Louise Altson � Portraits Inspired by God’s Hands
Louise Altson was a prolific portrait painter, amassing over seven hundred works over a forty-year span. Her clients included Mrs. William Guggenheim, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Grace, Mr. and Mrs. O. deGray Vanderbilt, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene du Pont III, President George H.W. and Barbara Bush, The Le Maire / Squibb family, The Combemale / Woolworth family, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Fulton, Senator and Mrs. Lloyd Bentsen, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Firestone, Mr. and Mrs. James Maytag, Phoebe Snow and The Lafayette Society.
To what may we attribute Louise’s success? Early in Louise Altson's life she was taught "to capture the essence of a lemon" in portraying a lemon in her first still life. Louise evolved from a skilled artist, moving from capturing the essence of a fruit to capturing the essence of her subject's personality.
How did she accomplish this? Certainly she had a gift, talent and instruction. She also had life-changing faith-based experiences that molded her skills and guided her paintbrush.
She took six months to do a typical portrait. Why so long? She looked at the portrait from different angles. She would put it away for a while and think about it. She would ask for God's guidance. All of this took time.
Louise died in 2010, almost reaching the age of one hundred. During her life (although there is no official count), we estimate that she did over seven hundred portraits. In at least one family, she did portraits of family members spanning three generations.
Some of the seemingly minor incidents in a life, when seen from the end of that life, are actually defining moments that mold and shape who we are, who we become; and have a profound impact on others. Certainly this was true for Louise Altson. When gathering her things for her memorial service, a handwritten journal was found describing one of the defining moments in her life, when God miraculously helped her to capture the essence of the subject, and gave her techniques she was to use throughout her painting career. Excerpts from that journal are transcribed here:
"Those who have faith will understand, those who have none might wonder. For all those same, I wish to record this breathtaking experience which has given faith and flame to a previously lukewarm soul.
It happened last December 1948. Shortly before Dad Altson’s (Abbey Altson) death, my wish and hope to paint portraits was as strong as ever, but my painstaking efforts and long training produced nothing extraordinary. In fact the pictures lacked all I so much hoped to attain; one picture after the other to me was a failure. I became very discouraged and lost confidence.
My portrait of George with an apple was pleasant but weak, my portrait of John lacked drawing and likeness. My portrait of Madeleine Mason (a model) was out of drawing and lacked vigour, another portrait of John looked commercial.
Finally this particular day I decided to start a new portrait of George: very discouraged by my previous failures I felt the only one who could possibly help me was God Himself, so I did something I had never in my life done before.
In my studio, before starting work, I got on my knees and prayed to God. I asked Him to please open my eyes and guide my hand and then I started work.
What happened immediately afterwards was so extraordinary that it put a lump in my throat for three days and it made me very shaky and nervous.
As I worked, someone seemed to tell me what colours to blend. First doubtfully, I obeyed mechanically; just mixing. Then again someone seemed to tell me when it was right. (The blending of colours was very different to what I had always mixed). Still half doubting I put it on the canvas. To my surprise it was just right. This stroke after stroke phenomenon kept on all the time I was building the head. But what was even more curious and seared me; my brush kept doing what I thought was slipping out of control, but when I went to correct what I thought was a slip of the brush it happened to have made just the correct touch! When this repeated itself several times, I had to stop work as the strain and nervousness within me was too intense. After some time, I continued work and I realized the results were going to be very different. As anyone else would have done, I thought it would be a smart idea to take note of what kind of colours I was using. Perhaps this performance would not repeat itself again. But as I started to look closely at my palette something happened, words came strongly into my heart and the wording alone stopped me short as it said:
'Do not gather on God’s knowledge but rather pray to him each day.'
At the end of the day, the painting of the head was the best I had ever painted and the likeness was striking. I happened to leave the painting out when Billy (Ralph) came home; when he saw it he immediately noticed the change of work. He begged me not to touch the head as it was so true to life, and for days he talked about it. I did not tell him what had happened but I was convinced more than ever that I had received “true help.� The next day as I painted, the same thing happened, and my work became different and improved beyond measure. Many took notice, including the art dealers�.�
The story of my mother, Louise Altson, and her faith needed to be told. Based on prodding from a friend, I decided to write my mother’s biography. I recruited my two siblings (George and Jeannie) to help. George’s wife, Carol, was also a tremendous help. The biography, Louise Altson - A gifted artist who captured the person, not just the image, is now available on Amazon and in selected bookstores. Thirty-three prominent families are covered as chapters, with each such chapter featuring photographs of the portraits, testimonials, and occasional anecdotal information about Louise Altson and the portrait painting process.
David Wright, an editor for the National Enquirer, was kind enough to review the biography: “The book has such an unusual format that I wondered at first if it could be sustained. But the more I read, the more fascinating I found it. The penetrating glimpses not only into the lives of Louise and her family, but also those of the prominent, household-name families who sat for her, were riveting. I loved the way characters as diverse as Ulysses Grant, Danny Kaye, Mae West, Paul McCartney, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Prince Rainier would pop up unexpectedly. Also, I enjoyed the children's touching memories of life with Mom and Gloria. (as a long time National Enquirer reporter, the "axe in the bedroom closet" anecdote was a particular stunner!) I admired the way you described this traumatic period in your lives so honestly, while it came as a shock to discover that despite her success Louise was left nearly broke after her marriage broke up. So many tragedies run through the narrative. And how interesting to read that so many of the girls Louise painted in childhood, now up in years, still have the dresses they wore then. I was intrigued by the anecdote about the matriarch who commissioned paintings of her daughter and grandchildren - but insisted the husband not be included because divorce was so prevalent in her family. (A problem eradicated these days by Photo Shop!) The highlight of the book is undoubtedly the exchange of moving letters between Louise and the George H.W. Bush family. They give the reader a whole new insight into the presidential family. And the Cecil B. deMille correspondence is equally intriguing as it reveals an important piece of Hollywood history. All in all, the book left me thinking of Louise ... what an incredible woman!�
Louise Altson was a prolific portrait painter, amassing over seven hundred works over a forty-year span. Her clients included Mrs. William Guggenheim, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Grace, Mr. and Mrs. O. deGray Vanderbilt, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene du Pont III, President George H.W. and Barbara Bush, The Le Maire / Squibb family, The Combemale / Woolworth family, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Fulton, Senator and Mrs. Lloyd Bentsen, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Firestone, Mr. and Mrs. James Maytag, Phoebe Snow and The Lafayette Society.
To what may we attribute Louise’s success? Early in Louise Altson's life she was taught "to capture the essence of a lemon" in portraying a lemon in her first still life. Louise evolved from a skilled artist, moving from capturing the essence of a fruit to capturing the essence of her subject's personality.
How did she accomplish this? Certainly she had a gift, talent and instruction. She also had life-changing faith-based experiences that molded her skills and guided her paintbrush.
She took six months to do a typical portrait. Why so long? She looked at the portrait from different angles. She would put it away for a while and think about it. She would ask for God's guidance. All of this took time.
Louise died in 2010, almost reaching the age of one hundred. During her life (although there is no official count), we estimate that she did over seven hundred portraits. In at least one family, she did portraits of family members spanning three generations.
Some of the seemingly minor incidents in a life, when seen from the end of that life, are actually defining moments that mold and shape who we are, who we become; and have a profound impact on others. Certainly this was true for Louise Altson. When gathering her things for her memorial service, a handwritten journal was found describing one of the defining moments in her life, when God miraculously helped her to capture the essence of the subject, and gave her techniques she was to use throughout her painting career. Excerpts from that journal are transcribed here:
"Those who have faith will understand, those who have none might wonder. For all those same, I wish to record this breathtaking experience which has given faith and flame to a previously lukewarm soul.
It happened last December 1948. Shortly before Dad Altson’s (Abbey Altson) death, my wish and hope to paint portraits was as strong as ever, but my painstaking efforts and long training produced nothing extraordinary. In fact the pictures lacked all I so much hoped to attain; one picture after the other to me was a failure. I became very discouraged and lost confidence.
My portrait of George with an apple was pleasant but weak, my portrait of John lacked drawing and likeness. My portrait of Madeleine Mason (a model) was out of drawing and lacked vigour, another portrait of John looked commercial.
Finally this particular day I decided to start a new portrait of George: very discouraged by my previous failures I felt the only one who could possibly help me was God Himself, so I did something I had never in my life done before.
In my studio, before starting work, I got on my knees and prayed to God. I asked Him to please open my eyes and guide my hand and then I started work.
What happened immediately afterwards was so extraordinary that it put a lump in my throat for three days and it made me very shaky and nervous.
As I worked, someone seemed to tell me what colours to blend. First doubtfully, I obeyed mechanically; just mixing. Then again someone seemed to tell me when it was right. (The blending of colours was very different to what I had always mixed). Still half doubting I put it on the canvas. To my surprise it was just right. This stroke after stroke phenomenon kept on all the time I was building the head. But what was even more curious and seared me; my brush kept doing what I thought was slipping out of control, but when I went to correct what I thought was a slip of the brush it happened to have made just the correct touch! When this repeated itself several times, I had to stop work as the strain and nervousness within me was too intense. After some time, I continued work and I realized the results were going to be very different. As anyone else would have done, I thought it would be a smart idea to take note of what kind of colours I was using. Perhaps this performance would not repeat itself again. But as I started to look closely at my palette something happened, words came strongly into my heart and the wording alone stopped me short as it said:
'Do not gather on God’s knowledge
but rather pray to him each day.'
At the end of the day, the painting of the head was the best I had ever painted and the likeness was striking. I happened to leave the painting out when Billy (Ralph) came home; when he saw it he immediately noticed the change of work. He begged me not to touch the head as it was so true to life, and for days he talked about it. I did not tell him what had happened but I was convinced more than ever that I had received “true help.� The next day as I painted, the same thing happened, and my work became different and improved beyond measure. Many took notice, including the art dealers�.�
The story of my mother, Louise Altson, and her faith needed to be told. Based on prodding from a friend, I decided to write my mother’s biography. I recruited my two siblings (George and Jeannie) to help. George’s wife, Carol, was also a tremendous help. The biography, Louise Altson - A gifted artist who captured the person, not just the image, is now available on Amazon and in selected bookstores. Thirty-three prominent families are covered as chapters, with each such chapter featuring photographs of the portraits, testimonials, and occasional anecdotal information about Louise Altson and the portrait painting process.
David Wright, an editor for the National Enquirer, was kind enough to review the biography: “The book has such an unusual format that I wondered at first if it could be sustained. But the more I read, the more fascinating I found it. The penetrating glimpses not only into the lives of Louise and her family, but also those of the prominent, household-name families who sat for her, were riveting. I loved the way characters as diverse as Ulysses Grant, Danny Kaye, Mae West, Paul McCartney, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Prince Rainier would pop up unexpectedly. Also, I enjoyed the children's touching memories of life with Mom and Gloria. (as a long time National Enquirer reporter, the "axe in the bedroom closet" anecdote was a particular stunner!) I admired the way you described this traumatic period in your lives so honestly, while it came as a shock to discover that despite her success Louise was left nearly broke after her marriage broke up. So many tragedies run through the narrative. And how interesting to read that so many of the girls Louise painted in childhood, now up in years, still have the dresses they wore then. I was intrigued by the anecdote about the matriarch who commissioned paintings of her daughter and grandchildren - but insisted the husband not be included because divorce was so prevalent in her family. (A problem eradicated these days by Photo Shop!) The highlight of the book is undoubtedly the exchange of moving letters between Louise and the George H.W. Bush family. They give the reader a whole new insight into the presidential family. And the Cecil B. deMille correspondence is equally intriguing as it reveals an important piece of Hollywood history. All in all, the book left me thinking of Louise ... what an incredible woman!�