From Seven to Seventy: Memories of a Painter and a Yankee

In Short

This memoir records the life of painter Edward Simmons, tracing his journey from an impoverished New England boyhood to the centers of European art and American mural painting. Blending personal history with casual anecdotes, Simmons recalls his encounters with famous contemporaries, his creative struggles, and the changing cultural landscape of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The book endures because of its vivid firsthand accounts of Concord’s intellectual elite and its unpretentious, humorous view of the artistic life during a period of rapid national transformation.

The Story

The narrative begins in Concord, Massachusetts, where Simmons grows up in modest circumstances despite his connections to prominent families. Raised among relatives like Ralph Waldo Emerson, he experiences a childhood shaped by traditional New England customs, frugal living, and the imposing presence of local intellectuals. After attending Harvard College, where he participates in student life and the Hasty Pudding Club, he heads west to seek his fortune. In California and the Pacific Northwest, he encounters rough frontier towns, tries his hand at odd jobs, and faces harsh natural elements. A pivotal moment of revelation occurs in a river canyon near Mount Shasta, where the dramatic morning light kindles his awareness of visual harmony and inspires his commitment to art.

Driven by this new purpose, Simmons travels to Europe to study painting. In Paris, he joins the vibrant student scene, submitting canvases to the annual Salons and navigating the competitive art world alongside figures like Jules Lefebvre and Marie Bashkirtsev. He spends time in the countryside, painting at Barbizon and in Brittany, where he observes the methods of painters such as Bastien-Lepage and Anders Zorn. These years of study and travel refine his technique, establish his professional reputation, and solidify his views on the rigorous demands of an artistic career.

Upon returning to the United States, Simmons turns his attention to large-scale public murals during an era of expanding civic architecture. He secures commissions for major sites, including the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the Library of Congress in Washington, and the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. Navigating the practical demands of American business contractors and architects like Charles McKim, he insists on maintaining artistic integrity despite tight schedules and low pay. Throughout his career, he frequents social clubs like The Players, mingling with actors, writers, and patrons such as Edwin Booth and Stanford White. In his later years, Simmons reflects on the evolution of American culture, the relationship between commercial growth and the fine arts, and the quiet satisfaction of a life devoted to observation and creative work.

How It Unfolds

Concord upbringing Simmons grows up poor in Massachusetts, wearing sturdy hand-me-down army uniforms while visiting the solemn, book-lined house of his relative, Ralph Waldo Emerson. He attends traditional holiday gatherings with the local families, absorbing the quiet atmosphere and simple living of the historic town.

Harvard and the West After his college years at Harvard, where he draws playbills for campus clubs, Simmons travels west to California. He experiences the wild streets of San Francisco and survives rough weather in the mountain wilderness, where a sudden sunrise over Mount Shasta reveals to him his true calling as an artist.

European training Moving to Paris, Simmons immerses himself in academic art training and the lively rituals of the Salon exhibitions. He travels to rural outposts like Barbizon and Brittany, learning from fellow painters while developing his own approach to light, color, and subject matter.

Civic commissions Returning to America, Simmons takes on large mural projects for public buildings and major events, including the Library of Congress and the Chicago Exposition. He balances creative vision with the rigid deadlines imposed by modern American contractors.

Retrospective reflections In his final years, Simmons reflects on his friendships with prominent actors and artists, offering observations on beauty, human character, and the rapid technological changes he has witnessed over seven decades.

The People

• Edward Simmons wants to master the visual arts and build a meaningful creative life despite starting with very little money. Blocked initially by rough frontier conditions and later by tight commercial deadlines, he adapts by maintaining a disciplined focus on his craft and ends up a celebrated muralist who views the world with persistent optimism.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson seeks to live a serene, intellectual life grounded in nature and quiet study. Facing the awe and hesitation of his young relatives, he treats the author with gentle warmth, walking him through his garden and introducing him to literature and quiet reflection.
• Anders Zorn aims to capture life through bold, spontaneous techniques across various mediums. Though occasionally hampered by unconventional methods or chaotic weather, he uses his humor and practical ingenuity to turn accidents into finished masterpieces, maintaining a smooth, unbothered demeanor.
• Edwin Booth desires privacy and dignity while carrying the burden of his family's tragic connection to national history. Constantly threatened by intrusive admirers and painful reminders of the past, he retreats into quiet reserve and careful boundary-setting to protect his peace of mind.

In Its Own Voice

Sitting down on a rock in the river gorge, I gazed into the water.

A tired young Simmons rests in a California canyon after days of heavy rain.

We were a great crowd, lining the grand stairway or sitting on the balustrade, and it was everybody’s business to be funny.

The author describes the playful atmosphere among art students watching paintings arrive for the Paris Salon.

A decoration is a creative thing and, as such, can be carried out only by the mind that conceives it.

Simmons explains his refusal to hire assistants to complete major mural orders, insisting on personal craftsmanship.

What It's Really About

The memoir explores the growth of an artistic sensibility within a practical, rapidly industrializing nation. Simmons contrasts the unhurried, intellectual atmosphere of old New England with the commercial drive of turn-of-the-century America, examining how creative individuals survive when society prioritizes utility over beauty. He argues that genuine art requires direct observation, personal independence, and a willingness to accept financial insecurity. Underneath his humorous anecdotes about notable figures lies a steady meditation on human character, visible in the physical traces left by work, thought, and emotion. Ultimately, the book asserts that beauty and optimism are necessary responses to the passage of time.

Why Read It Today

Readers drawn to American history, art history, and personal memoirs will find much to appreciate in this candid account. Simmons writes with a casual, unpretentious voice that makes historical figures feel like everyday acquaintances. His narrative offers a clear window into late-nineteenth-century art education, the mechanics of public mural painting, and the social life of vintage Boston, Paris, and New York.

The prose reflects its era, featuring occasional period dialect, forgotten cultural references, and straightforward humor that avoids modern self-consciousness. While the episodic structure moves freely between personal anecdotes and general opinions on art, the author's warmth keeps the narrative grounded. It leaves the reader with a vivid sense of a vanished creative world and a refreshing perspective on aging, work, and the pursuit of visual beauty.