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Beatrice Tonnesen

May 03, 2024

Beatrice Tonnesen (January 24, 1871 - May 12, 1958) was an American artist and photographer based in Chicago, Illinois, from approximately 1896 to 1930.[1][2][3] She is credited with having pioneered the use of photographs of live models in print advertising.[1][2][4][5][6][7][8] In addition, her photos, and illustrations by leading artists based on her photos, were widely used in the calendar art of the era.[5][6][9][10]

Beatrice Tonnesen, self-portrait, approximately 1900.

Early life edit

Beatrice Tonnesen was born June 24, 1871, in Winneconne, Wisconsin,[5] to Tonnes Tonnesen and Mary Sumner Tonnesen. Beatrice, who was hearing impaired,[2] studied photography under Cook Ely,[2][5] Oshkosh, Wisconsin's leading photographer of the day, and at the Oshkosh Normal School.[10] Tonnes Tonnesen was an immigrant from Norway, and one of the representative pioneer business men of Winnebago County, Wisconsin.[11] Mary Sumner Tonnesen was a direct descendant of William Sumner of Bicester, England, who came to New England in 1636 and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts.[11]

Career edit

In 1895, Tonnesen opened her first photographic art studio in Menominee, Michigan. While operating that studio, Tonnesen traveled to Chicago and arranged to purchase the business and studio of a prominent society photographer, Simon L. Stein,[12] at 1301 Michigan Avenue.[2][5] Her widowed sister, Clara Tonnesen Kirkpatrick, invested in the project and relocated to Chicago to handle the business aspects of her sister's new venture.[2][5][6] Tonnesen quickly became a favorite portrait photographer of many of Chicago's most prominent families, including the Armours, Pullmans, and Palmers.[5][6][7] But portrait photography did not remain her only specialty for long. She and her sister Clara soon hit upon an idea that was to revolutionize the world of print advertising. As Tonnesen herself put it in an interview with the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern in 1954:[6] "One day we thought up a fine scheme. We would make advertising pictures using live models, which had never been done before." The idea took off, and Tonnesen and her "Famous Tonnesen Models" gained nationwide fame.[2][5][6][10] A 1903 advertisement "Introducing The Famous Tonnesen Models" proclaimed, "We operate the largest Photographic Print establishment in America."[13]

At the same time, Tonnesen was cultivating a specialty in calendar art.[5][6][7][13] Creating photos of appealing family scenes, as well as more risque (for the time) studies of beautiful ingenues and glamorous flappers, Tonnesen sold her work not only to advertisers, but also to publishers and artists. A November 18, 1896, article in the Chicago Daily Tribune titled "Ideas for Dull Artists" outlined the various uses of Tonnesen's photos: Advertisers often used them with little or no alteration; publishers often assigned staff illustrators to embellish or paint them using water color, pastels or oils; and independent artists painted from them, capitalizing on Tonnesen's talent for posing and composition, in order to meet the demands of the rapidly expanding art publishing trade.[9] Two of the era's more successful calendar artists, R. Atkinson Fox (1860–1935)[14] and Homer S. Nelson (no dates), who specialized in romanticized depictions of Indian maidens,[15] are among artists known to have painted from Tonnesen's photos.[6]

Her very early work was signed "Tonnesen Sisters". But throughout most of her career, because she sold so much of her work to others for their own use, her name or signature seldom appeared on the final product. Those relatively few pieces which she painted from her own photographs were signed "Beatrice Tonnesen", and can still be found on calendars from approximately 1900 to 1930.[6] Although she is known to have taken thousands of images throughout her career, no original glass plate negatives have ever been located. Small collections of original photos, paintings and prints are all that are known to remain. Most of the original photos are located at the Oshkosh Public Museum and the . Some few art researchers, relatives of persons associated with Tonnesen during her career, and historians are known to have collections, and a digital collection is retained at the Beatrice Tonnesen website. Her personal scrapbook was restored for the Oshkosh Public Museum and made available for study.

Other innovations edit

In addition to creating the first photographs of live models for print advertising and supplying the robust calendar trade of the era with decorative artwork, Tonnesen was an inventor. She is known to have patented a sewing machine cabinet and a holder for long-stem flowers.[16] She also developed a photographic means to produce silhouette portraits[17] and a process for creating sculptures she called "Mars Ware" from furnace clinkers.[2][5][6][7][10] A 1949 documentary Unusual Occupations featured Tonnesen and her Mars Ware.[18]

Later life edit

In 1930, Tonnesen, who never married, closed her studio in Chicago and moved back to Winneconne Wisconsin, where she shared her sister Clara's home until Clara's death in 1944. By the early 1950s, she was living in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at the St. Mary's Home, where she continued to pursue her art interests, creating jewelry and sculptures. She died there on May 12, 1958.[2][5][6][7][10]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Turner, E. S. (1953). The Shocking History of Advertising. E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc. New York. p. 172.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cross, Scott (Summer/Fall 2004). "Beatrice Tonnesen: Photography Pioneer". Voyageur Magazine.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Denny, Margaret (Summer 2007). "Image Makers, Picture Takers: Illinois Women Photographers, 1850-1900". Journal of Illinois History. Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. p. 134.
  4. ^ "Billion-Dollar Baby". Time, September 19, 1949. p. 90.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Beatrice Tonnesen Introduced New Trend in 1890 Advertising". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, September 29, 1954.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Johnson, Geoffrey (March 2010). "Camera Obscura: On the Life and Work of Beatrice Tonnesen". Chicago.
  7. ^ a b c d e Horton, Sharla (August 14, 1976). "Beatrice Tonnesen Pictures to be Shown" Oshkosh Daily Northwestern.
  8. ^ Moser, Whet (March, 2011). "Beautiful Chicagoans of the Past and the Invention of Fashion Photography". Chicago.
  9. ^ a b "Ideas for Dull Artists". Chicago Daily Tribune. November 18, 1896.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Clinkers Dug From Grates Make Bows for Mantels". The Milwaukee Journal. November 12, 1944.
  11. ^ a b Beatrice Tonnesen's restored scrapbook
  12. ^ "Simon L. Stein's Portraits of Leading Citizens - Image Gallery Essay". Wisconsin Historical Society.
  13. ^ a b Profitable Advertising. 12 (7). December, 1903. p. 487.
  14. ^ R. Atkinson Fox Society.
  15. ^ Martin, Charlotte & Martin, Rick (1997). Vintage Illustration: Discovering America's Calendar Artists, 1900-1960. Collectors Press, Portland, Oregon: 187.
  16. ^ US Patent US1664436, April 13, 1928. Beatrice S. Tonnesen: Holder for Long Stem Flowers. Filed June 16, 1924. US Patent US 1547846, July 28, 1925. Beatrice Tonnesen: Portable Combination Sewing Table and Cabinet. Filed March 28, 1924.
  17. ^ "Photographic Silhouettes". The Milwaukee Journal. November 14, 1898.
  18. ^ Fairbanks, Jerry (1949). Unusual Occupations. Paramount Pictures.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beatrice Tonnesen.
  • BeatriceTonnesen.com
  • Oshkosh Public Museum
  • Winneconne Historical Society - Tonnesen Collection

May 03, 2024
beatrice, tonnesen, january, 1871, 1958, american, artist, photographer, based, chicago, illinois, from, approximately, 1896, 1930, credited, with, having, pioneered, photographs, live, models, print, advertising, addition, photos, illustrations, leading, arti. Beatrice Tonnesen January 24 1871 May 12 1958 was an American artist and photographer based in Chicago Illinois from approximately 1896 to 1930 1 2 3 She is credited with having pioneered the use of photographs of live models in print advertising 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 In addition her photos and illustrations by leading artists based on her photos were widely used in the calendar art of the era 5 6 9 10 Beatrice Tonnesen self portrait approximately 1900 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Other innovations 4 Later life 5 References 6 External linksEarly life editBeatrice Tonnesen was born June 24 1871 in Winneconne Wisconsin 5 to Tonnes Tonnesen and Mary Sumner Tonnesen Beatrice who was hearing impaired 2 studied photography under Cook Ely 2 5 Oshkosh Wisconsin s leading photographer of the day and at the Oshkosh Normal School 10 Tonnes Tonnesen was an immigrant from Norway and one of the representative pioneer business men of Winnebago County Wisconsin 11 Mary Sumner Tonnesen was a direct descendant of William Sumner of Bicester England who came to New England in 1636 and settled in Dorchester Massachusetts 11 Career editIn 1895 Tonnesen opened her first photographic art studio in Menominee Michigan While operating that studio Tonnesen traveled to Chicago and arranged to purchase the business and studio of a prominent society photographer Simon L Stein 12 at 1301 Michigan Avenue 2 5 Her widowed sister Clara Tonnesen Kirkpatrick invested in the project and relocated to Chicago to handle the business aspects of her sister s new venture 2 5 6 Tonnesen quickly became a favorite portrait photographer of many of Chicago s most prominent families including the Armours Pullmans and Palmers 5 6 7 But portrait photography did not remain her only specialty for long She and her sister Clara soon hit upon an idea that was to revolutionize the world of print advertising As Tonnesen herself put it in an interview with the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern in 1954 6 One day we thought up a fine scheme We would make advertising pictures using live models which had never been done before The idea took off and Tonnesen and her Famous Tonnesen Models gained nationwide fame 2 5 6 10 A 1903 advertisement Introducing The Famous Tonnesen Models proclaimed We operate the largest Photographic Print establishment in America 13 At the same time Tonnesen was cultivating a specialty in calendar art 5 6 7 13 Creating photos of appealing family scenes as well as more risque for the time studies of beautiful ingenues and glamorous flappers Tonnesen sold her work not only to advertisers but also to publishers and artists A November 18 1896 article in the Chicago Daily Tribune titled Ideas for Dull Artists outlined the various uses of Tonnesen s photos Advertisers often used them with little or no alteration publishers often assigned staff illustrators to embellish or paint them using water color pastels or oils and independent artists painted from them capitalizing on Tonnesen s talent for posing and composition in order to meet the demands of the rapidly expanding art publishing trade 9 Two of the era s more successful calendar artists R Atkinson Fox 1860 1935 14 and Homer S Nelson no dates who specialized in romanticized depictions of Indian maidens 15 are among artists known to have painted from Tonnesen s photos 6 Her very early work was signed Tonnesen Sisters But throughout most of her career because she sold so much of her work to others for their own use her name or signature seldom appeared on the final product Those relatively few pieces which she painted from her own photographs were signed Beatrice Tonnesen and can still be found on calendars from approximately 1900 to 1930 6 Although she is known to have taken thousands of images throughout her career no original glass plate negatives have ever been located Small collections of original photos paintings and prints are all that are known to remain Most of the original photos are located at the Oshkosh Public Museum and the Winneconne Historical Society Some few art researchers relatives of persons associated with Tonnesen during her career and historians are known to have collections and a digital collection is retained at the Beatrice Tonnesen website Her personal scrapbook was restored for the Oshkosh Public Museum and made available for study Other innovations editIn addition to creating the first photographs of live models for print advertising and supplying the robust calendar trade of the era with decorative artwork Tonnesen was an inventor She is known to have patented a sewing machine cabinet and a holder for long stem flowers 16 She also developed a photographic means to produce silhouette portraits 17 and a process for creating sculptures she called Mars Ware from furnace clinkers 2 5 6 7 10 A 1949 documentary Unusual Occupations featured Tonnesen and her Mars Ware 18 Later life editIn 1930 Tonnesen who never married closed her studio in Chicago and moved back to Winneconne Wisconsin where she shared her sister Clara s home until Clara s death in 1944 By the early 1950s she was living in Oshkosh Wisconsin at the St Mary s Home where she continued to pursue her art interests creating jewelry and sculptures She died there on May 12 1958 2 5 6 7 10 References edit a b Turner E S 1953 The Shocking History of Advertising E P Dutton amp Co Inc New York p 172 a b c d e f g h i Cross Scott Summer Fall 2004 Beatrice Tonnesen Photography Pioneer Voyageur Magazine permanent dead link Denny Margaret Summer 2007 Image Makers Picture Takers Illinois Women Photographers 1850 1900 Journal of Illinois History Illinois Historic Preservation Agency p 134 Billion Dollar Baby Time September 19 1949 p 90 a b c d e f g h i j k Beatrice Tonnesen Introduced New Trend in 1890 Advertising Oshkosh Daily Northwestern September 29 1954 a b c d e f g h i j k Johnson Geoffrey March 2010 Camera Obscura On the Life and Work of Beatrice Tonnesen Chicago a b c d e Horton Sharla August 14 1976 Beatrice Tonnesen Pictures to be Shown Oshkosh Daily Northwestern Moser Whet March 2011 Beautiful Chicagoans of the Past and the Invention of Fashion Photography Chicago a b Ideas for Dull Artists Chicago Daily Tribune November 18 1896 a b c d e Clinkers Dug From Grates Make Bows for Mantels The Milwaukee Journal November 12 1944 a b Beatrice Tonnesen s restored scrapbook Simon L Stein s Portraits of Leading Citizens Image Gallery Essay Wisconsin Historical Society a b Profitable Advertising 12 7 December 1903 p 487 R Atkinson Fox Society Martin Charlotte amp Martin Rick 1997 Vintage Illustration Discovering America s Calendar Artists 1900 1960 Collectors Press Portland Oregon 187 US Patent US1664436 April 13 1928 Beatrice S Tonnesen Holder for Long Stem Flowers Filed June 16 1924 US Patent US 1547846 July 28 1925 Beatrice Tonnesen Portable Combination Sewing Table and Cabinet Filed March 28 1924 Photographic Silhouettes The Milwaukee Journal November 14 1898 Fairbanks Jerry 1949 Unusual Occupations Paramount Pictures External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beatrice Tonnesen BeatriceTonnesen com Oshkosh Public Museum Winneconne Historical Society Tonnesen Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beatrice Tonnesen amp oldid 1155156337, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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