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Note 1) Frank
Hector Tompkins was born in Hector New York in 1847. He studied at Cincinnati
School of Design; Cleveland School of Art, Cleveland Institute, Art Students League, NYC; the Royal Academy in Munich with
Loeffts. He was a member of the Boston Art Club, Copley
Society of Artists, Boston, and the Society of Independent Artists. Among
other venues, Tompkins exhibited at the Exposition Universelle, Paris 1889, World's Columbian Exposition,
1892-1893, Art Institute of Chicago, the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the Boston Art Club,
the National Academy of Design, the Society of Independent Artists and in the Corcoran Gallery annual and biennial
exhibitions from 1907-1914. His specialty was genre painting, of which this
painting of Hester Prynne is a good example. His works are held in public and
private collections, including at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. See Askart.com. |
Note 2) There is no
doubt that Tompkins regarded "Hester Prynne" as his earliest masterpiece,
as this was the first painting he chose to exhibit at the National Academy of
Design in 1881, and thus, is of artistic historic significance.Tompkins fully
captures Hester Prynne's sorrow and despair, without mawkishness, because of
her dilemma in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlett Letter," which is
regarded as Hawthorne's masterpiece and one of the finest American novels of
the 19th century. This painting is very masterful evocation of her
sorrow and despair, but with relative dignity, which is intended to stir the
emotions of the viewer. Any art collector or institution, who has an interest
in Tompkins, Hester Prynne, the "The Scarlett Letter" and/or
Hawthorne should take this opportunity to bid vigorously on this painting and
attempt to acquire it within the above presale estimate of $10,000-$20,000,
which is very reasonable and jusifiable for the foregoing reasons and the
following Tompkins auction record for "At The Beach" (27" x 20") of
$77,680. This painting is much smaller and lacks the power, drama and ability
to evoke strong emotions and a response in the viewer, as does this
"Hester Prynne" masterpiece.
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