S. Seymour Thomas, 1868-1956
A Texas Genius Rediscovered
978-0-87611-204-5 Cloth
0 x 0 x 0
200 pp. 262 color and b&w illus.
Pub Date: 02/16/2005
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Born in San Augustine, Texas, in 1868, Thomas moved with his family to Dallas a few years later. He was first recognized as an artist at the age of eight, when he won a certificate from the North Texas Fair Association for a pencil drawing of hunting dogs. At age twelve he illustrated a book about outlaw Sam Bass. As a teenager, after the family moved to San Antonio, Seymour began painting with oils and studied under Theodore Gentilz. It was during this time that Seymour painted his famous view of the San José Mission, featured on the book's cover.
In Paris, Thomas won several medals at salons and met fellow American art student Helen Haskell, who became his wife. Once he had established his reputation as an artist, he turned most of his efforts toward portraiture, producing likenesses that combined a meticulous attention to detail with an effort to bring out each sitter's personality.
This book, published by the Texas State Historical Association for the Witte Museum, is a fitting tribute to Seymour Thomas's life and work. Rich in details from family letters and diaries and illustrated with color reproductions of Thomas's paintings, as well as with family photos and examples from his sketchbooks, the book is a significant addition to our knowledge of Texas art and artists.
About the Author
Published by Texas State Historical Assn