About the Artist

Richardson, born in Boston, entered the formal art world in his late twenties. His early exposure was to drafting and architectural drawing, skills that underlie his technique as an artist. In the 1870’s and 80’s while working as a civil engineer and later in the banking industry, he enrolled as a student of Helen Knowlton and William Morris Hunt, the Barbizon style painter. At the age of 27 upon the death of his parents, he made a full commitment to art, sailing to Europe in December 1886 to study at the Academie Julien. He spent the next fourteen years exploring and painting scenes of France, Holland, Spain, and North Africa. As many artists did, he returned to the United States periodically to sell and display his work. Richardson entered the annual French Salon competition in 1889-1890 and in 1894-1900 with portraits, genre paintings, and landscapes. Most of these works were in oil, but he submitted at least two pastels.

Chronology

1859 Born on July 4 in Boston, MA
1870’s Graduates Roxbury Latin High School, pursues a career in civil engineering, but studies art with Alice Knowlton and William Morris Hunt
1886 In December, sails for Liverpool on way to Paris
1887 Enrolls at Academie Julian, student there for next decade in ateliers of Boulanger, Doucet, Lefebvre, J.P. Laurens, and Constant
1889-1900 Exhibits at Salon 1889, 1890, 1894-1899 / Les Rougets, 1896 / Makes several trips between New England and France / Maintains studios in Boston when in America / Has studio in same building in Paris with Henry Kenyon and Arthur Dow at 9 Impasse du Maine (now Rue Antoine Bourdelle) and across the street from his contemporary Antoine Bourdelle’s studio, now the Musée Bourdelle.
1890-91 Travels to Spain, Italy, and North Africa with Colin Campbell Cooper
1891 Exhibits The Widow and Concarneau Moonlight at the Boston Art Club
1893 Marries Frances Hill – begins to spend summers at a small coastal French village near Holland (Etaples) where he finds new inspiration from the local fisher folk at work
1890’s Comes to Ipswich for the first time; exhibits at the Paris Salon (Les Rougets, Flight into Egypt, Mere et Enfant) (daughter Eleonore born in 1896)
1894 Exhibits The Bathers at Salon
1899 Receives Honorable Mention at Salon for A Summer Evening – Etaples
1900 Son Jerome born.
1900’s Returns to United States permanently / Maintains studios in Boston and Ipswich, continues to exhibit at National Academy of Design, Pennsylvania Academy, American Water Color Society, Art Institute of Chicago, Salamagundi Club, Corcoran Gallery, Detroit Museum of Art, and other venues.
1902 Buys land, he and his wife hire architect Ralph Adams Cram to design an Arts & Crafts house in Ipswich / Receives Philadelphia Art Society medal for Hauling Seaweed
1903 Boston Art Club Purchase Prize
1926-30 Exhibits at Gloucester Society of Artists, Golden Autumn 1926, Pool in the Woods 1927, Shrimp Fisherwoman (also Shrimp Woman) 1930
1927-28 Exhibits at North Shore Art Association, Gloucester
1934 Dies suddenly in Ipswich on April 17