Joseph Henry Hatfield [1863-1928]
United States
Reading in a tree, ca.1910
Oil on pressed paper board
15 x 12 inches [unframed] | 19 x 17 inches [framed]
Signed at lower right : ‘J.H.HATFIELD’.

Marking type: Handwritten script text in pencil.
Location: Upper left verso.
Text: ‘$75 / JHHatfield / 25 Harcourt Studio’s’.

Marking type: Printed white vertical rectangular label with white background.
Location: Lower left verso.
Text: ‘[illegible] [drawing of hand using paint grinder within a circle with text along edge of circle]’.

Marking type: Horizontal rectangular art supply label with red print border on white ground.
Location: Middle left verso rotated 90 degrees.
Text: ‘J. H. HATFIELD’S / HAND GROUND ARTISTS’ COLORS / OIL COLORS. / IN COLLAPSIBLE METAL TUBES. / MANUFACTURERS / CANTON JUNCTION, MASS. [with dingbats]’.

CONDITION:
Scattered abrasions with small paint losses, losses to edges, varnish discoloration and inconsistencies, minor surface grime.

DESCRIPTION:
Joseph Henry Hatfield [1863-1928] experimented heavily with creating his own custom pigments, even launching his own paint company [1896-1928].  The paint application of Reading in a tree, ca.1910 features thick and unctuous paint layers over a thinner base coat, expressing Hatfield’s love of paint.  The subject matter, one he is most known for, is a young woman sketching in a tree.

PROVENANCE:
2018 ( David Smernoff, New Haven, CT & New York, NY ) ;
before 2018 Private collection of [unknown] ;
ca.1910 Joseph Henry Hatfield [1863-1928], the artist .

EXHIBITION:
2020 David Smernoff, New York, NY, “Tiny moments : the life of genre painting”, November 15 – December 31.

Joseph Henry Hatfield [1863-1928] BIOGRAPHY:

Birth: 1863 in St John / Kingston, Newfoundland, Canada ;
Death: 1928
Sex: Male ;
Ethnicity: White ; 
Zodiac: [unknown] ;

Known for: Paintings of children and the people of Canton, MA ; landscapes ;
Medium: Oil ;
Technique: Painting ;
Subjects: Children ;

Areas: 1863 in St John / Kingston, Newfoundland, Canada ; Paris, France ; Boston, MA ;
Region: Canada ; Europe ; North East ;
Lived: 50 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA (1888) ; Canton Junction, MA (1891, 1894, 1896-1902) ; 161 Tremont Street, Boston, MA (1892) ; 175 Tremont Street, Boston, MA (1895-1896) ;
Father:
Mother: 
Relatives:
Spouse: Catharine (Como) Hatfield (?-?) ;
Children: Theodore Hatfield (?-?), son ;

Training: Academy Julian, Paris, France (1889-?) under Benjamin Constant (1845-1902), Henri-Lucien Doucet (1856-1895) & Jules-Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) ;
Instructors: Benjamin Constant (1845-1902) ; Henri-Lucien Doucet (1856-1895) ; Jules-Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) ;
Work: Illustrated for New England Magazine, Boston, MA ; Created his own paint company experimenting with pigments (1896-1928) ; Hatfield’s Color Shop, Lower level hotel Ludlow, Boston, MA ;

Taught:
Students:

Member: Boston Art Club, Boston, MA ; Boston Charity Mechanics’ Association, Boston, MA ;
Exhibited with: Boston Art Club, Boston, MA (1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902) ; National Academy of Design, New York, NY (1896) ; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA (1895, 1896-1897) ; Paris Salons, Paris, France (1891) ; Boston Charity Mechanics’ Association, Boston, MA (1892) ; Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, MO (1904) ;
Awards: Boston Charity Mechanics’ Association, Boston, MA, silver medal (1892) ; Columbian Exposition [Chicago World’s Fair], Chicago, IL (1893) ; National Academy of Design, New York, NY, prize (1896) ;

Milestones:

Notes: