He was the son of George Cheney and Electa Woodbridge. He received a public school education.[2] In 1833 he went to Paris and studied under Jean-Baptiste Isabey and Paul Delaroche when he returned he started drawing portraits in Boston in 1841.
His portraits are in black and white crayon. He was one of the earliest American artists in black and white, and excelled in giving spirituality to his portraits and ideal female faces, which were sought by collectors. Among his works are portraits of Theodore Parker with his wife, James Walker (president of Harvard), William Cullen Bryant, and Ephraim Peabody, “Rosalie,” and “A Roman Girl.”[2] On May 10, 1848 he was made an associate of the National Academy of Design.
When the poet Fitz-Greene Halleck expressed surprise that his portrait was not finished, Cheney said, “I will finish it,” whereupon he put his foot through it.[2]
He died in South Manchester, Connecticut.
Familyedit
He was the brother of Ward Cheney, a prominent silk manufacturer of South Manchester,[2] and John Cheney, an engraver. He was married twice first in September 1847 to Emily Woodbridge Pitkin, daughter of Horace Pitkin and Emily Woodbridge. His wife, Emily, died without issue in 1850. Three years later on 19 May 1853 he married Ednah Dow Littlehale, daughter of Sargent Smith Littledale and Ednah Parker (Dow). This marriage produced one child: Margaret Swan Cheney (8 September 1855 – 22 September 1882)[3] His memoirs were published by Ednah, his second wife, in 1881.
^His daughter, Margaret Swan Cheney died of tuberculosis while a student in the 1882 class at MIT and a reception room of the Women’s Chemistry Laboratory was named in her memory. AMITA.org(Association of MIT Alumnae)
Referencesedit
Bolton, Theodore. Early American Portrait Draughtsmen in Crayons. New York: Kennedy Graphics, 1970. Google Books Retrieved May 10, 2008
Littlehale, Frederick H. A Complete History and Genealogy of the Littlehale Family in America from 1633 to 1889. Boston, Mass: A.W. & F.H. Littlehale, 1889. Google Books Retrieved May 10, 2008
seth, wells, cheney, november, 1810, september, 1856, american, artist, pioneer, crayon, work, united, states, portrait, seth, cheney, contents, biography, family, image, gallery, notes, references, further, reading, external, linksbiography, edit, nbsp, georg. Seth Wells Cheney November 28 1810 September 10 1856 was an American artist and a pioneer of crayon work in the United States 1 Portrait of Seth W Cheney Contents 1 Biography 2 Family 3 Image gallery 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksBiography edit nbsp Seth Wells Cheney He was the son of George Cheney and Electa Woodbridge He received a public school education 2 In 1833 he went to Paris and studied under Jean Baptiste Isabey and Paul Delaroche when he returned he started drawing portraits in Boston in 1841 His portraits are in black and white crayon He was one of the earliest American artists in black and white and excelled in giving spirituality to his portraits and ideal female faces which were sought by collectors Among his works are portraits of Theodore Parker with his wife James Walker president of Harvard William Cullen Bryant and Ephraim Peabody Rosalie and A Roman Girl 2 On May 10 1848 he was made an associate of the National Academy of Design When the poet Fitz Greene Halleck expressed surprise that his portrait was not finished Cheney said I will finish it whereupon he put his foot through it 2 He died in South Manchester Connecticut Family editHe was the brother of Ward Cheney a prominent silk manufacturer of South Manchester 2 and John Cheney an engraver He was married twice first in September 1847 to Emily Woodbridge Pitkin daughter of Horace Pitkin and Emily Woodbridge His wife Emily died without issue in 1850 Three years later on 19 May 1853 he married Ednah Dow Littlehale daughter of Sargent Smith Littledale and Ednah Parker Dow This marriage produced one child Margaret Swan Cheney 8 September 1855 22 September 1882 3 His memoirs were published by Ednah his second wife in 1881 Image gallery edit nbsp Portrait of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1844 nbsp Female portrait head nbsp Male portrait head nbsp Female portrait headNotes edit Gilman D C Peck H T Colby F M eds 1905 Cheney Seth Wells New International Encyclopedia 1st ed New York Dodd Mead a b c d Wilson J G Fiske J eds 1900 Cheney Charles Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography New York D Appleton His daughter Margaret Swan Cheney died of tuberculosis while a student in the 1882 class at MIT and a reception room of the Women s Chemistry Laboratory was named in her memory AMITA org Association of MIT Alumnae References editBolton Theodore Early American Portrait Draughtsmen in Crayons New York Kennedy Graphics 1970 Google Books Retrieved May 10 2008 Littlehale Frederick H A Complete History and Genealogy of the Littlehale Family in America from 1633 to 1889 Boston Mass A W amp F H Littlehale 1889 Google Books Retrieved May 10 2008Further reading editObituary New York Times September 12 1856 Ednah Dow Littlehale Cheney Memoir of Seth W Cheney artist Boston Lee and Shepard 1881 Samuel L Gerry Old Masters of Boston New England Magazine v 3 no 6 Feb 1891 Sylvester Rosa Koehler Catalogue of the engraved and lithographed work of John Cheney and Seth Wells Cheney Boston Lee and Shepard 1891 Seth Wells Cheney Artists in Ohio 1787 1900 a biographical dictionary 3rd ed Kent State University Press 2000 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seth W Cheney Works by or about Seth Wells Cheney at Internet Archive WorldCat rootsweb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Seth Wells Cheney amp oldid 1150458651, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
