Vose Galleries of Boston

Art gallery; Boston, Mass.

Founded 1841 in Providence, R.I. by Ransom Hicks, and purchased by Joseph Vose in 1841. In 1850, his son Seth Morton Vose joined the firm, and in 1855 became director. Primary business until late 1860s was frame making, gilding and art supplies. Began regularly exhibiting in Boston in 1882. Seth's son Robert C. Vose joined in 1896, and managed the Boston gallery from 1897. After Seth's death in 1910, the Providence gallery closed, and Robert and his brother Nathaniel ran the gallery, along with their nephew W. Charles Thompson, under the name R.C. & N.M. Vose.

In 1924, the name changed to Robert C. Vose Galleries, and around the same time the Gallery took over the Carrig-Rohane framing company. In 1931-1932, Robert's sons, Robert C. Vose, J., S. Morton Vose II, and Herbert Vose, joined the firm. The name was changed to Vose Galleries of Boston, Inc., 1952.

From the description of Vose Galleries of Boston records, 1871-1993. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 84170010

Art gallery; Boston, Mass.

Founded 1841 in Providence, R.I. by Ransom Hicks, and purchased by Joseph Vose in 1841. In 1850, his son Seth Morton Vose joined the firm, and in 1855 became director. Primary business until late 1860s was frame making, gilding and art supplies. Began regularly exhibiting in Boston in 1882. Seth's son Robert C. Vose joined in 1896, and managed the Boston gallery from 1897. After Seth's death in 1910, the Providence gallery closed, and Robert and his brother Nathaniel ran the gallery, along with their nephew W. Charles Thompson, under the name R.C. & N.M. Vose.

In 1924, the name changed to Robert C. Vose Galleries, and around the same time the Gallery took over the Carrig-Rohane framing company. In 1931-1932, Robert's sons, Robert C. Vose, J., S. Morton Vose II, and Herbert Vose, joined the firm. The name was changed to Vose Galleries of Boston, Inc., 1952.

From the description of Vose Galleries of Boston records, circa 1876, 1890s-1996. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 779476925

Vose Galleries is a long time family run art gallery based in the Boston, Mass. area.

In 1841, Joseph Vose purchased Westminster Art Gallery, a small Providence, Rhode Island art gallery founded by Ransom Hicks. At the age of 19 in 1850, Joseph's son Seth Morton Vose joined the gallery and five years later became director. The gallery's primary business until the late 1860s was frame making, gilding and art supplies. Seth Morton Vose had a passion for art, especially the French painters of the Barbizon School and he slowly began buying and exhibiting artwork. By 1882, the gallery regularly exhibited in Boston.

Seth's son Robert C. Vose joined the business in 1896, and managed the gallery's Boston office from 1897. Robert broadened the gallery's horizons by showing his fine stock of Barbizon, Dutch, English and American artists throughout America, while his younger brother, Nathaniel, and his cousin, Charles Thompson, handled the Boston gallery. During the next sixty-seven years, Robert C. Vose moved the gallery into a position of national prominence.

In 1924, Nathaniel left the gallery and established his own gallery in Providence. The Boston gallery's name changed to Robert C. Vose Galleries, and around the same time, took over the Carrig-Rohane framing company. In 1931-1932, Robert's three sons, Robert C. Vose, Jr., Seth Morton Vose II, and Herbert Vose, joined the firm. The gallery continued to show exhibitions in Boston, and the sons took turns joining their father on the road. The gallery's name was changed to Vose Galleries of Boston, Inc. in 1952. In 1963, Vose Galleries moved to their current location at 238 Newbury Street in Boston. Robert C. Vose passed away in 1964.

Robert C. Vose, Jr.'s sons, Abbot W. Vose and Robert C. Vose III, joined the gallery in 1968 and 1970, respectively. Robert C. Vose, Jr. passed away in 1998. The Vose Galleries of Boston continues to operate at Newbury Street under the direction of the sixth generation of the Vose family.

From the guide to the Vose Galleries of Boston records, circa 1876, 1890s-1996, (Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution)