Frederic Clay Bartlett, “A Souvenir of Italy,” Oil on Canvas, c. early 20th Century

Painting

Five saplings grow on the near bank of a river in this blue-tonal landscape painting. The tree branches are confined to the top half of the trunks—giving them a rounded appearance. A small village sits on the other side of the channel, beyond which are foothills and then distant mountains. A single, very bright, puffy cloud peeks over the mountaintop. The sky is almost gray, but the coloring of the cloud suggest that brighter skies will follow. This painting has been in the gallery since 1918.

27 1/2 x 30″

(1873-1953)

Frederic Clay Bartlett was born in Chicago to a very wealthy family involved in the hardware business. Bartlett studied art in Munich and Paris. Later he taught color composition at the Art Institute. Not only did he paint landscapes, he also did murals and designs in stained glass. Bartlett also collected modern art. In 1926 he donated the Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection to the Art Institute. This gift was in memory of his second wife.

Some of Bartlett’s mural work can be seen in the Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago, the University of Chicago’s Bartlett Gymnasium, and the University Club of Chicago.