Frank (Francis) Crawford Penfold (1849–1921) was an American artist and teacher, remembered for his genre, landscape and portrait paintings, many of which he completed while living in

Pont-Aven Pont-Aven (, Breton: 'River Bridge') is a commune in the Finistère department in the Brittany region in Northwestern France. In 2019, it had a population of 2,821. Demographics Inhabitants of Pont-Aven are called ''Pontavenistes'' in French ...

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...

.Mark Strong, "Frank Crawford Penfold"
''Meibohm Fine Arts''. Retrieved 15 May 2012.

Biography

Son of the English-born American painter William Penfold (1827–1875), he was brought up in Lockport, New York. Although his father wanted him to become an engraver, his talent for painting was noticed at school. Thereafter his father instructed him in portraiture and other styles of painting. In 1875, Penfold successfully presented two paintings at the Buffalo Society of Artists exhibition: ''Summer Rambles'' and ''The Kitchen Door''. In 1877, he decided to continue his studies in France where he arrived in 1877. He settled in

, Brittany, where he taught some of those who belonged to the growing colony of artists. His painting ''Death of the First Born'' or ''La Mort du nouveau-né'', exhibited at the

Paris Salon The Salon (french: Salon), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art ...

in 1882, enjoyed considerable success. It was only the second work by an American to be purchased by the State, the first being ''Le Retour'' by

Henry Mosler Henry Mosler (June 6, 1841 – April 21, 1920) was a German-born painter who documented American life, including colonial themes, Civil War illustrations, and portraits of men and women of society. Early life He was born in Tropplowitz, Siles ...

in 1879. In 1884, he attended the

Académie Julian The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number a ...

in Paris. He spent most of the remainder of his life in Pont-Aven but returned for short stays in Buffalo where he exhibited, often at the Albright Art Gallery, selling many of his paintings there. He also continued to exhibit at the Paris Salons as well as at other American galleries including the

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryl ...

. Penfold became an influential figure in Buffalo, occasionally teaching at the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy. In 1896, he became president of the Buffalo Society of Artists in 1896."Breton Gallery"
''Milmo-Penny Fine Art''. Retrieved 16 May 2012. we owe him in 1882 a drawing of the interior of the Inn " La Mère Gloanec" (Marie Jeanne Gloanec 1839-1915) Pont-Aven In 1921, his wife died on 2 May. Distraught over her death, Penfold committed suicide by drowning in Concarneau, Brittany. His daughter, Jane Green Penfold, born in 1893, also became an artist.

References

Bibliography

{{DEFAULTSORT:Penfold, France 1849 births 1921 deaths 19th-century American painters 19th-century American male artists 20th-century American painters American male painters American Orientalist painters People from Lockport, New York Pont-Aven painters Post-impressionist painters 1921 suicides Suicides by drowning in France 20th-century American male artists

Biography

See also

References

Bibliography