception. He became, like his fellow European sculptors Prince Paolo Troubetzkoy, Carl Kauba, Franz Xaver Bergmann and others before him, enthralled with the athletic, colorful and frankly exotic Indians. MacNeil spent many an hour at the Wild West Show's Indian encampment, getting to know the performers and making many sketches in his notebooks.
One of the Lakota Sioux at the Wild West Show who spoke, read and wrote English was 15-year-old Joseph Black Pipe (March 7, 1878 (according to the 1900 Census, August 1876) - sometime between 1935 and 1940). He had been educated at the St. Francis Catholic Mission on the Rosebud Reservation, but aside from his presence at the Wild West Show, it is not known if he acted in the show's dramas. It is very likely, however, that he acted as an interpreter for the older Lakota chiefs and warriors. One thing is certain, he made the acquaintance of Hermon Atkins MacNeil.
After the Exhibition closed on October 31, 1893, the Wild West Show closed one day later, on November 1. Not long after, MacNeil was walking down a street on a cold, wet Chicago winter day when he spotted young Black Pipe. Joseph had stayed behind after the show closed but was cold and hungry, being without work. MacNeil offered him room and board in his studio in exchange for Black Pipe becoming his studio assistant and model. He gratefully accepted, staying with MacNeil for the next year and a half.
As soon as their first meal was eaten, MacNeil sat his athletic young warrior down and sculpted his face as a three-dimensional plaque (I have been repeatedly outbid in several auctions for one of these rare plaques but have finally brought one home - see the next post). In a spate of inspiration, MacNeil proceeded to use Black Pipe as his model for just about everything that he sculpted for the next couple years. In the summer of 1895, Black Pipe returned to South Dakota. Hermon MacNeil married in December of 1895 and traveled to Rome where he studied for the
next four years as the winner of the Prix de Rome Rinehart scholarship, apparently losing contact with his former model and assistant but continuing to both sculpt new works using Black Pipe as his model as well as refine the earlier ones. Many of MacNeil's in-studio photographs of the young Lakota in various poses, removed from his College Point studio after his passing, still exist in the Archive of American Art as administered by the Smithsonian.
Primitive Chant to the Great Spirit was one of these Chicago sculptures. First modeled in plaster in 1894 and titled Primitive Indian Music, one of the first bronzes was cast by Winslow Brothers Foundry in Chicago for placement in foundry owner William Winslow's new house, the first openly designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in his new Prairie Style. It was placed immediately inside the front door, on a pillar in front of the imposing inglenook, and the photograph taken at the time of the opening of the house with the bronze prominently displayed still exists. By 1909 however, this casting was being offered for sale at Chicago's McClurg & Co. bookstore, which also sold Fine Art. In a letter to MacNeil in December of 1909, Bryan Lathrop, who had been one of the financiers behind both the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition as well as Chicago's Marquette building and was an early acquaintance of the artist, not to mention being a strident art collector himself, mentioned that he had left money down on what he had been told was the only copy that existed and that the plaster model and molds had been destroyed. Lathrop inquired if this was true (I'm sure this was true for "Primitive Indian Music," but clearly not for the finished model "Primitive Chant"). I'm not sure if he completed the purchase and it passed out of his hands after his sudden death in 1916 or if he just got his deposit back, but he mentioned in the same letter that he had MacNeil's "Navaho Orator" set aside as well. As both sculptures (if not for sure these specifically) were known to have been in the collection of Frank Lloyd Wright, who abandoned his family and ran off with his mistress in 1909, the timing fits.
How an Illinois artist named Eda Lord came to own it is not known, though given her status in society, she probably saw "Primitive Indian Music" at Winslow House during one of the many high society parties held there in the time around when the house was completed. "Primitive Indian Music" was offered for sale at auction in 2018, sold by the great-grandson of Eda Lord who had it by descent.
Primitive Chant, as it was soon re-titled, went on to become one of MacNeil's first popular sculptures. Around a dozen to two dozen were cast during MacNeil's lifetime, the first by Winslow Brothers then later by Roman Bronze Works in New York. I'm still working on the final count.
This casting, my copy, was made by Roman Bronze Works most likely in 1910 or 1911. It has an unusual 1909 copyright date on it, while most cast by RBW either show no date or are copyright 1901. Records from RBW indicate that two were cast in 1910 and one in 1911. It is my firm belief that MacNeil modeled the sculpture twice, first in Chicago and again in Rome. There are some small but pretty significant differences in the bronzes. Mine more closely resembles the earlier model but is more finely finished than "Primitive Indian Music." I'm still trying to put all of the bronzes into a timeline. It's difficult.
One other thing to keep in mind is that art bronzes were generally made to order back then and were bespoke, meaning if a client wanted a change made, a bit of extra cash on top usually got the job done. Foundry workers also were not above re-creating damaged details or adding new ones when preparing the waxes for molding. Now, Roman Bronze Works was also not above creating "spurious" or off-the-books castings (meaning they used the plaster model and/or molds but didn't tell or pay the artists) for their clients and contemporary reports mention that Winslow Brothers Co. cast only one in bronze, so the true number of lifetime castings may never be known.
None of the lifetime castings were either dated by the foundries nor were they numbered sequentially, though the castings from RBW that were numbered in a closed edition were, I believe, cast posthumously for MacNeil's second wife and son. Those bronzes are also marked "Cire Perdue Cast" so are easy to identify. I do not have a provenance for mine, the person who sold me this bronze had bought it fifteen years earlier from an online dealer, so I do not know who was the original purchaser or when it was purchased. The auction house that I suspect may have sold it in 1988 lost all of their records in a disastrous fire in 1990. Research is ongoing, but I may have hit a proverbial firewall. Most of the other lifetime (of H. A. MacNeil that is) castings of Primitive Chant are owned by museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa (they have two!) and the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. No matter the provenance, I'm in rarified company!
Here we have a bronze statue of an athletic sixteen (or seventeen, his birth records are approximate) year old Lakota youth. The sculpture stands approximately 24.5" tall and has been deemed period authentic by a couple experts. He is wearing a loincloth with just a fringe of a front flap and no rear flap (some have a rear flap, but like the 1894 original, mine doesn't), low moccasins and two upright feathers in his hair (many of the bronzes have one feather curled over, mine is closer to the 1894 original). He is dancing sinuously with his right foot raised to his own music which he makes by blowing into the crook of his right elbow. The sculpting is fantastic, a beautiful example from a master sculptor of the Beaux Arts era. The bronze is in magnificent condition, especially considering its age. There are no dents or bent parts, only a couple light scratches in the patina commensurate with age. These will "heal" over time to an extent as the bronze further ages. I have cleaned and waxed him, removing the interstitial dirt and sealing the surface from the elements.
I present to you Hermon Atkins MacNeil's 1894 masterpiece, Primitive Chant to the Great Spirit. New pictures will follow after I put together a new backdrop, but for now, Black Pipe dances in my back yard, dappled in sunlight. Enjoy! I know I do.
Primitive Chant by H. A. MacNeil, ca. 1910, bronze, front
Primitive Chant by H. A. MacNeil, ca. 1910, bronze, 1/4 front
Primitive Chant by H. A. MacNeil, ca. 1910, bronze, right
Primitive Chant by H. A. MacNeil, ca. 1910, bronze, rear
Primitive Chant by H. A. MacNeil, ca. 1910, bronze, left
Primitive Chant by H. A. MacNeil, ca. 1910, bronze, title
Primitive Chant by H. A. MacNeil, ca. 1910, bronze, signature
Hi Bronzhound - I'm a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright which led me to the Winslow house and subsequently HA MacNeil. I'm trying to find documentation that connects Wright to MacNeil. It's obvious they must have known each other but I'm having difficulty making the connection. One point of interest is the very clear similarity in theme when looking at Wright's Nakoma and Nakomis along side MacNeil's Sun Vow and Early Toil. Of course, MacNeil's works came first so Wright must have been imitating them in theme.
ReplyDeleteBased on your blog, it sounds like you may have research that connects the two. Can you elaborate? Thanks for any help in advance!
Wow. That is a deep and complex question. MacNeil and Wright knew many of the same people in Chicago in 1893. Winslow Brothers cast the Marquette Building friezes which MacNeil had sculpted in 1894. Financier and venture capitalist Bryan Lathrop had scored that gig for MacNeil (he had helped finance not only the Marquette Building but also the Worlds Columbian Exposition). Black Pipe was possibly a nexus for the important folk as well as he had been an active member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show - I believe he had earned his bread acting as a translator. MacNeil was showing his art all over Chicago after the Expo closed and was getting newspaper mentions. He was sculpting portraits at cafes in the evenings for extra money while teaching at the Chicago Art Institute. His name was getting around.
DeleteIt's also helpful to note that MacNeil, Lathrop and Wright's father were all from Massachusetts. This may have helped smooth the introductions.
Wright's Nakoma and Nakomis were sculpted in 1923, decades after his acquaintance with MacNeil. While I think Mac's sculptures of Black Pipe helped inform the genesis of his Prairie Style, I think the prevalence of the Art Deco movement by then informed those two sculptures more. The timeline is important - the Expo was summer 1893, MacNeil took on Black Pipe as his assistant in November 1893, Primitive Chant was first shown publicly in March 1894 (right after Black Pipe's 16th birthday) and the William Winslow House was designed by Wright soon after that. By the time of the sculpting of Nakoma and Nakomis, the American Indian theme had been explored by numerous sculptors worldwide. I see more of Paul Manship in them than Hermon MacNeil, myself.
On a side note, there is a copy of Primitive Chant in the permanent collection at Fallingwater. The curator had been unaware of how the sculpture was tied to Wright and was quite surprised when I pointed out the Winslow House photos to her. There is much yet to be learned by all!
You can read about the Wright/MacNeil connection in my biography of the sculptor. "Hermon Atkins MacNeil - American Sculptor in the Broad, Bright Daylight".
ReplyDeleteHi Jim!!
DeleteThanks. I’ve read it. I’ve got a few other leads. I just discovered that Wright and MacNeil had a mutual friend in Richard Bock. More to learn there …
ReplyDeleteIt's probably easier to digest if one thinks more that they ran in the same circles, socially. Promotional photos taken of the Winslow House ca. 1895 still exist. Primitive Chant can be seen on the left pedestal at the entrance to the inglenook, immediately inside the front door. Photos of Wright's Chicago studio also feature MacNeil sculptures on the shelves. As far as physical proof goes, that's pretty strong evidence to me.
DeleteThanks Art Hound - I agree completely that there is ample evidence Wright and MacNeil must have known each other. Wright having used multiple MacNeil sculptures to decorate the Winslow house, his own home, etc. I'm quite familiar with the Winslow house pictures. Primitive Chant is beautiful and sparked my interest in MacNeil. I can't seem to locate pictures of Wright's studio with MacNeil sculptures but I would like to see them.
ReplyDeleteApparently, Louis Sullivan also once owned one of the few copies of Vow of Vengeance. Given all this evidence, it seems impossible that they never met and probably ran in the same circle as you pointed out. But that's why I find it curious that there is no actual documentation of them ever having physically met ... two famous artists of the time, etc.
As far as Nakoma and Nakomis, I also agree that stylistically they are more akin to Art Deco and Paul Manship than MacNeil. But it is the similarity of theme, that makes me think Wright was offering his own modernized interpretation of the MacNeil works. However, Wright never credited anyone with having an influence on him (other than maybe Louis Sullivan). So, even though Wright's Indians were modeled a good 30 years later, it can't be a total coincidence that the theme of Nakoma is spot on with The Sun Vow and the theme of Nakomis is spot on with Early Toil. It's fun to imagine the interaction if Wright were talking to MacNeil some time in the 1920s about their respective works!
Thanks again. I'll let you know what else I find out.
James Haas - I loved your book! Well researched and tons of references for me to track down. Thx
I think the reasons you don't hear MacNeil mentioned when Wright is discussed is in part due to Wright having a strong ego and his gaining fame just as MacNeil was heading out of town for good. If Mac had returned to Chicago after studying in Europe, it might be a different matter. But that being said, there were plenty of other great sculptors in Chicago at the time and several created sculptures of Indians. Lorado Taft's Chief Black Hawk statue, the second largest free-standing cement sculpture after Christ The Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, still stands just outside the city, and Taft had been the head of sculpture for the Expo. He's also famous for hiring the White Rabbits (another fun subject for study). One doesn't hear about these other sculptors either when Wright is discussed, though surely they knew each other.
DeleteMacNeil was first in hiring an American Indian as his assistant and model. Artists of the time typically went to the Indians to sketch/paint them, then went back to their studios to sculpt them as they wished. Phimister Proctor's famous Indian Warrior sculpture was based on a friend's horse, a model's body and Weasel Head's face and was sculpted in Paris. Cyrus Dallin used a Black man as a model for Massasoit, he wrote about it to a friend when he was offered the services of a Native man willing to model, and the statue was created in his studio.
Any further connections between MacNeil and Wright would, I think, be discovered in whatever exists of the papers of the two men, or perhaps in a close reading of the newspapers of the day. Reporters were notorious for blind item stories back then...
One other thing that bears mentioning is how Wright's taste for expensive clothes and vehicles on his draftsman's salary kept him and his family generally impoverished. After he took up with Mama Borthwick, his wife sold off the things he left behind, including his MacNeil sculptures. Sullivan had fired Wright in 1893 for taking outside commissions behind his back. Sullivan held the deed to Wright's house, which was eventually turned over to Wright's wife if I remember right. Sullivan being given Wright's copy of Vow of Vengeance makes a whole lot of sense to me, though it's purely conjecture on my part. Let me say instead, I could not find a record of Wright's copy of Vow having been for sale when his copies of Primitive Chant and Navaho Orator were purchased by Bryan Lathrop through McClurg's bookstore (they also had an art department). While Lathrop didn't mention that they were Wright's copies, the infamy of Wright's personal life would have kept him from saying anything about Wright. MacNeil would have known who originally owned his sculptures, after all.
DeletePrimitive Chant is indeed a thing of beauty! I feel very privileged to own a lifetime casting. I took my photos outdoors because I've only ever seen the bronze in an indoor setting, on curated display, and I felt he deserved some sunlight and fresh air. The small details which get washed out when the sculpture is photographed are still surprising me. His eyes follow me around the room, for one. :<)
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/dining-room-looking-north-toward-fireplace-at-the-frank-news-photo/99332365
DeleteEarly Toil is on the top shelf, right, looks to be a plaster copy. I've seen a few plaster copies of Mac's early works, particularly the plaque The Sioux Brave Black Pipe (my copy is bronze though).
Wow! Thanks for the thoughts, information and photo. Frank Lloyd Wright certainly had a knack for spending lavishly and finding a way for others to foot the bill. I believe one of his quotes on the subject was: "Take care of the luxuries in life and the necessities will take care of themselves." Ha!
ReplyDeleteI was aware of Wright owning Navajo Orator through James Haas' book, but I did not know he also owned Primitive Chant, Vow of Vengeance and Early Toil. His having a copy of Primitive Chant makes sense since it was also used in the Winslow House. If Sotheby's records are correct, though, Louis Sullivan's copy of Vow of Vengeance passed directly to Arthur Alidis. Sotheby's auctioned it in 2023 as part of the Wolf Family Collection.
https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2023/the-wolf-family-collection-glorious-america/the-vow-of-vengeance
As far as Early Toil, I must have seen that picture of Wright's dining room at some point, but I'm sure I wasn't looking that closely at the sculptures. James Haas lists a date of 1906 for Early Toil but perhaps that is the first date it was cast in bronze by RBW, because the date on the dining room photo is 1895-1900 and I have always assumed Early Toil must have been modeled earlier than 1906. Wright's Early Toil is clearly a plaster version. If Wright had a copy in the late 1890s and RBW was casting it in bronze in 1906 it makes me wonder how many plaster and bronze copies of Early Toil are out there? With the Roman Bronze works early files having been destroyed, I guess we'll never know.
Frank Lloyd Wright had small bronze castings made of Nakoma and Nakomis as well. I first saw them at his house in Madison Wisconsin but I think a small series was cast in the 1950s and they come up for auction periodically.
All interesting stuff and fun to track down. You certainly are fortunate to have Primitive Chant and Black Pipe. I'd love to have a copy of Primitive Chant, but those odds seem to be shrinking daily!
My timeline may be off, but the date on the photo of the dining room is an approximate as well. I am far from infallible! My math and memory are sometimes fuzzy. I trust Jim Haas' date for Early Toil more than my own. ;<)
DeleteAs far as Vow of Vengeance goes, I am not as familiar with the provenance and defer to you. It may never have belonged to Wright at all, ever. In fact, I have my doubts that any of the MacNeil bronzes that were in Wright's possession actually belonged to Wright or were in fact owned by William Winslow. I get the feeling that Winslow was pretty generous with Wright. That they were sold after Wright took up with Mrs. Cheney (1903) but not too long before the pair absconded to Germany (1909) makes me wonder if FLW himself financed said flight with the sales (1905) of the aforementioned art. It seems plausible as he left his wife and children destitute.
The date traditionally given for the founding of Roman Bronze Works is 1897, though I think a more reasonable date would be when the company name was trademarked in 1900. I think Riccardo Bertelli, founder of RBW, likely cast bronze for a few years "in the woodshed" before L. C. Tiffany convinced him to go big or go home. I've always heard 1901 as the year the foundry really got rolling with production, just from talking with local folk who had some connection to either the art world or the Schiavos themselves, so that's the date I lean towards. It coincides with Mac's return from Europe with his young family in tow.
There was a company casting plaster art in Chicago at the time MacNeil was there. I think they mainly made indoor architectural pieces like ceiling medallions, but I know they would cast about anything brought to them, especially sculpture. For the life of me I can't find my research into them. I think the name began with an H - Horace something? The shop was perhaps a block or so from MacNeil's Marquette Building studio. I've seen three plaster casts of the Black Pipe plaque so far, and I know from period newspaper articles that Mac himself was selling bespoke plaster copies of his works at the Chicago art shows (plaster and bronze both on offer).
There are a great many of us who wonder how many plaster (and even bronze) statues are still "out there in the wild." While plasters would not have fallen victim to wartime scrap drives, merely falling over could wipe them out. I keep my eyelids peeled for early plaster, marble, bronze, alabaster and even wax statues that fall within my collection guidelines. These things do sometimes turn up and some, from other artists, have even wandered into my collection..
I followed the Wolf Family Collection sale and even bid on a few pieces. The one I really wanted (beyond in an "I wish I was filthy rich" way) was by John Joseph Boyle, titled "Returning From The Hunt." I do believe that one went unsold, too. Of the MacNeils, I could only afford to watch and drool. :<)
A bronze set of Nakoma and Nakomis came up for auction last year. I think they dated to the 1980's or thereabouts. They'd been cast by Shidoni Bronze for the FLW Foundation in a run of 500 pairs. They brought $3k, even being later castings.
If you're after a copy of Primitive Chant, keep an eye on the auctions. I see the posthumous copies (set on black marble bases) come up for sale every couple years and they tend to be very reasonably priced. They were cast by RBW from the original model at the behest of MacNeil's family, so as with Russell bronzes, they count as official too. Earlier copies are harder to find and fetch more, of course. RBW casting #3 brought a hammer price of $7620 this past May at Hindman Auctions. I'd chased my plaque through several different auctions, getting outbid over and over, before it turned up on eBay. My Primitive Chant popped up there about three days later. I ended that month with a couple big new holes in my wallet AND stomach.
p.s. - I've seen Christ the Redeemer many years ago in Rio and I also visited Mac's Coming of the White Man in Portland. I wish I also stopped by Chief Black Hawk when in Oregon. Seeing Vow of Vengeance and The Sun Vow at the Chicago Art Institute is also a treat. Andrew Walker's essay on them is quite good. In that essay he describes Edward Ayer's effort to document Indian culture. Ayer had a copy of Early Toil as well. From the painting by his nephew, it also appears to be plaster.
ReplyDeleteWow, that statue in Rio must have been quite the sight! It's an artistic and engineering marvel. I haven't been able to travel much over the past decade or so, sadly. All of these statues and more are on my bucket list. I did spend a couple months wheeling around Massachusetts just as the pandemic was hitting, and I did see some spectacular statues of Indians (Hail To The Sunrise in Charlemont and both Pumunangwet and Wo-Peen at Fruitlands featured highly). I need to travel to Chicago in part to continue my research, and the Art Institute is high on my list.
DeleteThanks for all the info, especially the tips for landing a Primitive Chant. Maybe I shouldn't give up hope! I had not heard of Boyle's Returning from the Hunt but, from the pictures I can find, it looks very nice.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing about whether Frank Lloyd Wright actually owned any of the sculptures in his possession. It wouldn't surprise me to find out he borrowed any or all including the Vow of Vengeance once owned by Sullivan. It's a shame so many of the plaster and bronze lifetime sculptures have been tossed or destroyed. Haas quoted McNeil himself saying "who wants them". What a loss.
I continue to be surprised that MacNeil is not more popular. I really like some of Frederic Remington's work, but some is to violent and chaotic. I guess that was the point since Remington was experimenting with creating a sense of motion which was possible due to the "new" method of lost wax casting. His museum in Ogdensburg, NY is worth a visit. But his work requires to much energy.
Wright used the term "repose". High art should create a sense of repose. I find MacNeil's work more relaxing. I like MacMonnies for that reason, too, as well as Antonin Mercie and Louis Bayer. We visited the Musee D'Orsay and the Bargello while in Europe a few years ago. We've been to the Met in NY many times and also visited the Clark Art Institute just a few weeks ago. The Clark has a nice MacMonnies "Bachante et Enfant". Sorry to hear you're not able to travel easily. So much beautiful sculpture to experience!
Tastes change. I personally don't care for Brutalist sculptures, though I do own a couple. I've always seen Brutalism as the result of either incompetence or laziness on the part of the artist, though I know my assessment is unfair. Some artists work very hard to make their works look terrible. With sculpture, I am very much more into the ends of the spectrum, either Beaux Arts style realism (art as camera) or completely Impressionist (art as idea/emotion). But I have found that societal changes in taste have been to my benefit as far as collecting goes. I look for art being sold in the out-of-the-way places, often from estate auctions or secondary market sellers. I love it when the kids put their parents' art up for sale without the slightest idea of the true value, or even a time or two in full knowledge and contempt of that value. While the chain of provenance may be severed, that does not change the object itself. I've bought some very rare and beautiful artwork for very low prices as a result. But I buy art for the pleasure of having it and displaying it how, when and where I wish. The way I see it, the market value will never go lower than someone tossing a piece to the curb. I'll take that home, thank you very much! A little wax, maybe a small repair...
DeleteI don't mind sculptures that capture action. Beaux Arts era sculpture is meant to be full of meaning and expression. There is an entire vernacular regarding sculpture that is largely lost on the modern public, that our ancestors understood intrinsically. Instead we are forced to adopt each individual artist's personal narrative, and that is tiring. This inability to understand nuance is perhaps understandable given the sheer amount of information the average person is expected to process at any given time. Most Americans today couldn't tell you the true meaning of the symbols on the money in their pockets. Understanding the meaning behind the positioning of Lincoln's hands at the Lincoln Memorial (by Daniel Chester French) is well beyond most people, for instance, though it's important if one wishes to fully understand what French was saying about Lincoln.
What bothers me about Remington is more that he seemed to be sculpting frames of an action movie, blur inclusive. He was a maverick in that, but not the only one. I am not one to encourage all the fakery in the market surrounding his work, either. I've owned a couple of fake Remingtons and I can say that compared to the originals, they're garbage. I'd rather have one original MacNeil than a roomful of fake Remingtons.
Sculptors have long tried to capture tension in their works, with varied success. Remington's goal was in part to get all four hooves off the ground at once. Not all sculpture needs be contemplative or gentle in nature, nor is it. The entire spectrum of the human experience is fair game, in my opinion. It should just be well done. I get tired of seeing "good enough" work. Bronzes showing the artists' poor understanding of proportion, poor execution of a pose, even those well executed but capturing a hackneyed narrative seem to abound on the market. That's why I gravitate towards the Beaux Arts era and those who adhered to the techniques and ideals of those times. Mac had a clear eye for proportion and space and a deft hand at expression while working with narratives that were often unique, especially for his time. That's a good part of why I've pursued his works.
MacNeil is still highly respected among those who appreciate fine art sculpture and even among coin collectors. If he wasn't, his sculptures would sell for very little. Even the obscure of Mac's works still fetch premium money. As an owner of a few of Mac's endeavors, as well as the works of other artists of the period, I can happily say that those who don't take the time to appreciate and understand representational sculpture are missing out on a whole lot.
Great perspectives, thanks. I agree with it all. I'm no fan of Brutalism, either, but I'm a big fan of Beaux Arts and Impressionists. The Clark has one of the best collections of Impressionist art in the world, but it is a tiny and less well known museum. Among all the other amazing art they have an interesting and unique inkwell sculpture by Sarah Bernhardt that she called a self portrait. It's not my favorite, but it's interesting.
ReplyDeleteLouis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright were very much influenced by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson said "The health of the eye demands a horizon. The eye never tires when it can see far enough". Seems pretty evident that it informed Wright's Prairie School obsession with the horizontal line ... the longer the better. You also mentioned that perhaps Wright took some Prairie inspiration from MacNeil. I can see that connection. I love Wright's Prairie work more than anything else he did (except maybe Fallingwater).
I'm also a big fan of Emerson. He wrote an essay on the definition of Beauty. He said it must embody 3 fundamental elements: Nature, Virtue, and Intellect. The essay is great if you get a chance to read it. As you pointed out, some of what's called art seems lazy. It can embody inspiration and uniqueness, and it may challenge the viewer, but the real nature of what Emerson would call Intellect is lacking, never mind Virtue. Like the symbolism of Lincoln's hands in the French memorial, there's an aspect of intellect applied that's lost on the vast majority of today's audience, unfortunately.
I admire and appreciate many works of great art, but that doesn't mean I'd want them in my house. It sounds like you have quite a collection. I'm selective and only want works that I find beautiful and create that sense of repose. One of the founders of Arts & Crafts (William Morris) said: "if it's not beautiful or useful, you shouldn't have it in your house". I have a small number of valuable works of art, but I only buy things I find truly beautiful (it's subjective, I know). I don't care if they are valuable or have a provenance. MacNeil's Indians (and many other works) all meet Emerson's definition of beauty. His work is incredible to me.
While I'm not one to openly disagree with Emerson, I find I must. There are plenty of "beautiful idiots" out there. Beauty is beheld first by the senses, not the intellect. It's a knee-jerk determination based on a feeling, and feelings often fly directly in the face of reason. Uniqueness is a factor of Nature. Even down to our DNA everything living is unique, except for twins and other multiple identical births. So, in my eyes, saying something beautiful is unique pretty much goes without saying, unless one is talking about a mechanical reproduction like a print or such. Bronzes, because of the intense multi-step process of creation which takes the hands-on work of many skilled craftsmen and artists to create collaboratively, tend to come out of the foundry with small differences in each casting. The sharp-eyed and detail oriented can pick them right out.
DeleteAs for having lesser works in the house, I don't mind if they're not up to my standards of Great Beauty, as long as they're attractive and have a narrative, even if it's just its history. The vast majority of my collection was purchased on a very affordable level. While I'd have loved to snap up the majority of the Wolf Family Collection, for instance, i simply can't afford it. I'm a medically retired mechanic and clockmaker on disability. I buy with what little money I have left over after my bills are paid. I put in low bids then watch to see if I get lucky. I'm very fortunate that I have won so many amazing works so many times. Some people go to movies, some travel, some buy a nice car or a big house. I live with family and drive an antique Jeep that I fix myself with mostly used parts when it breaks. I've often skipped meals to afford even the tiniest of art pieces. With my priorities aimed at collecting, I've managed to build a pretty nice collection, if I do say so. I really enjoy decorating the space where I spend so much time with paintings and bronzes. It's like having my own museum, one chock full of things I like looking at. If I want to see something different, I rearrange them. That's how new insights are typically gleaned from the works, as with Primitive Chant. Did you see my post on that? I still get a jolt when I see it. ;<)
Ha! Beautiful Idiots. I agree with you but I don't think you're really disagreeing with Emerson. His point was more that beauty embodies Nature (it must be natural and not forced), Virtue (it needs to be pure and free of guise or artificiality) and Intellect (it requires significant thought). Then again, this is perilously close to debating the definition of art, which is either a win-win a lose-lose, or both so I'll stop there.
DeleteI'm a retired engineer and hobbyist watchmaker so it's kind of remarkable that our aptitudes and interests are so aligned! I haven't spent a lot of time (or money) collecting art, but something about sculpture really grabs me. I'd rather have one nice sculpture than 20 masterpiece paintings. My wife has always loved paintings, especially the Dutch Masters.
I did read your piece about Primitive Chant. I enjoyed it and agree that there's something new to look at every time. It's such a beautiful piece and you are truly lucky to have it.
Andrew Walker's essay about The Sun Vow was, in part, about MacNeil evolving from his assigned mission by Edward Ayers to document the lifestyle of the Pueblo Indians to creating more holistic works that have appeal as timeless works. Ayers was concerned as a "scientist" that the anthropology of the Indians needed to be recorded. MacNeil, especially after being in Rome, realized that he didn't want his works to be documentary but more universally reflective of human truth. I also think that'e why MacNeil altered the way he talked about The Sun Vow as he got older. He didn't want it stuck in time, but timelessly accessible . Perhaps this is also why he changed the name of Early Toil. Makes a lot of sense.
I'm more of the opinion that FLW gained more inspiration from the Brulé Sioux at Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show next door to the plaster pastiche Greek Revival Columbian Expo than from any one person or artist. It's well known that FLW took an instant dislike to the White City. He felt that the architectural direction should have been new and completely American, not a reflection of ancient European standards. When I picture it in my head, there's FLW entering the White City with the war whoops and yee-haws of the Wild West Show in his ears. All he had to do was turn his head a bit to find a truly American vernacular right next door. While he skipped building cement tipis (and a thank you to FLW for that), he clearly took inspiration from the painted decorations on them. Throw in some kindergarten toy Froebel Gifts and I'm certain that's how his Prairie Style began.
DeleteI think that FLW's acquaintance with other artists who had similar thoughts, like MacNeil, only served to reinforce his decision to pursue his new direction in architecture. Being pals with the artists at the Expo would have gained him access to the behind-the-scenes of not only the Expo but also to the Indian village next door, where the artists hung out during their lunch breaks. FLW would have seen the sculptors at work with plaster, making repairs and amazing art by slathering around wet dust. I think that's why he leaned so heavily on creating organic shapes with concrete, too.
Actually, my limited budget helps with the selectiveness. I also don’t mind getting a deal due to changing tastes. If I like something that’s not quite in style, so much the better especially if it means a sale price!
ReplyDeleteAmen!
DeleteI think I've resolved my question regarding the date of original creation of Early Toil. Edward Ayer's estate was auctioned off in 1934 and among the items was a two MacNeil plaster sculptures which were also depicted in the portrait of Ayer by his nephew. The two sculptures included Early Toil and Nay-u-chi (who was also painted by Charles Francis Browne). There is no mistaking Early Toil as it looks identical to the plaster version in the Frank Lloyd Wright dining room photo. But, here's where it gets interesting to me. The provenance of the plaster sculpture at the estate sale refers back to an 1895 Chicago Art Institute exhibition. In the catalog for that exhibition, the sculpture by MacNeil is called "Water Carrier, Zuni". So, I'm not sure when MacNeil would have added the words Early Toil to the sculpture (maybe they were there from the beginning?), but the sculpture was originally called Water Carrier and was modeled in 1895. There are six works in the 1895 exhibition and it says they were modeled in Arizona and New Mexico earlier that year. Among them is Water Carrier, Mother and Papoose, and Nai-u-Chi. Some questions can be resolved with enough digging.
ReplyDeleteThere ya go! That makes a lot of sense. From what I gathered, I've always had the impression that MacNeil had finished his "Indian period" while in Rome (and a year in Paris, ooh la la). As far as I'm aware, his last sculpture of Black Pipe was the kneeling version of Primitive Chant, which he sent to Baltimore from Rome as proof of work for the Prix de Rome scholarship. That statue was "smashed to bits" in the 1960's when the school needed more room, though several pictures of it still exist. It seems that he left several of his models at RBW - when the foundry stock was auctioned off in 1984, the plaster model of Primitive Chant went on the block. I have that auction catalogue. I think Mac came back with a young family (daughter Joie was born in Paris) and a strong desire to make a serious living from sculpture. He once told his protegé Joseph Lorkowski Boulton that his student would never get rich doing sculpture, but if he applied himself he could raise a family on his income. Mac showed his Chicago era sculptures at art shows throughout the nation along with his more recent works, but I haven't noticed any "new" Indian pieces in the mix. I might be wrong, but Mac seemed focused more on commissions after he moved to NY.
Delete"Primitive Chant To The Great Spirit" was originally called "Primitive Indian Music." I'm not surprised that "Water Carrier - Zuni" became the more inspired "Early Toil." A good title can do much to elevate a sculpture. :<)
Ha! My bad. MacNeil DID sculpt Indians after his time in Chicago. I'd forgotten. "Physical Liberty" at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904 and a few others come to mind. What would be more accurate would be to say that he didn't focus on that subject matter.
DeleteTrue, but MacNeil didn’t do much modeling of Indians after his move to College Point. He did, however, exhibit his earlier Indian pieces and sold them often. I’ve heard RBW did serialize some of the runs.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, I went back and looked at Frank Lloyd Wright’s autobiography and he actually mentions Hermon MacNeil. It was when he and Cecil Corwin shared an office in the Schiller Bldg in 1893. He said they had several MacNeil Indian statuettes decorating the office. They must have met!
I'm certain they met and I'm sure MacNeil and Wright knew each other in Chicago. Wright's running off with Mamah Cheney burned a lot of bridges for Wright, and it wouldn't surprise me if Mac's friendship was one of them. From what I've seen, RBW did serialize a few of his Indian statues, but that was right around the time of his death at the direction of his wife and son. I think it was to make sure that everyone who wanted a piece had a last chance to buy one. We know what happened to the rest of his work! They built very expensive condos on the old town refuse pit...
DeleteMaybe you can help. I noticed you mentioned the RBW records a few times. Where do you find them. I looked at the online archives at the Amon Carter Museum, but I can only see Client Cards and I don't see a for MacNeil. I think I need to find the early ledgers in an attempt to discover how many casts of Early Toil would have been executed in the years 1902 - 1920 (or so). Any advice? Thx!
ReplyDeleteThe early records of Roman Bronze Works were mostly burned in a fire. The Amon Carter Museum has what is extant, to date. If their online finding aid isn't bringing the info, the best bet would be to contact the Museum's curator of the archive. They were very helpful with all of my requests. Sadly, while we can learn how much a client spent at the foundry in those early days, what survived was the ledger, and only sporadically was it mentioned in there just what they were paying for. Should anyone happen to find the lost paperwork, well, they'd have a real treasure on their hands! Seeing as it has been presumed burned to ash for over a century, we are left making educated guesses. James Haas would have the best idea of how many copies could be estimated to have been cast by RBW. His research into MacNeil is deep, grand in breadth and impeccable.
DeleteI've only seen one bronze copy of Early Toil come up for sale, and that one twice went on the block. It was said to have come out of a NY estate and had been cast by RBW. It's a rare piece.
What I would love to find are the books from the Winslow Brothers Foundry. That company wound down their business by the end of the 1920's. I can only assume that their paperwork was not deemed important enough to preserve and perhaps had some sensitive information (pricing structure, deals given, etc.). Alas...
I might need to buy Rosenfeld's book. I don't have it yet.
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