Merton Clivette

Clivette was born in 1868 in Portage, Wisconsin but grew up in the Wyoming Territory. In this teens he left to participate in a Wild West show which toured the Northwest US and during his time in it he was able to display his skills as an acrobat, juggler and amateur magician. He honed these skills into what would later be a Vaudeville touring show. Clivette moved to Seattle then San Francisco in the late 1880s. He drew quick sketches in San Francisco then toured the United States with the Orpheum Circuit from 1891-1900 . Clivette headed across the pond to Europe and while there soaked in the traditional European art styles. Clivette was a student of Auguste Rodin from 1889-1890 and even painted a portrait of Auguste Rodin said to be the greatest of all portraits of the sculptor.[2] He came back from the trips much wiser and secured a place in the New York City art community.

Clivette modeled himself with Ashcan School artists (including Robert Henri) utilizing realist subjects. Clivette used the Chiaroscuro style in both light and dark juxtapositions and loose but forceful brushwork.[2] These were similar to Robert Henri and other realist painters. Clivette was well known for his Vamp series which portray Show Business ladies in the garish Burlesque attire.[3] This technique links him and the Ashcan school.[3] Contrasting these Vamp paintings Clivette painted numerous American Indian portraits. Clivette inevitably moved away from this realistic look to a more distorted fashion in the vein of Chaim Soutine. Over time he drifted away from realism toward expressionism. His later work turned toward figurativism, and eventually becoming abstract.

Clivette created his expressionist works painting with confidence with many strokes in succession; he utilized his skills he learned as an acrobat to move the brushes with precision. In his grander works, the marks looked like they were created using his whole body. This style was one of his greatest strengths.[4][5] Over time other New York artists such as Franz Kline, picked up on this new type of performance painting to make their mark. During the 1920s New York art locale, Clivette was respected and his art was well received.[6][7] George S. Hellman writes that Clivette was the greatest American Painter ever after seeing Clivette's "Outriding the Blizzard" painting.[2][8] Hellman was so convinced of Clivette's genius that he purchased a number of paintings from him and encouraged other accomplished New York painters — Maurice Sterne, Paul Manship, Edward Bruce — to purchase paintings from Clivette as well.[2] Sterne himself was amazed at this unknown artist who he thought painted self-portraits similarly to Paul Cezanne but with less control[9]

Clivette's work was frequently exhibited during the 1920s from Los Angeles[10] to Paris,[11][12] and New York in-between [13][14]

To this point is a reference from Henry Rankin Poore's book "Modern Art, Why, What and How" which talks about Clivette's impact including this Paris show. He begins, "Although France may claim the credit of introducing modern art to the world it is not generally known that before Paul Cézanne had sponsored cubism and Henri Matisse freedom, an American citizen was working out kindred theories. Merton Clivette, although of distant French extraction, has been Americanized through generations since 1630." [15]

Additionally it notes, "Only recently an invitation came for a large exhibition of his works in Paris, and had those pictures been seen there when first produced, Henri Matisse would have had to acknowledge that his idea had already been preempted. The French Government, through its Director of Fine Arts, selected an example from this exhibition which is destined for Luxembourg. The critical press of Paris extolled the newcomer from across the sea. It is quite proper then that the makers of Modern Art should move up and accord Clivette a place beside them."[15]

Clivette joins six other painters as the only American given a special article in the book, "Selections from the Collection of George S. Hellman", along with Picasso, Cezanne, Matisse, Derain, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. Selected paintings include Rushing Waters, Flowers in a Pot, Still Life, Walt Whitman, Indian in a Canoe, Toucan, Seascape, Small Seascape, and Sunset among others.[16]

• Churchill, Allen, “Improper Bohemians”, Dalton 1959, New York
• Hellman, George S., “Lanes of Memory”, Frontispiece illustration, Alfred A. Knopf 1927, New York
• Hellman, George S.; Sterne, Maurice; New Gallery (New York, N.Y.), "Clivette : exhibition of paintings January 11 to 29, 1927", the New Gallery 600 Madison Ave., New York, 1927.
• Hellman, George S., "Selections from the Collection of George S. Hellman, A fine group by Whistler and the Only Portrait ever Painted of Henry D. Thoreau.", American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, 30 East Fifty-Seventh Street, New York, December 14, 1932
• Parry, Albert, “Garrets & Pretenders”, Covici-Friede, Inc 1933, New York
• Poore, Henry Rankin, “Modern Art, Why, What & How”, G.P. Putname Sons 1931, New York & London
• Vassar Miscellany News, "Clivette Exhibition Visits Vassar: Works of Latest Find in Art World are Shown in Taylor Hall", Volume XI, Number 27, 12 February 1927