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for Montague Flagg
American, 1842 - 1915
Montague Flagg was the son of Jared Bradley Flagg and his first wife, Sarah Montague. Unlike other family members, noted for their precocity, he turned late to art. He first pursued a livelihood in business-pursuing it all the way to Australia-but without success. He was twenty-six when, at his father's suggestion and under his tutelage, he commenced his artistic career. In 1872 Flagg went to Paris with the artists Robert B. Brandegee, William Faxon, and his half-brother Charles Noël. He remained ten years, working first in the atelier of Louis-Marie-François Jacquesson de la Chevreuse before entering the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1876.
Upon returning to America in 1882, Flagg settled in New York, establishing himself as a portraitist and genre painter. Probably soon after his return from Europe, he began teaching at Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut. He also taught at the Academy school during the 1885-86 term, as a temporary replacement for Edgar Ward during the latter's leave of absence. He had first exhibited in an Academy annual in 1877 and again submitted work from Paris in 1879 and 1880; following his return, he contributed to the annuals of 1882 and 1883. Flagg had sent work for exhibition with the Society of American Artists in 1879 and 1880, and also contributed to the Society's annual exhibition of 1883, the year he became a member of that group. However, he showed with the Academy only once more in the nineteenth century, in 1888, and it was 1902 before his work was again included in a Society exhibition. Flagg also returned to sporadic participation in Academy exhibitions in the later years of his life, winning the Thomas R. Proctor Prize for portraiture in the winter exhibition of 1909.
Flagg's induction into the Academy was by virtue of his membership in the Society of American Artists at the time the two organizations merged, in 1906. In its eulogy to Flagg, the Academy Council noted that he was "a man of very retiring character, and greatly esteemed by all who had the privilege of knowing him."
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Upon returning to America in 1882, Flagg settled in New York, establishing himself as a portraitist and genre painter. Probably soon after his return from Europe, he began teaching at Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut. He also taught at the Academy school during the 1885-86 term, as a temporary replacement for Edgar Ward during the latter's leave of absence. He had first exhibited in an Academy annual in 1877 and again submitted work from Paris in 1879 and 1880; following his return, he contributed to the annuals of 1882 and 1883. Flagg had sent work for exhibition with the Society of American Artists in 1879 and 1880, and also contributed to the Society's annual exhibition of 1883, the year he became a member of that group. However, he showed with the Academy only once more in the nineteenth century, in 1888, and it was 1902 before his work was again included in a Society exhibition. Flagg also returned to sporadic participation in Academy exhibitions in the later years of his life, winning the Thomas R. Proctor Prize for portraiture in the winter exhibition of 1909.
Flagg's induction into the Academy was by virtue of his membership in the Society of American Artists at the time the two organizations merged, in 1906. In its eulogy to Flagg, the Academy Council noted that he was "a man of very retiring character, and greatly esteemed by all who had the privilege of knowing him."
ML
