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William Fuller Curtis (1873–1938)

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Untitled, frieze By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography and watercolor on wood panel, Library of the Ashfield Historical Society Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, frieze, detail By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography and watercolor on wood panel, Library of the Ashfield Historical Society Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, frieze By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography and watercolor on wood panel, Library of the Ashfield Historical Society Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, frieze, detail By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography and watercolor on wood panel, Library of the Ashfield Historical Society Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, frieze, detail By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography and watercolor on wood panel, Library of the Ashfield Historical Society Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, Fruit Plate By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography on wood plate, Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, Floral geometric with central medallion of three fish By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography and watercolor on wood panel, Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography on wood panel, O'Donnell Collection Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

Untitled, By William Fuller Curtis Pyrography on wood panel, O'Donnell Collection Ashfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Photograph by John P. Lewis, © 1979

The Song of the Tide By William Fuller Curtis, 1897 Pyrography on wood panel, 21-3/4 in. by 18 in. Private Collection Hawaii, U.S.A. Photograph by owner

The Song of the Tide, detail of the right figure By William Fuller Curtis, 1897 Pyrography on wood panel, 21-3/4 in. by 18 in. Private Collection Hawaii, U.S.A. Photograph by owner

The Song of the Tide, detail of the left figure By William Fuller Curtis, 1897 Pyrography on wood panel, 21-3/4 in. by 18 in. Private Collection Hawaii, U.S.A. Photograph by owner

The Song of the Tide, Detail of the signature William Fuller Curtis and date 1897 lower right corner, recto By William Fuller Curtis, 1897 Pyrography on wood panel, 21-3/4 in. by 18 in. Private Collection Hawaii, U.S.A. Photograph by owner

The Song of the Tide, close-up view By William Fuller Curtis, 1897 Pyrography on wood panel, 21-3/4 in. by 18 in. Private Collection Hawaii, U.S.A. Photograph by owner

Monks By William Fuller Curtis Pyroengraving on wood panel in copper repoussé frame, 19.5 in. wide by 37.5 in. tall (framed) Image courtesy of Treadyway Gallery of Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.

Untitled By William Fuller Curtis, 1904 Pyroengraving and carving enhanced with color on wood panel in oak frame 52 in. wide by 12.5 in. tall (unframed) 60 in. wide by 21 in. tall (framed) Image courtesy of Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Untitled, detail By William Fuller Curtis, 1904 Pyroengraving and carving enhanced with color on wood panel in oak frame 52 in. wide by 12.5 in. tall (unframed) 60 in. wide by 21 in. tall (framed) Image courtesy of Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Untitled, detail By William Fuller Curtis, 1904 Pyroengraving and carving enhanced with color on wood panel in oak frame 52 in. wide by 12.5 in. tall (unframed) 60 in. wide by 21 in. tall (framed) Image courtesy of Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Untitled, detail By William Fuller Curtis, 1904 Pyroengraving and carving enhanced with color on wood panel in oak frame 52 in. wide by 12.5 in. tall (unframed) 60 in. wide by 21 in. tall (framed) Image courtesy of Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Untitled, detail By William Fuller Curtis, 1904 Pyroengraving and carving enhanced with color on wood panel in oak frame 52 in. wide by 12.5 in. tall (unframed) 60 in. wide by 21 in. tall (framed) Image courtesy of Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Untitled, detail of signature and date By William Fuller Curtis, 1904 Artist's signature is inscribed around a logo as William Fuller Curtis The date of 1904 A.D. is shown at the top of the logo as AD MCMIV Pyroengraving and carving enhanced with color on wood panel in oak frame 52 in. wide by 12.5 in. tall (unframed) 60 in. wide by 21 in. tall (framed) Image courtesy of Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil By William Fuller Curtis, 1903 Pyrography rendering Digital image adapted from a black-and-white photograph illustration in the 1903 catalogue of the exhibition of the Architectural League of New York

American artist William Fuller Curtis (1873–1938) like J. William Fosdick before him, studied art at the Académie Julian in Paris.

"When Curtis returned to the United States, he specialized in watercolor and pyrography. He worked on a large scale using medieval and Art Nouveau themes but was not afraid to try difficult subjects. For instance he pyrographed a water scene entitled "Sea Fairies" which is allegedly contained in the Cosmos Club collection in Washington, D.C.

Works by Curtis held by the Ashfield, Massachusetts Historical Society demonstrate his drawing and burning skill. Like Fosdick, he liked to gild selected parts of his works for a rich appearance.

A very nice 1909 article entitled WOOD PANELS BY WILLIAM FULLER CURTIS features an illustration of the artist's work Sea Fairies noted by John Lewis.* The article is very well done, includes other works by Curtis, as well, and discusses his style and technique.

The panel shown (in five views above) is called The Song of the Tide according to a penciled inscription on the verso. Also there at the top is a label with the name Thurber on it, as well as the word Chicago below it. There is also a number there and another number penciled in on the upper left hand corner. This panel, done when the artist was 24 years old, has extensive, rich texturing but no gilding or color, as seen in some of his later works.

The narrow tall panel entitled "Monks" shown above was sold in early March of 2008 at auction by the Treadway Gallery of Cincinnati. It was a signed piece but no date was indicated for it.

In contrast to the narrow tall panel of the "Monks," the last work shown above (in six views) is quite narrow and wide. It is also subtly enhanced with color details. It is untitled but signed and dated 1904. This piece was auctioned on March 26, 2008 by Kaminski Auctions of Beverly, Massachusetts.

In a 1902 catalogue of the Architectural League of New York, a work by William Fuller Curtis entitled "The Coming of Night" was cited along with works by eight other pyrographic artists who exhibited at that significant professional event. See the list in the Antique Hall. Unfortunately no images of any of those works are available. ** However, in the following year, his work entitled "Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil" (final image exhibited above) was the only work by any of the artists cited so far in the 1903 catalogue that was found illustrated there.

In the 1903 publication of The International Studio, art critic Charles H. Caffin offered a review of an exhibition that featured the finished pyrographic work of the last image above, which was a rendering or study for that work. Here is Caffin's critique of that work:

"Probably the handsomest exhibition this section was the carved and burnt wood decoration by William Fuller Curtis, representing three draped figures, with the descriptive title, Hear no Evil, See no Evil, Speak no Evil. The long panel was divided into three parts, each containing the head and bust of a woman, with the arms bare and the hands raised as a barrier before the ears, eyes, and lips, respectively. These parts of the design were in a quarter-inch relief with the modelling represented by brown shading; while the background was richly carved in bolder relief, with doves fluttering around the heads, against an interlace of boughs and foliage, dark brown upon a background of dull gold. The conception was original, peculiarly grave and sweet; the design charming in color and in its diversity of richness and delicacy, presenting altogether a decoration of most unusual dignity and charm. I have never seen an example of carved and burnt wood decoration so completely fascinating."

* Newsflash, 24 October 2008: A telephone call to Barbara at the Cosmos Club to ascertain whether they still had the Curtis work entitled "Sea Fairies" confirmed that that work, unfortunately, is no longer in their collection.

** Newsflash, January 2009: Although none of the other works in the above-mentioned catalogue have been found, the E-Museum is pleased to announce that Wm. Fuller Curtis's work entitled "The Coming of Night" is on exhibit here in the E-Museum at the link here.

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If you have either any questions to ask or any information to offer regarding these works or any pyrography works by William Fuller Curtis,
please e-mail the E-Museum Curator.

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