Rediscovering lost art and artists
PARKERSBURG – One mans trash …
Several years ago a couple moving into a north Parkersburg home discovered a discarded painting in the basement. Both the picture – a portrait of a woman – and its frame had been damage from water, abuse and neglect.
The paintings new owners knew what they had found; a rare self-portrait of local artist Lilly Irene Jackson. They pulled it from the basement and put on display in their home for many years. Recently, the painting was purchased by the Blennerhassett Museum where it will eventually be restored and displayed.
Its one of our treasures; the only known portrait of her, said Ray Swick, historian of the Blennerhassett Island Museum.
Swick said the journey of the Jackson portrait is not all that uncommon. He thinks many of the works by many of the areas local artist have been banished to attics, basements and trash bins -possibly lost forever.
Jackson, the daughter of Judge John Jay Jackson Jr., was one of the most famous woman to have lived in Parkersburg, according to Swick.
And she was an accomplished artist.
The museum has a number of Jacksons painting, many of dogs (one of her favorite subjects). And now it has a rare – perhaps the only – self-portrait. The purchase would never of been possible if the paintings previous owners hadnt realized its value and plucked it from the bowels of the house.
It was leaning against the wall with the rubbish, Swick said. It was not cared for.
According to Swick, Jackson, who died in 1928, willed most of her paintings to the city of Parkersburg -provided it create a gallery to display them.
Need I tell you what happened, Swick asked.
Instead of being housed in a museum, Jacksons paintings were bequeathed a friend and eventually trickled out. Swick said for years Jacksons painting could be found at garage, yard and estate sales and purchased for next to nothing.
Now the opposite is true, he said. Her works are sought after.
The museum purchased Jacksons self-portrait for $2,500, thanks to funding from the Wood County Commission.
Jackson is one of several area artists whose works can be rediscovered at local sales.
George Storm, Katherine Burnside, Marjorie Caldwell, Dorothy Decker, Lois Cochran Rogers, Lizzie Forbes and Joseph Dodd are all among the late, great area painters. Nationally famous artists John James Audubon and Rembrandt Peale, among others, all painted in the area.
Storm, was probably the areas most successful commercial artist, according to Swick. Storm, who painted in the mid-to-late 1800s once sold a painting for $10,000. His portrait of America Jackson Small, an aunt of Lilly Jackson, is on display at the museum.
Jackson was described as a Sunday Painter, but Swick said that fails to give proper credit for her talent. The term referred to spinsters from well-to-do families trying to find ways to fill their days with hobbies, in Jacksons case painting.
L. Montelle Smith,w ho died in 1973, was another locally famous portrait painter.
Smith, who lived in Vienna, painted hundreds of portraits, historical and religious as well as family members. The museum has a number of Smiths portraits and paintings.
Rogers, who died in 1958, specialized in murals, producing art for St. Josephs Hospital and the Blennerhassett and Chancellor Hotel. The museum has a large Rogers painting depicting a her and a group of friends meeting at the Tap Room in the Chancellor Hotel.
Decker was another prolific portrait artists. Decker, who died in 2005 at age 88, was a locally renowned as both an artist and teacher. Her portraits of many of West Virginias governors are in the Statehouse in Charleston and her miniatures of US presidents from Eisenhower through George Bush are in the Butler Institute of Art. In 2009, the Parkersburg Art Center had a show for her work.
Dodd was a gifted black artist, who was Yale educated and died in 1945, after serving in World War II. Dodd preferred portraits, still life, religion and the inspiration of nergo spirituals for his subjects. Some of his work can be found at West Virginia University Library Art Collection. The museum has a print Dodd did circa 1938.
Swick imagines many of the artists work has been lost. He said there are often cases of owners who threw the paintings away. But others he said are valued and remain in the hands of owners who appreciate and value the work.
The museum, the Parkersburg Arts Center and the areas universities and colleges all have works of art. Swick said there are many more to be found at local antique shops and estate sales.
We have lost a lot of local art, he said. Cases of owners who threw away paintings.