St. Botolph Club was
essentially
a men's art club in Boston, first formed in 1880. Its members were
people
within the arts, letters, and prominent Boston's society types with the
intent of connecting patrons to artists. It was roughly similar in
theme
to the Century Club in New York, and held an annual exhibition.
Among the founders were Thomas Jefferson Coolidge (first owner of
Sargent’s El
Jaleo) Frederic Porter Vinton, William Dean Howells,
architect Henry Hobson Richardson, sculptor Daniel Chester French, and Henry
Lee Higginson
(Kilmurry & Ormond; The Later Portraits, Yale University Press,
2003, p 14)
In 1888, the St. Botolph's Club would be the site of Sargent's first one-man show (anywhere) which turned out to be a phenomenal success and acted as a pronouncement of his great portrait abilities.
The St. Botolph's Club would also be renowned for holding the first Monet exhibition within Boston.
Note
By: Natasha
Wallace
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