Late 19th Century "Kitten," by American Impressionist Agnes Augusta Bartlett Brown (1847-1932)

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American Impressionist Augusta Bartlett Brown (1847-1932) was known for her floral works, and in particular, her paintings of cats. In … Read more American Impressionist Augusta Bartlett Brown (1847-1932) was known for her floral works, and in particular, her paintings of cats. In "Kitten," Brown depicts a Tuxedo cat drinking a bowl of milk. The white face and paws of an otherwise black cat are echoed in the white bowl while a red curtain adds a dramatic pop of color to the scene. Painted in oil on board, the painting measures 10 x 14 inches and is signed at the lower left. The work is fitted in a period appropriate frame and ready to hang.

Agnes Augusta Bartlett Brown (also Bartlet) was born and raised in Newburyport, Massachusetts to Louisa S. and Edmund Bartlett. Her paternal grandfather, William Bartlet, was a prominent Newburyport resident and ship owner. Brown was educated at the Newburyport Female Highschool. In the summer of 1874, she married artist John Appleton Brown. Prior to their marriage, Agnes was already well-known as an artist in Boston. Her work was included in a sale at Leonard’s along with her soon to be husband, and artists including Frank Shapleigh, and Helen M. Knowlton. Following their marriage the couple traveled to France to study the Barbizon painting of Camille Corot (1796-1875).

In 1879, Agnes contributed a work entitled "Kitten," to the exhibition of the Boston Art Club and the Boston Society of Architects at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In the same exhibit, her husband exhibited four landscape works. The couple worked from their studios at 3 Beacon Street and during the 1880’s and 1890’s, exhibited their work in a joint exhibition each spring at Doll & Richards Gallery in Boston.

In 1885, the Browns spent the summer sketching abroad. At the Brown’s annual exhibition in 1889, Agnes contributed 14 works including landscapes, floral still lifes, and a portrait of a kitten. Agnes’s patrons included the novelist Sarah Orne Jewett who purchased a work by the artist in 1890. In a letter of thanks, Jewett wrote, “I care very much for your beautiful work, and I wish that I could give you half so much pleasure with mine.”

In the 1890’s, the Browns spent their winters in New York and returned to New England for the summer months. They spent several summers sketching on the Isle of Shoals. In 1897, they spent the summer in the cottage of the late poet, Celia Thaxter. They returned in 1900 and spent the summer sketching with artist Childe Hassam. In 1894, the Boston Evening Transcript lauded the Browns annual exhibition and declared, “Mrs. Brown has never made a better exhibition than that of this spring.” Her subjects included landscapes, winter scenes, and a picture of a sleeping kitten in a basket entitled "Contentment." In 1896, Agnes was again lauded for her works including "Spring," "An August Morning", "Kitten," and "October." The Boston Evening Transcript said, “Mrs. Brown’s work resembles that of her husband, as is natural enough, and it differs from it, as is inevitable; but it is very good work, and in certain respects it is equal to Mr. Brown’s.”

Following the death of her husband in 1902, Agnes returned to live in Newburyport. In 1926, her estate and several nearby properties became a sanctuary for birds with the assistance of a warden. Agnes Augusta Barrett Brown died in 1932. See less