William Rimmer and William Morris Hunt

"Anahita, Flight of Night" oil and chalk drawing for
Albany State Capitol murals by William Morris Hunt

The relationship between Dr. William Rimmer and William Morris Hunt, both influential artist/teachers in Boston from 1861-1879, was a varied one. Their personal relations were very friendly, but their approach to creating art not the same. Their temperaments, art spheres, and lives were as different as could be. Their methods of teaching conducted their pupils through different paths, although with the intention of arriving at the same goal. 

Rimmer taught that the constructive character of an object was the first thing to learn, and the acquisition of knowledge of the first importance, as the only means of expressing an art sentiment or idea correctly and successfully. The teaching of Hunt made the expression of the essential quality of an object as an artistic effect of the first importance, with the understanding that the knowledge of art, anatomy, perspective, and the rest would follow in the pupil's progress as a conscious necessity.

Like Rimmer, Hunt also had plans for a school of art; and he at length proposed to Dr. Rimmer, some years before he went to Cooper Union Institute, that together they should open such an institution, each giving instruction in whatever branches he felt his attainments best suited. Of this first proposal, however, nothing came. After the sculptor's return from New York in 1870, Mr. Hunt renewed his proposal; but Rimmer did not feel hopeful of its success. Beyond Mr. Hunt's ardent attempts to persuade Rimmer, nothing resulted, and it was soon forgotten. 

In the mid-1860s, Dr. Rimmer posed for the hands in Hunt's large portrait of Lincoln (which was burned in the great fire in Boston). Some years later when Hunt was considering the decoration of two large stone panels in the New York State Capitol, he thought that if he could secure the assistance of Dr. Rimmer and an architect in Boston, he should be able to finish the work in the required time. He visited Dr. Rimmer to consult about the project, inviting him to visit his studio to look over his sketches of the proposed paintings and criticize them.  Rimmer's conclusion after trying to do this was to tell Hunt that all he could do for him was simply to reproduce the designs after their composition had been definitely decided upon.

The artists parted with the conviction that there could be no community of art work between them. For the time that Dr. Rimmer spent in these conferences and visits, Mr. Hunt paid him one hundred dollars."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.) 

William Rimmer: His Boston Academy

"Master Builder" by William Rimmer

"The project of founding a school which should embody and carry into operation his principles and methods of art instruction had been the strongest desire of Dr. William Rimmer's life; and although with the failure of his plans at the Cooper Institute he seemed to abandon all hope of a full realization of this, he still made one more attempt in Boston.

He sent out the following circular to advertise [excerpted]:

'Dr. Rimmer, having withdrawn from the directorship of his School of Design in New York (an office held by him for the last four years), desires respectfully to inform his friends and the public, that he will resume his classes in Boston, at Hall No. 21 (for the present Wesleyan Association Building, Bromfield Street. Class days, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from ten to twelve, A.M.

Dr. Rimmer solicits attention to the fact, that this is the only school in the country in which art anatomy in connection with sculpture and painting, and ethnology in its relations to art, are taught. In returning to Boston, he does so with the intention of making such a school as shall supply to the art student all that mere instruction can give.

Terms, ten dollars per month, payable in advance...'

Dr. Rimmer's class opened with twenty pupils; and from this time until its close, the autumn of 1876, the average attendance was about the same. Perhaps the most interesting experience of the artist in this connection was with his children's class. He was very fond of children. 'We live our lives over again in our children,' he wrote to his daughter, 'and must enter into all their joys and sorrows as our own.' His desire to start them correctly and intelligently in drawing and the practice of art shows one of his most delightful characteristics. Even in this class the doctor insisted upon the attempt to express an idea, in preference to exactitude in copying, and the doctor noted that the children were 'fairly wild with enthusiasm' with what they were learning to do under his instruction."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.) 

William Rimmer: Conflict at Cooper Union

"Evening, the Fall of Day" by William Rimmer

"Dr. William Rimmer remained in charge of the art department at Cooper Union until the close of the term ending June 1, 1870. For the first two years matters went on well, and the school assumed an importance perceptibly felt in the community, but during the last year or two it became evident to the trustees that still greater progress was necessary, and that the school must be re-organized.

There were two elements in Dr. Rimmer's system which must inevitably prove irreconcilable. These were the single personal government, as represented by its director, and the impossibility of his properly attending to the necessities of each pupil. It was also felt that he did not follow with sufficient care the original intention of the school, which was to instruct in industrial, rather than fine art. The young women were required to execute large and elaborate compositions in painting and sculpture, more from knowledge than from an intimate and constant reference to nature.

On Rimmer's return to the school in the autumn, to resume, as he thought, his old position, he found the re-organization of the school to be an accomplished fact. A lady had been appointed to take charge of the business portion of Dr. Rimmer's former duties, he being invited to the position of lecturer on anatomy and the principles of art. His work was to occupy two hours of each day, and his salary to be two thousand dollars a year. For this sum the doctor could not think of remaining in New York, and the offer was finally increased to three thousand dollars for three hours of daily work.

He tried to overlook what he considered a humiliation, and to consider favorably the offer of three thousand dollars. He also made an effort to secure pupils for a private class, that his income might be sufficient for the needs of his family. This last was, however, not practicable, and the first was impossible. His sensitive nature and his artistic pride had received too severe a shock. He declined the offer, and returned to Boston, where he began preparations for opening a private school."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.) 

William Rimmer: Cooper Union School of Design

View of an aisle in Cooper Union
School of Design for Women

"In 1866 Dr. Rimmer was invited by one of his pupils, a lady, to visit New York, and while there gave a lecture that greatly impressed those in attendance, including the Hon. Peter Cooper, the founder of the institute which bears his name. A movement was immediately inaugurated to induce Rimmer to come to New York as a lecturer and Mr. Cooper offered the use of a room in the institute, and Dr. Rimmer delivered a few lectures there.

These gave so much satisfaction that the trustees of the School of Design for Women, one of the art departments of the Cooper Institute, invited Dr. Rimmer to become its director and chief instructor. It was thought by the trustees that if a capable artist was placed at its head, with full power of direction and supervision, the success of the school would be more certain. Dr. Rimmer accepted the invitation at a salary of three thousand dollars a year, with the understanding that he should procure whatever assistance he might need in the way of instructors, and pay them out of this sum. He had at length an opportunity to carry out freely his ideas concerning art education.

The principal and philanthropic object of the school was the education of young women in the various industrial arts, in order that they might become self-supporting. The comprehensive and varied program he undertook to carry out in a school numbering from one hundred to two hundred pupils, without any professional assistance except that given by the more advanced students and those who were preparing to become teachers. The majority of the pupils were under twenty years of age. Some of them had followed their instructor from Boston, and there were constantly more applicants than could be accommodated. School hours were from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. daily, Saturdays excepted, with an hour lecture from noon - 1 p.m.

The School of Design soon gained a worthy public distinction. Distinguished educators from different parts of this country and Europe visited it, and were warm in their praise of the great work it was accomplishing in art education. Its pupils went tot all parts of the country as teachers. Others became distinguished as artists. Every thing which the fertile brain of its director could imagine for the benefit of his classes was done. To all intents and purposes the school was his own, the pupils being to him as his own children, their success occupying all his thought."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.)

William Rimmer: Head of a Private Art School, Boston

"The Call to Arms" by William Rimmer

"The success of Dr. William Rimmer's lectures at the Lowell Institute had given rise to the hope that he might be permanently retained there, and a strong effort was made to secure the establishment of a school of art as a branch of the institution. This project failing, the male artists who had attended his lectures showed their grateful appreciation of his labors by the founding of a private art school, at the head of which he was placed. Col. E.C. Cabot, the architect, raised the sum of two thousand dollars with which to equip a schoolroom, and the following circular was issued on February 10, 1864.

'It is proposed to establish a school of drawing and modelling for artists and amateurs of both sexes, under the direction of Dr. William Rimmer.

There is now no place in New England where these studies can be pursued, and the talent which undoubtedly exists in the community either lies undeveloped, or exhibits a narrow and imperfect growth under imperfect discipline. Those persons who cannot avail themselves of foreign teaching are absolutely without the opportunities which experience has shown to be indispensable to a healthy school of art. To establish such a school, abundant facilities for study, both from life and from the antique, an organized system of classes and lectures, and eminent knowledge and skill on the part of the instructor, are essential requisites... This enterprise would not now be undertaken, were it not for the favorable opportunity which Dr. Rimmer's singular qualifications afford. It is believed by persons most competent to judge, that a better professor of anatomy in its relations to art does not exist. 

It is desirable, in order to facilitate the organization of the school, that persons wishing to join it should signify their intention to do so as soon as possible. This may be done, or further information obtained, by addressing a letter to Dr. Rimmer, at No. 54 Studio Building, Tremont Street, or by personal application to him there, between the hours of eleven and twelve any Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday.'

The school opened with thirty-nine pupils, and continued with varying fortunes until the spring of 1866, just two years later, when Dr. Rimmer moved to New York. It was his custom to give lectures on Saturday evening to those who were unable to pay the regular fees. He also taught many private pupils, his terms being a dollar an hour, and upon several occasions he lectured to Mrs. Ednah D. Cheney's ladies' class."

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.)

William Rimmer: Lectures

"Interior, Before the Picture"
by William Rimmer

"The interest in Dr. William Rimmer's lectures and his work increased rapidly, and a petition was sent to the authorities of the Lowell Institute, asking that he should be invited to give a course of lectures there. The petition was favorably received, and the course begun Oct. 14, 1863. The hall was so crowded at these lectures that he delivered an extra series in the afternoon for ladies, that the regular evenings might be given up to gentlemen exclusively. At his suggestion a class was formed, including most of the artists, draughtsmen and architects in Boston, for the purpose of drawing from casts at the Boston Athenaeum, the doctor directing and criticizing their work without charge.

The public interest resulted in his giving for the thousand dollars paid him for his Lowell Institute course of ten lectures, about five times the work expected. His work was very much appreciated as this letter from his class for women testifies:

Dear Sir, We, the pupils of the Ladies' Class in Art Anatomy of the Lowell Institute, cannot close our lessons with you for the winter without expressing our deep sense of gratitude for the valuable instruction you have given us. Not restricting yourself to the hours engaged by the Lowell Institute, you have given up your time and strength to extra lessons in the class and at the Athenaeum, which have increased many-fold the worth of the regular instruction... By offering to women the same instruction and the same thorough training as to men, you have taken an important practical step in opening to them wider resources of intellectual and aesthetic culture, as well as remunerative industry. We cannot hope to repay you fully for what you have done for us; but we ask you to accept this collection of the great works of the poets of our mother tongue, as a proof of our respectful and grateful remembrance of your services. 

We hope they will solace many a weary hour, and pleasantly remind you of the hours spent with your first public class in Boston... We remain your attached and grateful pupils.

Ednah Cheney, and Fifty Others

In Rimmer's response to their sentiment and gift, he expressed his firm belief in the abilities of women to excel:

Ladies... I have indeed, as you say, given the same instruction to women as to men, because I believed and still believe that art intellectually is as independent of sex as thought itself. And hence, believing that art ability is the same in women as men, I saw no reason why the same knowledge should not be conferred upon the one as well as the other..."

It is interesting that there were a significant number of excellent women artists from Boston at this time. Ellen Day Hale, Anne Whitney (sculptor) and May Alcott Nieriker (artist) were among those who had attended his lectures. I also wonder if his example had laid the groundwork for William Morris Hunt's art class for women (forty of them who had asked him for such) just five years later in 1868. 

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.)
 

William Rimmer: Instructor on Anatomy

The muscles of the back
from "Art Anatomy" by William Rimmer

"The most important result of the production of the 'St. Stephen' and 'The Falling Gladiator' was the interest which these works excited in Boston, and which led to the sculptor's being invited to the city to give lectures and instruction in art anatomy. Mr. Stephen Perkins and other prominent gentlemen united cordially in this invitation, yet Dr. Rimmer considered it with much hesitancy and misgiving. However, with the welfare of his family as his principal thought, he accepted the invitation.

On November 1, 1861, Dr. Rimmer began his lectures in room No. 55 of Studio Building. They were attended by old and young of all classes and both sexes, by artists who wished to learn, by literary people who came to enjoy an intellectual feast, and by physicians and other professionals who were delighted to see the human figure delineated and its art functions explained. No man had ever appeared in Boston who exhibited such knowledge, such facility in drawing every part of the figure, both in its details and in its composite character. 

His method of teaching was new. He drew in chalk upon a blackboard every bone and muscle with which the artist needed to be acquainted; first as an independent fact, and then in its relations to the formation of the complete figure. Each member of the body was next drawn, to illustrate its principal physical movements, actions, and purposes, and finally the entire figure was similarly illustrated. As soon as an object was drawn on the blackboard, the pupil was expected to copy it in his sketchbook, writing down the observations made in relation to it. While this was being done, the doctor went about among the pupils, giving hints and explanations. 

As soon as the pupil had attained proficiency, he was required to sketch upon the blackboard the exercises previously studied, to be criticized by the master and other pupils. The delineations were followed by the use of the skeleton and living models, Dr. Rimmer often taking from the audience some person as an illustration of the type of character under consideration."

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.)