John Hubbard Sturgis | |
|---|---|
 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston by Sturgis, completed 1876, demolished 1911 | |
| Born | (1834-08-05)August 5, 1834 |
| Died | February 14, 1888(1888-02-14) (aged 53) |
| Alma mater | Boston Latin School |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | Colling & Sturgis Bryant & Gilman Sturgis & Brigham |
| Buildings | The Albany Building Boston Museum of Fine Arts (1876–1909) |
John Hubbard Sturgis (August 5, 1834 – February 14, 1888)[1] was an Americanarchitect and builder who was active in theNew England area during the late 19th century. His most prominent works includedCodman House, Lincoln, Massachusetts, and the personal residence ofIsabella Stewart Gardner. Later in his architectural career he founded, along withCharles Brigham, Sturgis and Brigham. The firm lasted nearly two decades in New England and received many notable commissions such as the firstBoston Museum of Fine Arts building, located inCopley Square.
Sturgis was born inMacau,China on August 5, 1834. He was a son of the "very intelligent"[2]Russell Sturgis,[1] a wealthy Boston merchant active in the China opium trade. After attendingBoston Latin School, he traveled extensively in Europe when his father became a partner inBarings Bank inLondon.
In England, he studied architectural drawing underJames K. Colling. In 1858, Sturgis married Frances Anne Codman[1] of Boston, later to be aunt of noted interior designerOgden Codman Jr.
For the first three years after his 1858 marriage, Sturgis was inSurrey, where he tried an architectural practice, but their time there ended with the death of their first child, Julia, in January 1861.[3]
By 1856/57, he had joined with Colling to form an architectural partnership.[4][5] It seems Colling provided the designs and detailing for the architectural work and that Sturgis supervised the work in progress.
Their first commission was theAlbany erected in 1856 for the Liverpool banker Richard Naylor. The Albany was built as a meeting place for cotton brokers. It contained offices and meeting rooms, together with warehousing facilities in the basement. It seems probable that this commission came to Colling and Sturgis as a result of Sturgis' fathers banking connection. The Albany was followed by the building of Ashwicke Hall inMarshfield, Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire for the Liverpool Attorney John Orred.[6] This was a massivecastellated Tudor Gothic House with a lofty octagonal tower at the S E.
Then in 1859, John Naylor, brother of Richard Naylor, who was also a banker andMontgomeryshire landowner requested Colling to re-buildGarthmyl Hall, Berriew for his brother-in-law Major-General William George Gold.[7] Colling was given a free hand by the wealthy John Naylor when building Garthmyl Hall, as seen by the use of lavish gilding and plasterwork for ceiling decoration, and for the ornamental stonework on the exterior. This was an opportunity for him to put into practice some of the designs illustrated in his books. It is assumed that Sturgis was also involved in this project, as there appears to be widespread use ofTerracotta, which would have been supplied byBlashfield ofStamford in this project; and that stylistically this house appears to be a precursor to Sturgis' use of terracotta in America.[8]
In autumn 1861, Sturgis and his wife returned to Boston, where Sturgis found work atBryant & Gilman, then the largest architectural firm in Boston. During this time he worked his own practice as well, providing designs for seaside cottages for members of the family and others. These included
In 1866, Sturgis formed a partnership with a fellow Bryant and Gilman employee,Charles Brigham, to found Sturgis and Brigham. This partnership would last twenty years, until shortly before Sturgis's death. Sturgis was also visiting England regularly and continued to work closely with Colling, who supplied him with designs. Colling is known to have supplied the designs for stonework onPinebank Mansion (1868) a house for Edward N. Perkins' on the shore of Jamaica Pond.[11] Sturgis also imported terracotta from J. M. Blashfield's works at Stamford, Lincolnshire for this project, which served as the prototype for the terracotta used for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Following the recommendations ofHenry Cole, Director of theVictoria and Albert Museum, Sturgis & Brigham were appointed architects to build the newBoston Museum of Fine Arts (1870–1876) in aGothic style. Colling prepared all the drawings for the terracotta decoration and commissioned them from Blashfield's works.[11] At this point terracotta production had hardly developed in the United States and the products often lacked durability. The building of the Museum was the first major use of Terracotta in an American building and led to its widespread popularity. It did not bring success to Blashfield, who had underestimated the cost of the contract and the problems of shipping to America. The Stamford Terracotta Company was forced in liquidation in 1874.[12] For future supplies of terracotta for the Codman and YMCA buildings in Boston, which were the work of Sturgis & Brigham, they were likely to have been reliant in terracotta from the Chicago Terracotta Company, run by James Taylor, Blashfield's former foreman.[13]
Other buildings by Sturgis include:
In later years, Sturgis re-designed the 1737 Boylston House in Brookline, Boston, which he rented between 1870 and 1888 from Colonel Henry Lee. Sturgis died on a visit to England in 1888.[15]
After his death, his nephewRichard Clipston Sturgis continued the architectural practice.[16]
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