Frank Crowninshield Quotes

Powerful Frank Crowninshield for Daily Growth

About Frank Crowninshield

Frank Crowninshield (1872-1944) was an influential American illustrator, painter, and writer, best known for his evocative and romantic depictions of the sea and the American way of life. Born on October 6, 1872, in Worcester, Massachusetts, Crowninshield showed early artistic talent. His father, Frank Homer Crowninshield, was a well-known portrait painter, and his mother, Mary Louise Peabody, was a descendant of the prominent Peabody family. Crowninshield's formal education began at the Worcester Art Museum School but was largely self-taught. He spent summers at his family's home in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he absorbed the local maritime culture that would later become a central theme in his work. In 1893, he moved to New York City and began working as an illustrator for magazines such as Collier's Weekly, Harper's Monthly, and Scribner's Magazine. Crowninshield's works were characterized by their atmospheric quality and attention to detail. His most famous illustrations include those for Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island" and Rudyard Kipling's "Captains Courageous." In 1905, he published his first book, "The Sea and Other Pictures," a collection of maritime paintings. In 1908, Crowninshield married Katharine Lee Bates, the author of "America the Beautiful." They settled in Massachusetts, where they built a home that became a gathering place for artists and intellectuals. Despite his success, Crowninshield struggled with alcoholism throughout his life. Crowninshield's later years were marked by declining health and financial difficulties. He died on November 18, 1944, in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Today, he is remembered as a key figure in American illustration and as an artist who captured the spirit of a bygone era. His works continue to inspire artists and art lovers alike.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"To be an artist is to believe in life."

This quote suggests that being an artist, someone who creates art, is a deeply profound belief in the essence of life itself. Artists, through their creations, express their understanding, appreciation, and interpretation of life's beauty, complexities, and emotions. They see life not just as it appears on the surface, but delve deeper into its intricacies, exploring the universal truths that unite us all. Therefore, to be an artist is not merely a profession or a hobby; it's a testament to one's unwavering faith in the power and significance of existence.

"Art is not a matter of finding oneself, but creating oneself."

This quote suggests that the creative process of art is less about self-discovery and more about self-expression and self-creation. It implies that through the act of creating art, an individual has the power to shape their identity, values, and perspective on life. Instead of merely uncovering pre-existing traits, one can use art as a means to define themselves, pushing boundaries, experimenting with ideas, and forging a unique path. Essentially, Frank Crowninshield posits that art is not just an outcome of who we are, but also a powerful tool in shaping who we become.

"The test of whether you are on the right path or not is very simple: if you meet with success, keep going."

This quote suggests that persistence and continued effort are key indicators of being on the right path. If one encounters success in their endeavors, it signifies that they are moving in a positive direction and should continue along that path. The idea is that success serves as a validating measure of progress, encouraging individuals to persevere and stay focused on their goals.

"The true test of originality is to be able to copy somebody else and still remain yourself."

This quote emphasizes the idea that originality isn't about never being influenced or inspired by others, but rather about maintaining your unique identity while engaging with and learning from others. It suggests that true originality lies in the ability to imitate or copy someone else's work while still preserving one's own style and creative voice. This quote encourages us to appreciate the value of both inspiration and individual expression in our artistic and intellectual pursuits.

"Art does not reproduce what we see; rather, it makes us see."

This quote by Frank Crowninshield emphasizes that art's role extends beyond mere representation of reality. Instead, art functions as a catalyst to enrich our perception, encouraging us to observe the world with renewed appreciation and insight. It doesn't merely replicate visual experiences but transforms them into unique, thought-provoking expressions, inviting viewers to see things in a new light.

Let us instance one respect in which American life has recently undergone a great change. We allude to its increased devotion to pleasure, to happiness, to dancing, to sport... to the delights of the country, to laughter, and to all forms of cheerfulness.

- Frank Crowninshield

Dancing, Country, Instance, Undergone

I have never collected an object or figure from Africa or Oceania because of anything curious about it or because of its utility or historic interest. Everything has been chosen entirely because of its aesthetic significance; its form, feeling, structure, and plastic values.

- Frank Crowninshield

Values, Aesthetic, Been, Significance

What Marie Antoinette was to eighteenth-century France, Mary Pickford is to twentieth-century America.

- Frank Crowninshield

France, Mary, Marie, None

For women, we intend to do something in a noble and missionary spirit... We mean to appeal to their intellects... and we hereby announce ourselves as determined and bigoted feminists.

- Frank Crowninshield

Spirit, Appeal, Bigoted, Intend

Young men and young women, full of courage, originality, and genius, are everywhere to be met with.

- Frank Crowninshield

Genius, Young, Young Women, Young Men

My interest in society - at times so pronounced that the word 'snob' comes a little to mind - derives from the fact that I like an immense number of things which society, money, and position bring in their train: painting, tapestries, rare books, smart dresses, dances, gardens, country houses, correct cuisine, and pretty women.

- Frank Crowninshield

Fact, Country, Gardens, Immense

In my day, when you called on a girl, her mother was always hollering down to see if she was still unraped, the maid would look in, her father would shuffle his feet in another room. Today the boy calls up, says, 'Meet you at the back door of Stern's.'

- Frank Crowninshield

Father, Feet, Door, Maid

We Americans are mildly interested, of course, in reading about the discovery of radium by Madame Curie, but what we really yearn to know is the name of the uncommemorated French female who first mixed a sauce bearnaise.

- Frank Crowninshield

Reading, Yearn, About, Madame

My sense of loneliness was not particularly great until I reached sixty. From that time on, I would have given an ex-king's ransom if I had been able, in my youth to seduce a lady into thinking of me as a handyman and provider around the house.

- Frank Crowninshield

Loneliness, Been, Had, Reached

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