Early 20th Century Summer Floral Still Life - Zinnias, Delphiniums, Corn Flowers by Volney Richardson

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Early 20th Century Summer Floral Still Life - Zinnias, Delphiniums, Corn Flowers
Substantial and gorgeous early 20th Century still life … Read more Early 20th Century Summer Floral Still Life - Zinnias, Delphiniums, Corn Flowers
Substantial and gorgeous early 20th Century still life of summer flowers in cream bowl with Zinnia, Delphiniums, and Corn Flowers with pink candle by Volney Allan Richardson (American, 1880-1955), circa 1930. Signed upper left corner and on artists label on verso. Presented in vintage wood/gilt frame. Image size: 26"H x 36"W.

Volney Allan Richardson was an artist, painter, illustrator, muralist, decorative painter, teacher and lecturer, primarily known for his paintings of floral still lifes, landscapes, murals, forestscapes, marine/harbor scenes, townscapes, figurative works, portraits, genre-human activity. Richardson typically worked in oil but was known to use watercolors as well.

Volney was born in 1880 in Attica, NY to parents William Duane Richardson (b. 1835-, NY) and Olive Jennett (sometimes listed as Janett, née Barross, b. 1838-, NY), and had an older sister Inez I. Richardson-Kimmel (b. 1860-, NY) and older brother Lee Grant Richardson (b. 1866-, NY). After attending Attica High School, Volney studied at the Buffalo School of Fine Arts at the Albright Art Gallery (now known as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery) in Buffalo, NY, with William Merritt Chase (American, 1849-1916). Other early and private instructors included Frank Vincent DuMond (American, 1865-1951), Charles Webster Hawthorne (American, 1872-1930), George DeForest Brush (American, 1855-1941), Frank Swift Chase (American, 1886-1958), Lucius Wolcott Hitchcock (American, 1868-1942), Howard Pyle (American, 1853-1911), and George Brandt Bridgman (American, 1865-1943). He also studied at the Art Students' League of Buffalo, NY, and the Art Students' League in New York City under Edward Dufner (American, 1872-1957), after winning the New York scholarship in 1905.

For about six years circa 1907-1912, he did illustrations for New York periodicals & books, and was also commissioned to do paintings for the American Lithographic Company. Some of the publications included Ladies' World, McCall's, The People's Home Journal and interior color illustrations for Mary Holland McNeish-Kinkaid's book The Man of Yesterday: A Romance of a Vanishing Race, (1908). Volney had many successful exhibitions including; the Buffalo Society of Artists and at the Albright Art Gallery (now the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), Buffalo, NY, the Art Students' League of Buffalo and NYC, and at the Easy Street Gallery in Nantucket. MA. He was a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists and was a charter member of the first Arts Club of Buffalo. He resided at 346 Woodlawn Avenue in Buffalo, NY, and maintained his studio at 309 Elmwood Avenue in the city. He died in 1955, Houston, TX.

Chronology:

1880- Born, February, son of William Duane Richardson (b. 1835-, NY) and Olive Jenette (sometimes listed as Janett, née Barross, b. 1838-, NY), older sister Inez I. Richardson-Kimmel (b. 1860-, NY) and older brother Lee Grant Richardson (b. 1866-, NY), Attica, NY.

Circa 1898-1901- Studied at Buffalo Fine Arts Academy with William Merritt Chase (American, 1849-1916) at the Albright Art Gallery (now known as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery) in Buffalo, NY, and also at the Art Students' League of Buffalo, NY.

Circa 1898-1907- Other early and private instructors in Buffalo, NY, and New York City included Frank Vincent DuMond (American, 1865-1951), Charles Webster Hawthorne (American, 1872-1930), George DeForest Brush (American, 1855-1941), Frank Swift Chase (American, 1886-1958), Lucius Wolcott Hitchcock (American, 1868-1942), Howard Pyle (American, 1853-1911), and George Brandt Bridgman (American, 1865-1943).

1901- Exhibited, group show (Prize, Honorable Mention), "Philip Sherwood Smith Art Competition", Art Students' League of Buffalo, held at the store of Mr. George W. Benson Art Shop, 567 Main Street, Buffalo, NY.

1905-07- Won the New York scholarship in 1905 and studied painting at the Art Students' League under Edward Dufner (American, 1872-1957), 215 West 57th Street, NYC.

1905- Exhibited, group show, "Annual Exhibition" by the Art Students' League from Edward Dufner's (American, 1872-1957) painting class, three paintings shown by Volney Richardson, NYC.

1906- Exhibited, group show (Prize), "Salon of the Societe des Artistes", Art Students' League, NYC.

1907- While still a student, Volney had illustrations accepted for publication in several magazines, New York City.

1907-circa 1908- Fall-to-winter, went to New York City to fulfill some commission work of illustrations for different publications.

Circa 1907-1912- Volney did illustrations for New York periodicals, books and was also commissioned to do paintings for the American Lithographic Company, among several others. Some of the publications included Ladies' World, McCall's, The People's Home Journal.

1908- March, The Man of Yesterday: A Romance of a Vanishing Race, by Mary Holland McNeish-Kinkaid, is published (1908), with color interior illustrations by Volney A. Richardson, New York, Frederick A. Stokes Company Publishers, NYC.

1913- Moved to Buffalo, NY.

1915- Exhibited, group show, a poster (prize, Second Place), Iroquois Hotel, Main & Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY.

1920- Spring, did commission painting for Edgar B. Smith of a portion of his music studio titled "The Song", which featured an old music master with a young female singer at the piano, and was exhibited in the window of the Morrison & Putman Music Store, 20 Market Street, Amsterdam, NY.

Circa early 1920's-1929- Traveled to Nantucket, MA, to paint for the summers.

1925- Fall, exhibited, group show, "Eighteenth Annual Thumb Box Exhibition", by the Buffalo Society of Artists, his paintings of Nantucket, Maine and the Adirondacks (unknown quantity and titles), West Rooms, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.

1926- Completed and exhibited a commission painting of the clubhouse from the architect's plans for the Town Club, an all-women club, Buffalo, NY.

1927- Exhibited, group show (prize), Albright Art Gallery (now the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), Buffalo, NY.

1929- Exhibited, summer, (group or solo show is unknown), Easy Street Gallery, Nantucket, MA.

1930- Exhibited, January-February, group show, two paintings from Letchworth State Park, one untitled-'Genesee River Gorge' and the other untitled-'Gorge from Denton's High Banks', Buffalo Society of Artists, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.

1931- Exhibited, group show (prize), Albright Art Gallery (now the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), Buffalo, NY.

1935- Exhibited, group show (prize), Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY.

1955- Died, unknown month & day, Houston, TX.

2007- Exhibited, spring, group retrospective show, "A Tradition of Still Lifes: Theresa Hinchy Grau and other selected Western New York artists", one painting "Auguste Fournier's Bouquet" (1935), 20 x 16", oil on canvas, Meibohm Fine Arts, East Aurora, NY.

MEMBERSHIPS
Buffalo Society of Artists (BSA), Buffalo, NY
Charter member of the first Arts Club of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

AWARDS
(Prize, Honorable Mention),"Philip Sherwood Smith Art Competition", Art Students' League of Buffalo, held at the store of Mr. George W. Benson Art Shop, 567 Main Street, Buffalo, NY

(Prize, 1906), "Salon of the Societe des Artistes", Art Students' League, NYC;

(Prize, Second Place, 1915), Poster by Volney, Iroquois Hotel, Main & Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY

(Prize, 1927 & 1931), Albright Art Gallery (now the Albright-Knox Art Gallery), Buffalo, NY

(Prize, 1935), Buffalo Society of Artists, Buffalo, NY See less