to the Salon of
Gertrude Christian Fosdick (1861–1961)
A Biographical Exhibit Including Her Portrait
and Some of Her Art Works

Back to E-Museum Entrance

Gertrude Christian Fosdick (at about 44 years of age) By Amanda Sewell, 1906 Portrait in oil on canvas 25 in. wide by 30 in. tall Signed A. Brewster Sewell and dated 1906 (lower left corner) Digital image thanks to the owner Robert E. Hill

Virginia, in four views By Gertrude Christian Fosdick Sculpture in bronze Owned by Anthony Cosentino of Trenton, New Jersey Photographs by J. W. Matthews Exhibited here thanks to Robert E. Hill

Gloucester Harbor at Sunset By Gertrude Christian Fosdick Painting is oil on wood panel, measuring 8 in. by 10 in. (image size) Dedicated verso to Robert Hill, as follows: This picture painted by Gertrude C. Fosdick of "Glou- cester Harbor at Sunset" is given to Bobby Hill on his graduation at Annapolis 1952 with love from The Artist.

Untitled By Gertrude Christian Fosdick The landscape painting is oil on canvas panelboard, measuring 8 in. by 10 in. (image size) It is signed G. C. Fosdick in lower left, recto The verso bears dedication to owner and his bride: Congratulations To Bobby & Nancy with Love From Cousin Gertrude. Digital image by owner Robert Hill

Gloucester Harbor By Gertrude Christian Fosdick Painting is oil on canvas panel, measuring 18 in. by 22 in. (image size) Image thanks to owner, Mrs. Emory F. Maxwell of Anthem, Arizona

View 1 of 4: Gloucester Harbor Memorial By Gertrude Christian Fosdick, 1930 Bronze Plaque set in boulder

View 2 of 4: Gloucester Harbor Memorial By Gertrude Christian Fosdick, 1930 Bronze Plaque set in boulder Inscription: STACY ESPLANADE IS THE RESULT OF A WISH CONCEIVED BY HIS PARENTS AND FULFILLED BY THEIR SON GEORGE O. STACY KEENLY ALIVE TO THE BEAUTY OF GLOUCESTER HARBOR HE DESIRED TO BRING TO ITS SHORE CORRESPONDING BEAUTY THIS TABLET IS A LOVING TRIBUTE FROM HIS FRIEND OF THE HAWTHORNE INN 1930

View 3 of 4: Gloucester Harbor Memorial By Gertrude Christian Fosdick, 1930 Bronze Plaque set in boulder Detail of the artist's signature in the lower right corner: GERTRUDE C. FOSDICK

View 4 of 4: Gloucester Harbor Memorial By Gertrude Christian Fosdick, 1930 Bronze Plaque set in boulder Four images thanks to Rebecca Reynolds of Gloucester's NORTH SHORE ARTS ASSOCIATION

Dancing Girl By Gertrude Christian Fosdick Bronze plaque measuring 8-3/8 in. H x 4 in. W x 4-1/4 in. D (21.27 cm x 10.16 cm x 10.80 cm) Image with permission of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Gift of Gertrude Christian Fosdick. © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

It is a very rare privilege to have a firsthand, personal account of events from long ago; nevertheless, that is precisely the good fortune enjoyed by the E-Museum upon making the acquaintance of Mr. Robert E. Hill of Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A., who recounts for us here some of his family history:

"Gertrude Christian and my grandmother were second cousins and contemporaries. That may sound a bit remote, but within the clannish families of Charles City County, Virginia, that was close enough.

Then, my mother and Elizabeth Christian Fosdick [the Fosdicks' daughter born in 1898] were roughly the same age and my mother's middle name was also 'Christian' [she was Aline Christian Hill]. Possibly because of the loss of her own daughter [who did not live near her], Gertrude in the later years developed and held a special fondness for my mother."

All of the art works exhibited here in the E-Museum are part of that history, as well, and it is because of Bob Hill that we can add this part—Gertrude's part— to the J. William Fosdick story. It was already apparent (in Fosdick's Salon No. 3 here in the E-Museum) that this couple worked together as a team.

The first painting exhibited above is listed in the Smithsonian's American Art Inventory. It is a portrait of Gertrude done in 1906 by a well known artist named Amanda Sewell; it is actually the last painting that was given to the Hill family.

Below that are the four pictures of the sculpture "Virginia" also provided by Bob Hill for exhibition here. He notes that they had been sent to him from the owner in New Jersey, Anthony Cosentino.

Following is Bob's account of how the portrait of Gertrude Christian Fosdick by Amanda Sewell and the first two of the landscapes above by Gertrude Christian Fosdick ultimately came into his possession in a very personal way:

"In about 1957, my mother received from Cousin Gertrude the shipment of an unexpected gift of her portrait, dated 1906. It now hangs in my home.... In addition, I have two small landscapes painted by Cousin Gertrude, both inscribed, as gifts at the time of my college graduation and then again as a wedding present."

In addition, thanks to Bob Hill and Emory F. Maxwell, a family member in Arizona who owns the last of the three paintings displayed above, we now have a second view of beautiful Gloucester Harbor by their Cousin Gertrude.

Following the three paintings, in four views above is shown a memorial plaque set in a lone boulder. It is a bronze plaque done by Gertrude Christian Fosdick for the Gloucester Bay Harbor she so loved to paint. From the inscription, it appears it was a commission from the owner of The Hawthorne Inn to honor his friend George O. Stacy, the builder of the Stacy Esplanade.

The exhibit closes with Gertrude Christian Fosdick's sculpture "Dancing Girl" from the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia, for which the E-Museum gratefully acknowledges their Chief Curator Sylvia Yount and Howell W. Perkins, Manager, Department of Photographic Resources, Rights & Reproductions.

Bob Hill never met Elizabeth Christian Fosdick, the daughter of Gertrude Christian and J. William Fosdick; however, Bob does remember that the family called her Christy and always referred to her as 'brilliant and talented'.

By the time Bob first met his Cousin Gertrude, she was already a widow (and eventually outlived her late husband—he was about four years older than she—by more than twenty years). J. William passed away in 1937 at age 79, whereas Gertrude lived until 1961, and was either age 99 or 100 (her year of birth has been found cited as both 1861 and 1862). Following is Bob's recollection of Gertrude as a nonagenarian:

"I first met "Cousin Gertrude" during a visit to New York City with my parents in the summer of 1950. She lived at the Hotel des Artistes on West 67th Street. Later, in 1952, I spent several months in New York and paid several calls. She was a delightful lady, sharp, interesting and witty, and I thoroughly enjoyed her company."

After visiting the E-Museum's Studio exhibit on J. William Fosdick's personal and professional lifestyle, Bob Hill revealed still more insightful memories. The Studio exhibit already has two articles about J. William Fosdick's last studio at the famous Atelier Building in New York City. Bob remembers visiting that very studio in the 1950's and records many interesting details for us.

Therefore, as the E-Museum announces this new Gertrude Christian Fosdick Salon, updates are simultaneously being added to both the STUDIO exhibit, as well as his Salon No. 3, which, from the outset, was always about this artistic, literary, linguistic, talented and industrious couple (and probably the site from where you linked to this one).

* Update, June 2012: A 90th Anniversary Exhibition is planned at the The North Shore Arts Association at 11 Pirates Lane in Gloucester, Massachusetts, from August 16 to September 18, 2012. There will be a reception held there on Sunday, August 19, 2012, from two to four o'clock. Represented there among other artists' works will be works by Gertrude Christian Fosdick, who was one of their founding members. Follow the link to their internet site for additional information.

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If you have either any questions to ask or any additional information to offer regarding this exhibit of Gertrude Christian Fosdick, her portrait, or her art works, please e-mail Robert Hill and the E-Museum Curator.