George H. Flavelle (American, 1868-) painter primarily known for his watercolor paintings depicting landscapes, woodland interiors, seascapes, cottage scenes and Dutch scenes with windmills. Flavelle was born in Pennsylvania in 1868, and he initially took night classes at the Spring Garden School (where he won first prize), and later studied art at the Pennsylvania Watercolor School. Early on in his career, he worked for an art publishing house, and also attained great success as a glass and china decorator, but the limitations of those professions pushed him towards doing his own art.
"...the majestic repose, rythmic contour, magnificent perspective, power of forestry, grace of companionship, each to each of great old trees, tender saplings, dipping flowers and deep, tranquil, shadowy streams sometimes broadening into pools that reflect richly verile sky or soft, low-lying, always moving cloud masses, the marvelous landscape panorama of Pennsylvania too little known outside artists (poet's rendering) has always been his text."
"He had inherited to a marked degree, the delicate, clean-cut drawing that characterized the work of his father, who won distinction for those qualities in the silversmith's craft."
He was a member of the Art Students' League, NYC, and he exhibited in Buffalo, NYC, and Brooklyn. Flavelle was represented by department stores and fine art galleries through the early 1900’s, to include: The Veerhoff Galleries, Washington, DC; The William Hengerer Company, Buffalo, NY; Forsyth & Davis Inc., NYC; B.W. Scott Book & Art Store, Geneva, NY; Abraham & Straus (A&S), in their Picture Salon, Brooklyn, NY; Frederick Loeser & Co., Brooklyn, NY; the Charles Kuhn Company, in their exhibition room (second floor), Brooklyn, NY; Gimbel Brothers, NYC; and Wanamaker’s (John Wanamaker, formerly A.T. Stewart & Co.), in their Eighth Gallery (New Building), NYC.
George H. Flavelle was born in Pennsylvania in 1868 according to several sources: a 1917 newspaper article; an antique biographical information sheet on the back of a painting for 'George H. Flavelle'; and a Library of Congress
Catalogue of Copyright Entries, Part Four, Works of Art from 1931, which listed him as 'Flavelle (George H.)'. He typically signed his watercolor paintings as ‘G.H. Flavelle’, and his name is often mislisted incorrectly as 'Geoff H. Flavelle' with the incorrect birthdate of 1863 as well.
Antique original brief biographical sheet for George H. Flavelle.
Other online sources & books show a birthdate of 1863, but may incorrectly link George H. Flavelle with a George F., whose 1900 census information lists residence in Philadelphia and Alden PA, as well as Los Angeles CA.
Select Exhibitions:
1907- Exhibited, group show & sale, Frederick Loeser & Co., Third Floor (Bond Street), Brooklyn, NY. Exhibited, group show & sale, Charles Kuhn Company, 500 Fulton Street, exhibition room, second floor, Brooklyn, NY.
1911- Exhibited, group show & sale, The William Hengerer Company, eighth floor, Buffalo, NY. Exhibited, group show & sale, Frederick Loeser & Co.’s Art Gallery, woods interior landscape shown (unknown title), Brooklyn, NY.
1912- Exhibited, group show & sale, The William Hengerer Company, eighth floor, Buffalo, NY.
1913- Exhibited, group show & sale, Wanamaker’s (John Wanamaker, formerly A.T. Stewart & Co.), Eighth Gallery (New Building), Broadway & Tenth Street, NYC.
1914- Exhibited, group show & sale, Art Galleries, Frederick Loeser & Co., Third Floor, Brooklyn, NY.
1916- Exhibited, group show & sale, Frederick Loeser & Co.’s Art Gallery, untitled landscape, Third Floor, Brooklyn, NY.
1917- Exhibited, group show & sale, “52nd Anniversary”, watercolor painting “The Old Farm Connecticut”, Abraham & Straus (A&S), in the Picture Salon, Brooklyn, NY.
Memberships: Art Students' League, NYC.
For additional information on this artist or for other possible examples of his works, please visit the AskArt
link listing the artist as Geoff H. Flavelle.
(Rewritten on parts & compiled chronologically by Mark Strong of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., East Aurora, NY, meibohmfinearts.com, sources: Too long to list here and are furnished upon request.)
