Enoch Lloyd Branson (1853–1925) was an American artist best known for his portraits of

Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

politicians and depictions of early

East Tennessee East Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. Geographically and socioculturally distinct, it comprises approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee. East Tennessee consists of 33 coun ...

history. One of the most influential figures in Knoxville's early art circles, Branson received training at the

National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the f ...

in the 1870s and subsequently toured the great art centers of Europe. After returning to Knoxville, he operated a portrait shop with photographer Frank McCrary.James Hoobler
Lloyd Branson
''Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', 2009. Retrieved: 28 June 2011. He was a mentor to fellow Knoxville artist

Catherine Wiley Anna Catherine Wiley (January 18, 1879 – May 16, 1958) was an American artist active primarily in the early twentieth century. After training with the Art Students League of New York and receiving instruction from artists such as Lloyd Bran ...

,Elizabeth Moore
Anna Catherine Wiley
''Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', 2009. Retrieved: 28 June 2011. and is credited with discovering twentieth-century modernist

Beauford Delaney Beauford Delaney (December 30, 1901 – March 26, 1979) was an American modernist painter. He is remembered for his work with the Harlem Renaissance in the 1930s and 1940s, as well as his later works in abstract expressionism following his move ...

.Jack Neely
A Tale of Two Brothers
''Metro Pulse'', Vol. 7, No. 13 (3–10 April 1997). Accessed at the Internet Archive, 2 October 2015.

Life

Branson was born in what is now

Union County, Tennessee Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,109. Its county seat is Maynardville. Union County is included in the Knoxville metropolitan statistical area. History Union County ...

, (then part of Knox County) to

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national id ...

parents. His family moved to Knoxville in 1868, where Lloyd found work in a brickyard. As a child, he impressed his friends by crafting small figures out of clay.Native Genius
" ''Knoxville Daily Chronicle'', 11 July 1872, p. 4. Around the time of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polic ...

, prominent Knoxville physician John Mason Boyd noticed a sketch of

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union A ...

Branson had made on a cigar box, and provided financial assistance for Branson to attend

East Tennessee University The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...

. In 1871, Branson drew favorable attention for his exhibition at the East Tennessee Division Fair.East Tennessee Historical Society, Mary Rothrock (ed.), ''The French Broad-Holston Country: A History of Knox County, Tennessee'' (Knoxville, Tenn.: The Society, 1972), pp. 385-6. By the following year, his portraits had impressed art enthusiasts to the extent that the ''Knoxville Chronicle'' described him as Knoxville's "native genius." Hauling-marble-by-branson

Branson moved to New York in 1873, where he attended the National Academy of Design. Two years later, he captured first prize at one of the Academy's exhibitions for his drawing of a

gladiator A gladiator ( la, gladiator, "swordsman", from , "sword") was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gla ...

, which earned him a scholarship to receive further training in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

. Some of Branson's later work showed elements of the French

Barbizon school The Barbizon school of painters were part of an art movement towards Realism in art, which arose in the context of the dominant Romantic Movement of the time. The Barbizon school was active roughly from 1830 through 1870. It takes its nam ...

,Frederick Moffatt, Lucile Deaderick (ed.), "Painting, Sculpture, and Photograph," ''Heart of the Valley: A History of Knoxville, Tennessee'' (Knoxville, Tenn.: East Tennessee Historical Society, 1976), pp. 426-7. though it's uncertain whether or not he ever visited Europe. By 1876, he had returned to Knoxville, and quickly became a leading figure in the city's art community. Working in partnership with early photographer

T. M. Schleier Theodore M. Schleier (April 20, 1832 – December 13, 1908) was a Prussian-born American photographer, inventor, and diplomat, active primarily in the southeastern United States in the latter half of the 19th century. While operating from a studio ...

, he focused primarily on commercial portraits. He became a regular at the

masquerade ball A masquerade ball (or ''bal masqué'') is an event in which many participants attend in costume wearing a mask. (Compare the word "masque"—a formal written and sung court pageant.) Less formal " costume parties" may be a descendant of this tr ...

s attended by the city's elite at the Lamar House Hotel, and spent time at resorts such as

Tate Springs Tate Springs was a historic world-class luxury resort complex located on U.S. Route 11W in Bean Station, Tennessee, United States. Known for its mineral spring water shipped internationally, it was considered to be one of the most popular resort ...

. In 1880, Branson and photographer Frank McCrary formed

McCrary and Branson McCrary & Branson was a commercial art gallery and portrait studio that operated for approximately 30 years in the late 19th and early 20th century in Knoxville, Tennessee in the United States. The firm was likely in operation beginning approximat ...

, a Photograph & Portrait Artists company that operated out of a three-story building on Gay Street in Knoxville. The company, which at times included Branson's brother, Oliver, and sister-in-law, Laura, specialized in oil-painted photographs, oil copies, crayon-and-oil sketches, and illustrated souvenirs. Branson also taught art classes in the building, often to members of Knoxville's upper class. Impressionist Catherine Wiley,

Adelia Armstrong Lutz Adelia Armstrong Lutz (; June 25, 1859 – November 17, 1931) was an American artist active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She organized art circles in Knoxville, Tennessee, as director of the Knoxville Art Club and as ...

, and Mortimer Thompson were arguably his most well-known students during this period. Branson's work was exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, the

1900 World's Fair The Exposition Universelle of 1900, better known in English as the 1900 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 14 April to 12 November 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate developmen ...

in Paris, and the 1901

Pan-American Exposition The Pan-American Exposition was a World's Fair held in Buffalo, New York, United States, from May 1 through November 2, 1901. The fair occupied of land on the western edge of what is now Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Avenue to Elmwood A ...

Buffalo Buffalo most commonly refers to: * Bubalina, including most "Old World" buffalo, such as water buffalo * Bison, including the American buffalo * Buffalo, New York Buffalo or buffaloes may also refer to: Animals * Bubalina, a subtribe of the tr ...

. He won the gold medal for an exhibition at the 1895

Cotton States Exposition The Cotton States and International Exposition was a world's fair held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States in 1895. The exposition was designed "to foster trade between southern states and South American nations as well as to show the products an ...

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

and in 1896, he won a national competition for designing the

Flag of Knoxville, Tennessee The flag of Knoxville, Tennessee was officially adopted by municipal ordinance on October 16, 1896. It is the third oldest, official city flag in the United States and the oldest flag of any state or city governmental entity in Tennessee. Signif ...

. Branson reached the height of his career in 1910, when his work, ''Hauling Marble'', won the gold medal at Knoxville's

Appalachian Exposition The Appalachian Exposition, also known as the Appalachian Exhibition, was an event held in 1910 and 1911 in Knoxville, Tennessee's on property (now Chilhowee Park) owned by Knoxville Railway and Light. The park grounds were 65 acres and included ...

. In the early 1920s, Branson began giving lessons to a young

, whose sketches he found impressive. In 1924, he arranged to send Delaney to an art school in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

to receive further instruction. Branson died of "chronic

Bright's disease Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that are described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. It was characterized by swelling and the presence of albumin in the urine, and was frequently accompanie ...

""Tennessee Deaths, 1914-1966," database with images, ''FamilySearch'' (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPC9-RMXG : 23 February 2021), Lloyd Branson, 12 Jun 1925; Death, Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, United States, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville. on June 12, 1925. He is buried in

Old Gray Cemetery Old Gray Cemetery is the second-oldest cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Established in 1850, the cemetery contains the graves of some of Knoxville's most influential citizens, ranging from politicians and soldiers, to artists an ...

in Knoxville.

Works

Branson was a stylistically conservative painter, especially in his early years, though some of his later works show elements of

impressionism Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passa ...

and modern styles.Jack Neely,
A Portrait of the Artist: Lloyd Branson
" ''Knoxville Mercury'', 4 November 2015. Retrieved: 10 November 2015. Most of his work consisted of commercial portraits, but his most well-known tend to depict historical scenes of the

Appalachia Appalachia () is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York State to northern Alabama and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Newfoundland and Labrador, ...

n frontier. His work is on display in the

Tennessee State Museum The Tennessee State Museum is a large museum in Nashville depicting the history of the U.S. state of Tennessee. The current facility opened on October 4, 2018, at the corner of Rosa Parks Boulevard and Jefferson Street at the foot of Capitol Hill ...

and the

Frist Center for the Visual Arts The Frist Art Museum, formerly known as the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, is an art exhibition hall in Nashville, Tennessee, housed in the city's historic U.S. Post Office building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ...

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and t ...

, and the

Knoxville Museum of Art The Knoxville Museum of Art (KMA), is an art museum in Knoxville, Tennessee. It specializes in historical and contemporary art pieces from the East Tennessee region. According to its mission statement, the museum "celebrates the art and artists o ...

, the

McClung Museum McClung is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * A. Colin McClung, agricultural scientist * Alexander Keith McClung (1811–1855), diplomat * Charles McClung McGhee (1828–1907), railroad tycoon and financier * Charles McClung (176 ...

of Natural History and Culture, and the East Tennessee History Center in Knoxville. One of Branson's most popular paintings, ''The Battle of King's Mountain'', was displayed in the Hotel Imperial in Knoxville, and was destroyed when the hotel burned in 1917.

Historical paintings

*''Sheep Shearing Scene'' *''The Blockhouse at Knoxville, Tennessee'' *''Assault on Fort Sanders'' *''Hauling Marble'' (also known as ''The Toilers'' or ''Rock Haulers''), (c. 1890) *''Women at Work'', 1891 *''California to Oregon Stagecoach'', 1900 *''Gathering of Overmountain Men at Sycamore Shoals'', 1915

Portraits

Branson painted portraits of the following individuals: *

(1878) *

Brig. Gen. Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

John Porter McCown, C.S.A., c. 1880 (attributed) *

Ellen McClung Berry Ellen is a female given name, a diminutive of Elizabeth, Eleanor, Elena and Helen. Ellen was the 609th most popular name in the U.S. and the 17th in Sweden in 2004. People named Ellen include: *Ellen Adarna (born 1988), Filipino actress *Ellen ...

Horace Maynard Horace Maynard (August 30, 1814 – May 3, 1882) was an American educator, attorney, politician and diplomat active primarily in the second half of the 19th century. Initially elected to the House of Representatives from Tennessee's 2nd Cong ...

George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his clas ...

Lt. Col. Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel ...

Regular Army (United States) The Regular Army of the United States succeeded the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional land-based military force. In modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army (oft ...

*Abram Jones Price *

J. G. M. Ramsey James Gettys McGready Ramsey (March 25, 1797 – April 11, 1884) was an American historian, physician, planter, slave owner, and businessman, active primarily in East Tennessee during the nineteenth century. Ramsey is perhaps best known for h ...

Thomas William Humes Thomas William Humes (April 22, 1815 – January 16, 1892) was an American clergyman and educator, active in Knoxville, Tennessee, during the latter half of the 19th century. Elected rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in 1846, Humes led ...

*Joseph Estabrook *

DeWitt Clinton Senter Dewitt Clinton Senter (March 26, 1830June 14, 1898) was an American politician who served as the 18th Governor of Tennessee from 1869 to 1871. He had previously served in the Tennessee House of Representatives (1855–1861), where he opposed ...

Peter Turney Peter Turney (September 22, 1827October 19, 1903) was an American politician, soldier, and jurist, who served as the 26th governor of Tennessee from 1893 to 1897. He was also a justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court from 1870 to 1893, and served ...

Alvin C. York Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine ...

* John Haywood *

John I. Cox John Isaac Cox (November 23, 1855 – September 5, 1946) was an American politician who served as the 29th governor of Tennessee from 1905 to 1907. He was elevated to the position when Governor James B. Frazier resigned, and, as Speaker of the ...

* James B. Frazier *Montgomery Stuart *Hester Thompson Stuart *James Allen Smith *Captain James N. Williamson, CSA, ca. 1916 *Emma Elizabeth Strawn Johnson, Co-Founder and Second President of Johnson University (1925–27)

Legacy

Branson Avenue in Knoxville is named in Branson's honor. His house still stands along the road, and has been purchased for restoration by the preservation group, Knox Heritage.

References

External links

Works of Branson and McCrary
— Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection
Tennessee Portrait Project - Lloyd Branson entries
{{DEFAULTSORT:Branson, Lloyd People from Knoxville, Tennessee 19th-century American painters American male painters 20th-century American painters University of Tennessee alumni 1853 births 1925 deaths Painters from Tennessee National Academy of Design alumni American people of English descent 19th-century American male artists 20th-century American male artists