Percy Ives (1864-1928) commenced his formal art education at sixteen, spending four years studying under Thomas Eakins at the Philadelphia Art School. Upon returning home and preparing for his first solo exhibition, he painted The Young Violinist, his interpretation of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. While the painting received notice in Detroit newspapers, a local art critic - despite acknowledging the sentiment and pose -deemed the drawing and coloring uncharacteristic of Ives' typical work. In 1885, Lewis and Percy Ives traveled to Europe for a grand tour, Lewis returning home in 1886, while Percy continued his artistic development at the Académie Julian in Paris, eventually returning to Detroit in 1889.
May Leggett Abel (1867-1952), first cousin of the artist Percy Ives and believed to be the model for "Girl with a Violin," inherited a love for music from her father, Mortimore Leggett, a violinist known for his community performances. Her formal violin studies began with Conrad A. Hoffman, a well-regarded violinist from Pontiac, who recognized her potential and advised her to study in Paris. There, alongside her brother, William H. Leggett, also a violinist, May excelled at the Paris Conservatory, completing the challenging four-year course in an accelerated two years.
Returning to the United States, she married Frederic Able, a cellist and director of the Michigan Conservatory of Music in Detroit. In September 1900, May took on the significant role of head of the violin department, a position she held while dedicating her life to teaching music. - Barb Thumudo, Director of Art & Facilities
Come see the portrait on display in Heritage Hall in our exhibit Behind the Canvas: A Father's Presence.
