NorcrossVivaldi

A detailed Summary of NorcrossVivaldi

The Fitchburg Art Museum is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary. For the first time in this museum's history, there is a gallery reflecting it's founder's passions. The art that is now on exhibit is that of Eleanor Norcross. These pieces are from Norcross's own collection and long term loans from museums and private collections. This is one of the exhibits that launches a look at pioneering American artists of the 19th century. Norcross's exhibit is titled, " Norcross: Character is Everything." Other permanent exhibits at the Fitchburg Art Museum are that of; Egyptian art and artifacts, European and American paintings and graphics, decorative art, and contemporary American and regional artists.

The selections of paintings shown at the Fitchburg exhibit are only a small portion of her entire collection. After her father died in 1898, she had always wished of establishing an art museum in Fitchburg. She began exhibiting her work in the spring of 1886, when she showed a portrait of her father in the National Academy of design in New York, as well as in a Paris salon. She continued to show fairly regularly after that. She displayed her work mostly in French exhibitions. Until 1905 she painted mainly portraits and views

Alix d'Anethan had the same style as Norcross. She was very detailed with color and shading, her figures appeared very life like. This suggests her ideas of realism. She too, had romantic qualities, but not so much as Norcross. Alix created lines that were well blended, but not as undefined as those of her friend. Alix too, used the ideas of pastels and complementary colors throughout the entire painting. The color scheme that both women painted created a feeling of life and happiness. The children playing in the park during the springtime is an image that would make most audiences feel happy.

She used mostly soft colors throughout the entire painting. Using warm tones against cool tones to add contrast. A pastel green is used to create the shading in the little girl's dress, which is also a use of complementary colors. Whereas red and green complement each other. She used the same idea when painting the little boy. His pastel blue outfit is contrasted by a tan-ish or orange tone, because blue and orange are complementary colors. Along with her soft colors, Norcross uses a very delicate brush stroke, which sets the softness for the entire painting.

While she was living in Washington, she began attending classes at the Art Student League in New York, in either the fall of 1878 or spring of 1879. She spent the winters with her father in Washington and her summers in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. She continued living like this for five years, as she was traveling frequently between Washington, Fitchburg, and New York.

In June of 1883, Norcross made the decision to reside in Paris. In the late fall of 1883, she entered the Paris studio of Alfred Stevens. Stevens was a prominent Belgian-born painter who taught a class for women. She remained a student of Alfred Stevens for two years. As a student of Stevens, she studies with two women with whom she developed lasting friendships with, Geraldine Reed and Barrone Alix d' Anethan. During her early years in Paris, Norcross kept a journal in which she wrote about Steven's classroom comments and discussions, as well as her impressions. In this journal, she wrote,

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Approximate Word count = 1431
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Arts