Margaret French (later Cresson), "Girl with the Curls," c. 1920, marble, 20 in. high, Chesterwood, bequest of Margaret French Cresson, NT 73.45.1431; photo: Gregory Cherin
Located in the scenic Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, Chesterwood was the summer home, studio, and gardens of the American sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850–1931), best known for his Seated Lincoln in Washington, D.C. The site has just completed a
four-year renovation of the French family residence, designed by architect Henry Bacon and completed in 1901. At last, visitors are able to see the house’s second floor, which currently features a three-room exhibition titled “Modeling Women: Female Artists and Models at Chesterwood.”
Left to Right: Evelyn Beatrice Longman at work on the Horsford Doors for the Wellesley College Library. Collection of the Loomis Chaffee Archives, Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, Connecticut; Margaret French Cresson in the Chesterwood Studio with her portrait of Daniel Chester French, 1934; Audrey Munson, 1915. Photograph by Arold Genthe. Genthe photograph collection, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Curator Dana Pilson has selected 37 sculptures and paintings—many never exhibited—that highlight the key roles played by French’s female models. They included Hettie Anderson (a pioneering African American model), Julia Swift Gilbert, and Audrey Munson (considered America’s first “supermodel”).
The project casts particularly strong light on two female artists active at Chesterwood: French’s protégée Evelyn Beatrice Longman (1874–1954) and his daughter Margaret French Cresson (1889–1973).
Details at a Glance:
“Modeling Women”
Chesterwood, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts chesterwood.org
through October 31, 2025
As part of our effort to continue to help artists and art galleries thrive, we’re proud to bring you this week’s “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the artwork below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.
Hollyhock Cottage, Laurie Hendricks, oil on canvas board, 16 x 12 in., Laurie Hendricks Art
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Magnolia Still Life, Matthew Bird, varnished watercolor on paper on ACM panel, 30 x 22 in., Matthew Bird
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Afternoon Glitters, Debra Reid Jenkins, oil on linen, 20 x 40 in., J Petter Galleries
Want to see your gallery featured in an upcoming Virtual Gallery Walk? Contact us at [email protected] to advertise today. Don’t delay, as spaces are first come, first served, and availability is limited.
Susan Lynn, "A Walk in the Woods," watercolor and gouache, 11 x 14 in.
The American Tonalist Society is presenting a painting exhibition in which reverence for nature is manifest in limitless and lovely shades and majestic glory. Mist-laden dawn, purple-edged marshes, sun-dappled creeks, and assorted scenes that expand the tradition of tonalism are on view at Ballard’s Fine Art in Sheridan, Wyoming, September 4 through October 12, in “Shades of Gray: III.”
Bill Farnsworth, “Solstice II,” oil on linen, 16 x 20 in.
This exhibition features the ATS Signature Artists for 2025, over 30 invited artists chosen for their excellence in keeping the tonalist tradition alive through a variety of contemporary interpretations. Many of the 2025 Signature Artists are from the Western part of the United States. They were selected based on the quality of the work and their dedication to the genre. This collection of paintings, in various media, evoke the mood and mystery of Tonalism through an excellent blend of traditional and contemporary styles.
Thomas Kegler, “Night Fishing, 2 Thessalonians 3:16,” oil on panel, 12 x 18 in.
Participating Artists: Daniel Ambrose, Jacob Aguiar, Michael Albrechtsen, D. Eleinne Basa, Ben Bauer, Clint Bova Nancy Bush, Richie Carter, Brent Cotton, Kevin Courter, Mary C. Erickson, Bill Farnsworth, Marc Hanson, Charlie Hunter, Thomas Kegler, Erik Koeppel, Shawn Krueger, Shanna Kunz, Kim Lordier, Susan Lynn, David Lidbetter, John MacDonald, Denise Mahlke, Jennifer Moses, Deborah Paris, Ken Salaz, Hillary Scott, Dennis Sheehan, Brian Sindler, Seth Tummins, Anna Wainright, Rachel Warner, Liane Whittum, Justin Worrell, and others.
Liane Whittum, “Meadow Sunset,” oil on panel, 12 x 16 in.
Founded in 2016, the American Tonalist Society curates a biennial show devoted to a style of painting defined in the 1800s as primarily landscape and reverential toward nature, with a spiritual gloss. Painters working in this style create a mood, rather than a story, through the tonal quality of a chosen color. In 2019, the American Tonalist Society curated its first show at the iconic Salmagundi Club, dubbed “one of the grandest exhibitions that has graced these walls,” by Tim Newton, former president of the club.
With nature, atmosphere, emotion, a sense of place, and an ethereal palette at the core of their creations, the exhibiting artists will showcase approximately 60 works. A variety of sizes will be on display (up to 40 inches wide), and landscapes/seascapes are the principal subject matter. American Tonalist Society artists work primarily in oil, with pastel, watercolor, and drawing media also represented.
Edmund “Ned” Werner Jacob, 1938-2025); Obituary details courtesy of everloved.com
Edmund “Ned” Werner Jacob, 86, passed away peacefully on August 24, 2025 in Franklin, NY at home surrounded by his granddaughters.
Ned was born in Elizabethton, TN, on November 15, 1938 to German parents Edmund Kurt Jacob and Sophie Theresa (Reimer) Jacob. Ned was an enigmatic, larger-than-life, and magnetic person who did things on his own time and in his own way. After high school, Ned hitchhiked to Browning, Montana. From there on out, he lived a life that was beautiful, bold, brilliant, and brave. Nomadic in nature, Ned was always traveling, and had roots in many places including the Rocky Mountain States, the Southwest, and Maine. A perpetual student of life, Ned spent his years painting and drawing, traveling the world, and sharing his many celebrated stories, knowledge, and wisdom with others. He dedicated his life to his art and was known not only for his incredible technical skill but for his amazing mentorship, which he shared passionately.
“Ned set the foundation for the modern plein air movement,” said Publisher Eric Rhoads. “It was his high standards that trained many of the most important artists alive today, and his impact will be felt for generations.”
Ned Jacob painting the Maasai tribe in Kenya, Africa
Artist Linda Tippetts shared, “As Ned’s student at a workshop on Flathead Lake, Montana (in the late 1970s), his influence permeated my thirst for knowledge – not to mention being in the presence of a master.”
“Mama Pamoja na Mtoto,” drawing by Ned Jacob
Ned is survived by his grandchildren, Emma Finley-Jacob of Stuttgart, Germany, Lauren Finley-Jacob and Kendall Finley-Jacob of Franklin, NY, and his great grandson River Jacob Story. In Egg Harbor City, NJ his sister Carol (Jacob) Farrell, niece Joanne (Farrell) Sabo and nephew Jonathan Farrell. Ned was preceded in death by his son, Ronald Edmund (Jacob) Finley, his brother Richard Jacob, both of his parents, and countless mentors and friends that he held dear.
Ned will be remembered for many things, but mostly for his profound artistry, charming intellect and wit, unwavering integrity, and deep love and loyalty for those close to him. His presence and wisdom were gifts to everyone who knew him.
“Leningrad Night” by Ned Jacob
“I had the good fortune of meeting Ned Jacob early in my career,” said T. Allen Lawson, “and I was extremely lucky to have been able to spend a great deal of time with him over several decades. Ned’s ability to draw and his dedication to the importance of drawing was apparent and to watch Ned draw was pure magic. Drawing is important, very important. It is the foundation on which everything else is built, and it is what gives the painter the freedom to explore their interests. To me, above all, was Ned’s clarity of thought. His ability to orchestrate the central theme of a painting, arranging the main elements of a subject into an organized hierarchy, was the power of Ned’s art. He was like a poet distilling his vocabulary into the exact, essential words — that is what has resonated with me most throughout my forty plus years of painting.”
“Ixabi Elder, Morocco” by Ned Jacob
Lorenzo Chavez tells us a friend of his shared the book “Sacred Paint: Ned Jacob” by Sandra Dallas with him when he was in high school, in the late ‘70s: “It was the most influential book I had seen at that time and still is after all these years,” Lorenzo said. “His art and life had a major impact in my life’s decision to go into the arts. I was so lucky to meet Ned Jacob, to see his works in the local fine art galleries, take a workshop with him at the Arts Students League of Denver, and to attend several life drawing sessions with him and other artists at his studio. His art and his life was and always will be a major inspiration and I am so grateful to have met my art hero, Ned Jacob.”
“Ned has been a treasured friend and mentor for over 35 years,” shared Marla Brenner. “Through our friendship, I’ve observed a man who held his standards high and loved his friends deeply. His kindness and generosity knew no bounds whether with students, friends, or complete strangers in need of his attention. You can tell a person by the community they build. Ned’s community has been a devoted family of amazing human beings. I will miss knowing he is still traveling this earth.”
“Blood Warrior with Coup Stick” by Ned Jacob
In lieu of a traditional memorial service, Ned’s granddaughters will take an honorary road trip to visit places Ned loved. A celebration of life will take place along the way, on October 10th at 5:30pm at Nedra Matteucci Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Along the route, his granddaughters will be stopping in with old friends and students to collect stories for an oral history project on the life and adventures of Ned Jacob. To attend the celebration of life, or to participate in Ned’s oral history project, click here.
Preview the September/October issue of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, including the cover artist, feature articles, and other highlights.
On the Cover
MIKEL DONAHUE (b. 1956), “Move-In Ready” (detail), 2025, acrylic on illustration board, 20 x 12 1/4 in. (overall), on view this season in the 20th annual Quest for the West Art Show and Sale at the Eiteljorg Museum (Indianapolis).
Publisher’s Letter: What China Taught Me
By Eric Rhoads
Editor’s Note: Something Big on the Horizon
By Peter Trippi
Favorite: Peter Harrington on E.H. Shepard
Off the Walls
Classic Moment: Deborah Chabrian
Published six times per year, Fine Art Connoisseur is now a widely consulted platform for the world’s most knowledgeable experts, who write articles that inform readers and give them the tools necessary to make better purchasing decisions.
Fine Art Connoisseur‘s jargon-free text and large color illustrations are attracting an ever-growing readership passionate about high-quality artworks and the fascinating stories around them. It serves art collectors and enthusiasts with innovative articles about representational paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints — both historical and contemporary, American and European. Fine Art Connoisseur covers the museums, galleries, fairs, auction houses, and private collections where great art is found.
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is under construction in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park.
From the Fine Art Connoisseur, September/October 2025 Editor’s Note:
Something Big on the Horizon
For well over a decade, we’ve been keeping a hopeful eye on the development of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Co-founded by the renowned filmmaker George Lucas (b. 1944) and his wife, investment manager Mellody Hobson (b. 1969), this is going to be — according to its website — “the world’s first institution dedicated to the exploration of narrative art, celebrating illustrated storytelling across eras and cultures.” It goes on to say that the museum will show us “how narrative art influences societies — shaping beliefs, communicating values, inspiring imagination, and creating communities. We empower people to engage with artworks through the compelling stories they tell.”
That all sounds promising, and this September we gained some insights when 6,000 fans packed a room at San Diego’s annual Comic-Con International jamboree. Moderated by actor Queen Latifah, that panel discussion featured Lucas himself, Lucasfilm executive design director Doug Chiang, and one of the museum’s board members, Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. The audience was treated to photos of the gigantic building under construction, design renderings of its interiors, and highlights from the permanent collection.
Lucas called the museum “a temple to the people’s art” and noted, “Society cannot exist without a common belief system. And that’s where illustration is vital to show you what that means in everyday life.” Latifah concluded, “The connection that I hear in our various conversations is emotion — an emotional connection that the art evokes from you… I think when people step into this museum, they will be emotionally affected by it.”
For now, the museum is scheduled to open in 2026 at the center of its own 11-acre campus in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park, near the Natural History Museum and University of Southern California. Designed by architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects (with Stantec as executive architect), the 300,000-square-foot building will feature not only galleries, but also two theaters and spaces for learning, events, dining, and retail.
The Lucas Museum has had its share of challenges over the years. Its earlier efforts to build in San Francisco, then Chicago, were rebuffed, and there have been numerous changes in staff leadership. For centuries, very rich people have constructed very large buildings (in California alone, there’s the needlessly steroidal Hearst Castle at San Simeon), so the eye-watering scale of this new structure is not particularly interesting.
What should excite art lovers is the founding couple’s collection of “more than 150,000 objects.” Naturally some of these are in the Lucas Archive, with its original props, models, costumes, and vehicles from such productions as Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Their presence will guarantee huge attendance for the rest of the 21st century, and that’s great. More intriguing, however, are the holdings of everything from “ancient murals to original illustrations,” including comics, children’s books, magazines, cinema, animation, and digital media.
On the fine art front, we now know that the inaugural displays will contain masterworks by the 20th-century illustrators N.C. Wyeth and Jessie Willcox Smith; paintings by such African American talents as Ernie Barnes and Robert Colescott; and a masterwork by Frida Kahlo. Strangely unmentioned so far is the trove of Norman Rockwell paintings that Lucas exhibited at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2010. Nor have we heard anything about his 19th-century art treasures by such academicians as Lawrence Alma-Tadema. We fully understand the museum’s need to lead with popular names like Star Wars, so we’re happy to sit back and learn more later.
We promise to keep Fine Art Connoisseur readers posted on this exciting project, which could help a big international audience appreciate storytelling’s crucial role in visual art — past, present, and future. We wish everyone at the museum well as they apply their finishing touches in the year ahead.
What are your thoughts? Share your letter to the Editor below in the comments.
“Sunset”, Mimi Jensen, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 in; available through Andra Norris Gallery. A conversation cast in silhouette and shadow upon a wall bathed in the sunset's glow.
Mimi Jensen:Mimi Jensen expands upon a recurring theme, Silhouettes and Shadows, where time feels suspended, encouraging viewers to pause and create their own narratives of what was, as well as what may be. For 30+ years, Jensen’s paintings have been exhibited extensively throughout the US, featured in multiple national publications, and reside in hundreds of collections worldwide. Her most recent award is the Grand Prize in American Women Artists 2025 Online Exhibition. See Award URL below.
“Anticipation”, Mimi Jensen, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 in; available through Andra Norris Gallery. Contemplating new beginnings, inspired personally, experienced universally.“The Window”, Mimi Jensen, oil on canvas, 30 x 30 in; available through Andra Norris Gallery. Inspired by a passing glance. Featured in San Francisco’s “The DeYoung Museum Open”
Carol Strock Wasson: I painted this piece in the studio after observation and memories of that time of day when the world softens and the light slips into memory. I wanted to capture that fleeting pause between day and night. Using my understanding of color theory, I let the landscape speak in whispers—shadow stretching across field and sky, warmth lingering at the edges.
Carol’s work is deeply inspired by the rural landscapes of her home, where she focuses on color, shape, and design in both the plein air tradition and studio settings. While she is widely recognized for her expertise in pastel, her artistic repertoire also includes oil painting and monotype prints.
"Wake Up Call", Cynthia Inson, oil, 12 x 12 in.; Nedra Matteucci Galleries
Cynthia Inson:
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Making your thoughts and sight into a piece of artwork.
Because it is work, excellent fulfilling and thrilling work, but work.
The subject for me is always the visual world, the sky around me, air, distance, and light. “Reading” that and working with it in my mind, starts a process of interpretation, a thoughtfulness that eventually turns into a painted piece. The challenge becomes expressing that moment/thought/experience in time with paints, brushes, palette knives and putting paint onto canvas that expresses that impression of the moment.
“Social Distancing", Leslie Trujill-Batts, soft pastel, 19 x 31 in; available through LATB Fine Art, Received 2nd place in the Still Life/Floral category in the 23rd Annual Pastel 100
Leslie Trujillo- Batts:Leslie Trujillo-Batts’ captivating pastel paintings capture light and reflection with delicious drama and an uninvited guest. Her nontraditional approach to Still Life, combined with painstaking technique, tells a story by creating a composition that one wants to savor as the story unveils. Her work has won numerous awards and has caught the eyes of art lovers around the world.
“Privileged”, Leslie Trujillo-Batts, soft pastel,14 x 26 in., available through LATB Fine Art, Received Best of Show at the 17th Annual Mile High International Pastel Exhibition.“Isolation”, Leslie Trujillo-Batts, soft pastel,15 x 23 in., displayed at Pastel USA-99 Voices.
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