The Offering

Charles Prendergast, born on May 27, 1863, in St. John's, Newfoundland, emerged as a distinctive figure in the American Post-Impressionist movement, alongside his role as a masterful designer and craftsman of picture frames. His artistic journey began in earnest after his family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1868, setting the stage for a life deeply intertwined with art and creativity. In 1890, a pivotal trip to Paris with his brother Maurice, who was studying at the Académie Colarossi and the Académie Julian, exposed Charles to the vibrant art scene of the time, influencing his future endeavors. Upon returning to Boston, he channeled his artistic sensibilities into woodworking, eventually specializing in the creation of exquisitely carved picture frames that became sought after by prominent artists, including John Singer Sargent. The early 20th century marked a significant turn in Prendergast's career when, after a 1911 trip to Italy with Maurice, he began to explore painting, producing his first work, 'Rising Sun,' on a carved wood and gesso panel. This late start in painting did not hinder his success; by 1915, his works were being exhibited at New York's Montross Gallery, followed by showings at the Society of Independent Artists in 1917 and 1918. The 1930s and 1940s saw his art featured at the Kraushaar Galleries in New York, cementing his reputation as a talented painter. Prendergast's marriage to Eugénie Van Kemmel in 1927 added a personal dimension to his later years, which were spent in Westport, Connecticut, until his death on August 20, 1948. His legacy, along with that of his brother Maurice, is preserved at the Williams College Museum of Art's Prendergast Archive and Study Center, home to hundreds of their works and numerous archival materials.