Frank W. Benson: Guild of Boston Artists

"Canoes and Men Poling a River" by Frank W. Benson

"In the summer of 1914 at North Haven, Frank W. Benson received numerous letters from fellow Boston artists keeping him up to date on the progress of the newly formed Guild of Boston Artists. For the past year, the local newspapers had been rumbling indignantly with stories of Bostonians being slighted by various exhibitions. Together, the city's artists had submitted nearly 250 canvasses to the jury of the prestigious Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts for its annual exhibition, yet only twenty-three had been chosen. Few Boston artists were accepted for the annual shows at the National Academy or the Philadelphia Academy of Design. Accusations were hurled and emotions ran high.

Benson, together with six other artist friends decided that, if Bostonians were not getting the exposure they deserved in other cities, they would open their own gallery, one dedicated exclusively to Boston artists. The seven artists quickly began to make plans to purchased and renovate a building on Newbury Street that would serve as a site. Word of the new organization quickly spread in Boston's artistic circles; the membership grew rapidly. As one member later observed, the group decided to emulate the well-established Guilds of Europe where each group of professional workers in the arts tried to 'maintain certain standard of craftsmanship as well as cooperate for their own mutual protection and advancement. The name made an appeal to the organizers because of its association with high professional standards.'

The group agreed to have several general shows each year that would include works of all the members. More than a third of the 42 charter members were women, excellent artists including Lilian Westcott Hale, Lilla Cabot Perry and Gertrude Fiske. These were to be interspersed with various one-man shows, highlighting the works of an individual artist for a fortnight. The inaugural exhibition of the Guild of Boston Artists was a resounding success.

To be continued

(Excerpts from "The Sporting Art of Frank W. Benson" by Faith Andrews Bedford.)