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Justice for Jane: A Mid-Twentieth Century Confrontation Between an Artist, His Patron, and a Modern Woman

Received: 11 November 2022     Accepted: 29 November 2022     Published: 8 December 2022
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Abstract

Secured within the archival material of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art and New York Public Library is a more than twenty-year correspondence between the American artist Everett Shinn and his benefactor, Poultney Bigelow. Their letters include updates on the New York social scene and invitations for visits. Many of their exchanges also contain racist comments and derogatory references to women by Bigelow and bawdy sketches by Shinn. But one specific letter from October 1942 stands apart from the others for its length and tone. In it, the artist, in the guise of protector, confronts his patron’s sexually offensive behavior toward Jane Huttenloch, a career-minded young woman. Examination of this letter, their overall correspondence, and their lifestyles sheds light on a revealing and disturbing series of conversations between the men and highlights how deeply their patriarchal values informed their attitudes and treatment of women. This paper adds to the lexicon of the eroding ideology of chauvinism and addresses changing ideals of womanhood in the mid-twentieth century, underscoring the history and long-held traditions that led to the early twenty-first century’s #MeToo Movement when sexual predation is no longer condoned and men who belittle women can expect to be called out and castigated.

Published in American Journal of Art and Design (Volume 7, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajad.20220704.18
Page(s) 156-166
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Gender Issues, Empowerment, Patriarchy, Male Dominance, Sexual Harassment

References
[1] Bigelow, Poultney. “The Russian and his Jew.” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, March 3, 1894, pp. 603-614. https://harpers.org/archive/1894/03/the-russian-and-his-jew/
[2] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-802-806], Box 1, Folder 4. October 25, 1942. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[3] Alexander Sanger. “Eugenics, race, and Margaret Sanger revisited: reproductive freedom for all?” Hypatia, vol. 22, no. 2, 2007, pp. 210–17. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4640075
[4] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. September 27, 1942. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[5] “Advertising News and Notes.” The New York Times, June 7, 1943, p. 23.
[6] Gardner, Viv and Susan Rutherford. The New Woman and her sisters: Feminism and theatre, 1850-1914. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1992, 74.
[7] Todd, Ellen Wiley. The “New Woman” revised: painting and gender politics on Fourteenth Street. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993, 5, 1.
[8] Peiss, Kathy. “Charity Girls and city pleasures.” OAH Magazine of History, vol. 18, no. 4, July 2004, pp. 14-16.
[9] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-818-819], Box 1, Folder 19, March 22, 1943, Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[10] Janus, Sam. Sexual profile of men in power. New York, NY: Warner Books, 1978.
[11] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-612-614], Box 1, Folder 8. May 15, 1935, Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[12] Everett Shinn. Smithsonian American Art Museum. https://americanart.si.edu/artist/everett-shinn-4430
[13] Zurier, Rebecca. Picturing the city: urban vision and the Ashcan School. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006, p. 179.
[14] De Shazo, Edith. Everett Shinn, 1876-1953: A figure in his time. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., Publisher, 1974, pp. 184-185.
[15] Zurier, Rebecca. Picturing the city: urban vision and the Ashcan School. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006, p. 137 (quoted in footnote 4, 342).
[16] Wong, Janay. Everett Shinn: The spectacle of life. New York, NY: Berry Hill Galleries, Inc., 2000, 82 (quoted in foot note 276, 108).
[17] William II, German Emperor, My early life. New York, NY: George H. Doran Co., 1926, p. 43.
[18] Ackerman, Gerald M. American Orientalists. Courbevoie, France: ACR, 1994, p. 164.
[19] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. July 11, 1943. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[20] “Miss Bigelow a favorite: American girl has had success in London this season.” Seattle Daily Times, August 25, 1906, p. 40.
[21] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-585], Box 1, Folder 5. Undated. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[22] Perlman, Bennard B. “Meeting Shinn.” Arts and Antiques, vol. 15, February 1993, pp. 78-81.
[23] “Everett Shinn weds: twelve days after divorce he take a Brooklyn bride.” New York Times, March 23, 1913. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/everett-shinn-weds/docview/97439268/se-2
[24] “Mrs. Shinn get divorce: wife of Westport (Conn.) artist charged cruelty in suit.” New York Times, Dec 17, 1932. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/mrs-shinn-gets-divorce/docview/99750437/se-2.
[25] “Everett Shinn wed Miss Paula Downing; noted artist, 59, takes as bride Norwalk girl, 21, in a secret ceremony." New York Times, April 18, 1933. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/everett-shinn-weds-miss-paula-downing-i/docview/100698635/se-2
[26] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-586], Box 1, Folder 6. December 31, 1934. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[27] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-795], Box 1, Folder 20. October 14, 1942. Letter from Bigelow to Huttenloch.
[28] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-792], Box 1, Folder 19. September 28, 1942. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[29] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-807], Box 1, Folder 20. October 29, 1942. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[30] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-810], Box 1, Folder 20. November 3, 1942. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[31] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-854], Box 1, Folder 24. June 29, 1946. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[32] Death record of Jane Huttenloch Purfield (1918-2023). https://www.ancientfaces.com/person/jane-purfield-birth-1918-death-2003/15027279
[33] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-599], Box 1, Folder 7. January 14, 1935. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[34] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. October 19, 1938. Letter from Lucy Bush to Shinn.
[35] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-641], Box 1, Folder 10. November 20, 1936. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[36] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-770], Box 1, Folder 18. July 9, 1941. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[37] James, Henry. The Bostonians. London: Penguin Publishing, 2000, p. 149.
[38] Human, Julie. “A Woman Rebels? Gender Roles in 1930s Motion Pictures.” The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. 98, No. 4, Autumn 2000, pp. 405-428. https://222.jstor.org/stable/23384870
[39] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. November 8, 1928. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[40] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box. 13. July 3, 1931. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[41] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-590], Bos 1, Folder 6, December 7, 1933. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[42] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-587], Box 1, Folder 6. December 31, 1934. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[43] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-845], Box 1, Folder 24. March 31, 1946. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[44] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-871-874], Box 1, Folder 24. December 10, 1946. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[45] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-869], Box 1, Folder 24. November 25, 1946. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[46] Everett Shinn Papers, Delaware Art Museum, Box 8.
[47] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. December 12, 1946. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[48] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. Undated (early in 1943). Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[49] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. Undated (late 1942 or early 1943). Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[50] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-809], Box 1, Folder 20. November 5, 1942. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
[51] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. December 14, 1946. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[52] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. November 3, 1942. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[53] Poultney Bigelow papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library, Box 13. March 30, 1943. Letter from Shinn to Bigelow.
[54] Everett Shinn collection, 1877-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, [952-875], Box 1, Folder 24. Undated. Letter from Bigelow to Shinn.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Melanie Enderle. (2022). Justice for Jane: A Mid-Twentieth Century Confrontation Between an Artist, His Patron, and a Modern Woman. American Journal of Art and Design, 7(4), 156-166. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220704.18

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    ACS Style

    Melanie Enderle. Justice for Jane: A Mid-Twentieth Century Confrontation Between an Artist, His Patron, and a Modern Woman. Am. J. Art Des. 2022, 7(4), 156-166. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20220704.18

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    AMA Style

    Melanie Enderle. Justice for Jane: A Mid-Twentieth Century Confrontation Between an Artist, His Patron, and a Modern Woman. Am J Art Des. 2022;7(4):156-166. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20220704.18

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajad.20220704.18,
      author = {Melanie Enderle},
      title = {Justice for Jane: A Mid-Twentieth Century Confrontation Between an Artist, His Patron, and a Modern Woman},
      journal = {American Journal of Art and Design},
      volume = {7},
      number = {4},
      pages = {156-166},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajad.20220704.18},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220704.18},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajad.20220704.18},
      abstract = {Secured within the archival material of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art and New York Public Library is a more than twenty-year correspondence between the American artist Everett Shinn and his benefactor, Poultney Bigelow. Their letters include updates on the New York social scene and invitations for visits. Many of their exchanges also contain racist comments and derogatory references to women by Bigelow and bawdy sketches by Shinn. But one specific letter from October 1942 stands apart from the others for its length and tone. In it, the artist, in the guise of protector, confronts his patron’s sexually offensive behavior toward Jane Huttenloch, a career-minded young woman. Examination of this letter, their overall correspondence, and their lifestyles sheds light on a revealing and disturbing series of conversations between the men and highlights how deeply their patriarchal values informed their attitudes and treatment of women. This paper adds to the lexicon of the eroding ideology of chauvinism and addresses changing ideals of womanhood in the mid-twentieth century, underscoring the history and long-held traditions that led to the early twenty-first century’s #MeToo Movement when sexual predation is no longer condoned and men who belittle women can expect to be called out and castigated.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    AB  - Secured within the archival material of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art and New York Public Library is a more than twenty-year correspondence between the American artist Everett Shinn and his benefactor, Poultney Bigelow. Their letters include updates on the New York social scene and invitations for visits. Many of their exchanges also contain racist comments and derogatory references to women by Bigelow and bawdy sketches by Shinn. But one specific letter from October 1942 stands apart from the others for its length and tone. In it, the artist, in the guise of protector, confronts his patron’s sexually offensive behavior toward Jane Huttenloch, a career-minded young woman. Examination of this letter, their overall correspondence, and their lifestyles sheds light on a revealing and disturbing series of conversations between the men and highlights how deeply their patriarchal values informed their attitudes and treatment of women. This paper adds to the lexicon of the eroding ideology of chauvinism and addresses changing ideals of womanhood in the mid-twentieth century, underscoring the history and long-held traditions that led to the early twenty-first century’s #MeToo Movement when sexual predation is no longer condoned and men who belittle women can expect to be called out and castigated.
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Author Information
  • Department of Art History, University of Washington, Seattle, USA

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