Charles Sprague Pearce: Success Despite Illness

"The Beheading of John the Baptist"
by Charles Sprague Pearce

"Upon Charles Pearce Sprague's return to Paris, the hemorrhage which had before been such an obstacle to his ambition again became troublesome, and this time, as winter drew on, he had to betake himself to Algiers. For several succeeding years he followed a similar mode of life - working in Paris while the climate permitted and in the winter journey to Mentone, or Nice, or San Rafael, or some other southern sanitarium. He, besides, found it often impossible in Paris, even in quite mild weather, to stand the close atmosphere, the draughts and other physical inconveniences of the school, and, finally, he was obliged to confine his studies to his own studio, where M. Bonnat, a generous and warm-hearted man, visited him frequently to criticize and encourage.

Under all these difficulties, and while hampered by painful and alarming interruptions, Mr. Pearce soon managed to attract public notice to his work. It gained him a valuable commission which brought him to England to paint the portraits of Lord and Lady Harris. He received the 'Mention Honorable' of the Paris Salon for his 'Decapitation of St. John the Baptist,' in 1881. To this painting was also awarded the highest prize of the Pennsylvania Academy of Arts for the best figure painting in 1881 and was also purchased by the Chicago Art Institute [apparently 'now lost']. 

The work upon this picture was interrupted and delayed nearly a year by a recurrence of his malady, which exiled him from his studio. His family feel indebted for his life and his subsequent successes to the affectionate care and nursing during this period of illness of his friend and brother artist, E. H. Blashfield."

To be continued

("Prelude" by Charles Sprague Pearce. Excerpts from "Charles Sprague Pearce," an article from "The Art Amateur, Volume 10.)