Theresa F. Bernstein Cleared Her Own Path As an Artist

When a year or two ago a list was compiled of the twelve most important Jewish women, Theresa F. Bernstein’s name was not only included but appeared near the top of the list. And no wonder, for Theresa F. Bernstein is among the few people in the world-a very select minority indeed-of whom it may be said that they possess greatness. She has greatness as a character and greatness as an artist. She is perhaps the most individual of all women painters, and her impressive independence of method, her fine independence of thought her uncompromising independence of action have insured her a place of honor and distinction all by herself.

The story of Theresa F. Bernstein is the story of a constant, well-deserved and continued success. She began panting when she was eleven and defrayed all her art-training expenses with the scholarships she won. Soon she broke away from all instruction, working out her own problems and painting solely what she saw and felt and not what custom or the taste of the moment seemed to indicate.

WON MANY PRIZES

And that she did right to insist on and preserve this artistic freedom is shown by the rich and universal acclaim she has found. It is impossible to list all the awards that came to her, to name all the famous collections in which her work is represented. Even the most notable prized that are hers are too numerous to be mentioned. But to enumerate only a few of the laurels she has won her painting, “In the Elevated,” took the first prize of the Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, the coveted award of the French Institute of Art, the Joan of Arc medal, came to her for her portrait, “Tatiana; her picture, “The Milliners,” won the first prize for figure painting, the John Clerici prize; and her “Outing on the Hundson,” won the Shilliard Gold Medal at the Plastic Club, Philadelphia.

REFUSES TO REST ON LAURELS

Theresa F. Bernstein has arrived, but unlike other arrivistes, who, success once captured, are willing to rest on their laurels or to repeat the pattern of their first successes, Theresa F. Bernstein is constantly conquering new artistic realms, constantly working on new problems and striking to in new directions.

While in the beginning she was mainly interested in crowd scenes, she had lately devoted herself to portraiture and has done truly notable work in this field. Her pictures of Rabbi Louis Epstein of Brookline, Mass.; of Professor Harry Wolfson, the Harvard scholar; the delightful picture of Bobby and Alan, the sons of Mr. and Mrs. David Tishman-all have been brilliant successes.

No wonder, then, that she was chosen to paint the portrait of Professor David Gordon Lyon, the head of the Semitic Museum of Harvard University. This portrait was presented to the museum, which, by the way, is one of the monument of Jacob H. Schiff’s generosity. Pupils and admirers of Professor Lyon gave it to the museum, where it is.

Theresa F. Bernstein is married to William Meyerowitz, noted etcher, and those who have seen her in her happy, harmonious home feel she is as successful as a wife as she is as an artist.