Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-04-19
COMMISSIONED BY KAISER.
Mrs. Ruth Jewett Burgess of Montpelier
viii Paint Portrait Of Emepror's Son
in Berlin.


in Berlin.
Mrs. Ruth Jewett Burgess wife of
Prof. John w. Burgess. Roosevelt lecturer
at the university of Berlin, has been COM
missioned to paint a portrait of Prince
Augustus Wilhelm fourth son of En-
peror William of Germany. Mrs Bur
CESS was born in Montpelier AZ years ago,
and was the only child of Hon. T.. p.
Jewett, a leading banker and financier of
Vermont a generation ago. Mrs. Jewett,
Mrs. Burgess's mother was Julia Field,
daughter of Charles X. Field, the widely
known lawyer of Ncwfane and Brattle-
boro. Mrs Burgess is a niece of Mrs.
Henry c. Willard of Greenfield, Mass, and
Henry X. Field of San Francisco Mrs.
Jewetts mother and Eugene Fields
father were own cousins. Mrs. Burgess
showed a decided talent for art early in
life.
Thomas w. Wood for many years pres
ideut of the National Academy of Design
in New York, who was a native of Mont
peier and the founder of the Wood art
gallery in that city, early took notice of
Miss Jewetts talents and under his in
struCtions she developed remarkable skill.
While in New York with her husband,
when he was professor of constitutional
and international law at Columbia uni
versity, she studied under William j.
Whittemore and Kenyon Cox of that city.
During the past 10 years Mrs Burgess
has been abroad several times, studying
under the best art instructors and copy
ing from the old masters in the famous
galleries of the old world. The last sum
mer Mr.. Wood was abroad. two years be-
fore his death, she accompanied him. and
was under his guidance and instruction
during the summer. During the past two
summers she has done much excellent
work at her home in Montpelier and has
employed Miss Anna Phinney, a girl of
remarkable beauty as a model for many
of her most striking works.
During the past winter while her hus-
band was engaged in his duties at the
university of Berlin Mrs Burgess has
been copying several celebrated pictures
in the Kaiser Frederick museum and the
Kaiser Frederick Denlimal the private
| galleries of the emperor. While engaged
in this work her painting attracted the
notice of Emperor William and the COM
mission to paint the portrait of his son
| followed
Mrs. Burgess inherited a large property
| from her father, much of which she has
devoted to charitable purposes. She was
| much interested in the founding of the
| Wood art gallery in Montpelier. which
was presented to Montpelier by Thomas
| w. Wood. and she personally assisted Mr.
| Wood i'm the hanging there of more thar
! 100 famous products Of his brush Prof
! Burgess has been trustee of this art
gallery since its inception.
One of the striking features of the col
| lection in the Wood gallery is a lifesizC
portrait of Miss Annette Upham, for
merly of Montpelier, who persisted in tn,
! Windsor hotel fire in New York. This
portrait was painted by Mrs. Burgess
and of it Mr.. Wood was always partic-
ularly proud Other striking paintings 10y
Mrs. Burgess adorn tile walls of this gal
! lery.
Ever since her marriage 90 years age
| Mrs. Burgess has maintained a home il
| Montpelier. Prof Burgess was formerly
connected with Columbia university II
| New York city.