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Ruth Henshaw Bascom, also known as Aunt Ruth (December 15, 1772 – February 16, 1848), was an American folk artist who produced over 1,400 portraits. She was the daughter of Colonel William Henshaw and Phebe Swan of Leicester, Massachusetts and a schoolteacher from 1791 to 1801. Bascom married first, at about 32 years of age, to Dr. Asa Miles, but he died a year or more after their marriage. She married a second time for about 35 years to Reverend Ezekial Lysander Bascom. Bascom didn't give birth to children of her own, but she had a stepson from her first marriage, stepdaughter from her second marriage, and a niece and nephew that she raised. She documented the daily activities of her life in diaries beginning at the age of 17, which included records of the portraits that she made. While married Bascom fulfilled the role of a minister's wife, was a teacher, and was active at the local library and in temperance societies. She made her first portrait in 1801, but she did not begin creating portraits regularly until after 1818. Bascom worked with a variety of materials, including pastels, pencils, cut paper, and foil. Some of her initial works were layered pieces of paper that represented the head and neck, clothing, and accessories placed over a background. She also made pastel portraits on one sheet of paper in the latter part of her career. Charlotte Streifer Rubinstein, author of "American Women Artists: From Early Indian Times to the Present", said that Bascom had a "calm strength of characterization combined with a sensitive feeling for shape, color and texture."〔 ==Early life== Ruth Henshaw was born on December 15, 1772 in rural Leicester, Massachusetts to Colonel William Henshaw (1735-1820) and Phebe Swan Henshaw (1753-1808); she was the first of their ten children. Bascom had two older half-sisters from Henshaw's previous marriage to Ruth Sargeant, who was her namesake. Her father was a veteran of the French and Indian War and during the American Revolution, he was a key leader of the Worcester County Minutemen. He was also active with the Massachusetts General Court and served with George Washington during several battles in New Jersey.〔 Bascom grew up in Leicester in an area known as Green Valley.〔 Bascom's childhood schooling is unknown; author Lois S. Avigad theorizes that she attended local "summer term" schools for girls, which generally took place between April and October.〔 She attended Leicester Academy, which opened in 1784, for a brief session in 1791. She documented her life in a diary, held at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1789 to 1846.〔 Bascom created a diary for each year, starting with January 1. She recorded her daily activities, the weather, and visitors. She also included detailed travel information and the topics of her husband's sermons. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ruth Henshaw Bascom」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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