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Biography

Janet Scudder was born in Terre Haute, Indiana on October 27, 1873. She entered the Cincinnati Art Academy at the age of eighteen. Scudder then worked as a woodcarver before entering the studio of Loredo Taft where she worked as his assistant helping him with his work on the Columbia Exposition. This apprenticeship proved to be quite a wonderful opportunity for Scudder as she received a bronze medal for her portion of the work.

It was at this Fair where Scudder was first introduced to the work of the great MacMonnies, whom would eventually become a great influence in her life and work. At the fair she was very much drawn to his fountain and eventually followed him to Paris where, for three years, she worked in his studio and attended the Académie Colarossi. It was while working in MacMonnies studio, where Scudder discovered the renaissance inspired art of the garden sculpture, which was just emerging at the end of the 19th century. Throughout her stint with MacMonnies, therefore, she resolved to take on this genre of sculpture as her specialty.

Although garden sculpture was her true calling, upon her return to New York Scudder began her independent career filling commissions in order to develop her skill and reputation. She created works such as a seal for the New York Bar Association and later, in Paris, a portrait in bas-relief. Scudder was so successful with this initial work that the Musèe Du Luxemburg acquired several of her portrait medallions. This was the first occasion where such an honor was bestowed upon American Woman.

Not until after scudder’s visit to Italy, did she began to fully delve into the genre of Garden sculpture. In her Paris studio she sculpted Frog Fountain, which she then took to New York in order to, “…start a career modeling Fountains.” After a time of toil and struggle, Scudder finally found her first success followed by the almost immediate popularity of her work. She began to create fountains for Museums, expositions and important private collections. Her Fighting Boys Fountain, for instance, found itself in The Art Institute of Chicago, Frog Fountain in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Shell Fountain on the estate of Mrs. Harold McCormick and a Young Pan on the estate of J. D. Rockefeller.

Although Garden Sculpture was her specialty, Scudder continued to work in many types of sculpture. She completed architectural works, terra cotta busts, reliefs, which she worked in a great deal during World War I, and medals. Her most notable architectural sculpture can be seen on the façade of the Brooklyn Museum in New York, a statue of Japanese Art.

Throughout her career Janet Scudder was an active member of the art world as an associate of the National Academy of Design and as a member of both the National Sculpture Society and the Union Interalliée in Paris. Additionally, she was often recognized and honored for her great talent. She won a silver medal at the Panama-Pacific Exposition, the Olympiad in Amsterdam in 1928, a silver medal in 1937 at the Paris exposition and in 1925 was made a chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

Towards the end of her life Scudder turned away from the medium and style, which she had always embraced. Beatrice Gilman Proske notes in Bookgreen Gardens Sculpture, “…dissatisfied with the lack of color in sculpture, she [Janet Scudder] turned to painting.” The sculpture Scudder did continue to model was created in a different style and manner than any of her previous work. Works such as Mother and Child and Angel were depicted very subdued and composed, “…with a Gothic simplicity of line…” and with a greater concentration on detail. Her earlier works, however, were very stylistic and filled with a sense of joyous harmony and life.

Janet Scudder died on June 9th in 1940 in Rockport, Massachusetts.