Brock Churchill Hazard

4 and William Churchill extol the pleasures of everyday life enjoyed in beautiful spaces, and perfectly mirrored the elegance and leisure of the Taylors’ lives. In this way, the Taylors were the quintessential collectors of Boston School paintings. Arthur Merton Hazard (1872–1930) was born in North Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and, like many artists of his generation, studied abroad in Paris at the Académies Colarossi and Julian. Upon his return to Boston he studied under renowned painters Joseph DeCamp (1858–1923) and Frank Duveneck (1848–1919). Hazard made his career in Boston, where he focused on landscape and portrait painting, including commissioned portraits of prominent Bostonians. His interior The Letter (1903) (Fig. 7), shows that Hazard responded early to the Boston School trend of painting women in richly appointed interiors. Many of his colleagues began this style of painting after 1905. The Boston Evening Transcript took note of the vogue and gave credit for its manifestation to Edmund Tarbell, the leader of the movement, in 1906: “… the fashion for painting interiors which is just now prevailing in Boston studios is a thing to be cordially encouraged. If we owe the prevalence of this fashion to Mr. Tarbell he is to be thanked for it.” In November 1914 Hazard received considerable press for the opening of his gallery at 64 Commonwealth Avenue. The townhouse included commercial galleries, a school of drawing and painting, and Hazard’s studio. It is likely that Dr. Taylor visited the galleries, as they FIG. 3 Arthur Merton Hazard (1872–1930) Hunting Scene, n.d. Oil on canvas 20 x 24 inches Signed at lower left: A. M. Hazard Clements/Howcroft Photography FIG. 4 Arthur Merton Hazard (1872–1930) Sailboats through the Trees, n.d. Oil on canvas 24 x 20 inches Signed at lower left: A. M. Hazard Clements/Howcroft Photography