Downtown in Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Russell Briscoe

(1899-1979)

Photographed By Tom Bosse, April 15, 2023

1. Russell Briscoe Marker

Inscription.

Russell Briscoe. East Tennessee Female Institute, circa 1828 (painted 1960) Oil on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches Ossoli Circle Collection. Russell Briscoe was an unlikely artist. Raised in the Fort Sanders neighborhood, he enjoyed an idyllic childhood in a prosperous family. As might have been expected, he entered a practical and respected profession, becoming an insurance executive for the stalwart J.E. Lutz Co., Briscoe's early creative impulses seemed limited to whimsical cartooning and, in the 1930s, an earnest effort to manufacture wooden toys and miniatures with the help of his wife, Deas. It was not until age 58, when Deas surprised him with a gift of oil paints and brushes, that Briscoe began to paint., For the last 20 years of his life, Briscoe was prolific, producing an estimated 75 meticulously detailed scenes of Knoxville, inspired by both nostalgic memories and by history as passed down to him by his elders. For him painting was a personal labor of love, happily out of step with artistic trends of the modernist era. Though he somtimes used his paintings to illustrate his talks about old Knoxville, the only exhibition of his work he ever witnessed in his lifetime was in 1972, when UT's McClung Museum presented a show of his work., Referring to Briscoe's untrained style as "American primitive", Professor Kermit Ewing, a artist known for his experiments in abstract expressionism, remarked of Briscoe, "His fresh color, natural sense of design and thoroughness result in a personal expression of high artistic merit.", A major retrospective exhibition of Bricoe's work was staged by the East Tennessee Historical Society in 2009. A selection of his work is on permanent display at the McClung Historical Collection, part of the Knox County Public Library, housed at the East Tennessee History Center at 601 S. Gay Street., Special thanks to Cathy Briscoe and East Tennessee Historical Society., Downtown Art Wraps are coordinated by the Knoxville History Project, an educational nonprofit with a mission to research and promote the history and culture of Knoxville. , Discover other Art Wraps and learn more at knoxvillehistoryproject.org..

East Tennessee Female Institute, circa 1828 (painted 1960)
Oil on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches
Ossoli Circle Collection
Russell Briscoe was an unlikely artist. Raised in the Fort Sanders neighborhood, he enjoyed an idyllic childhood in a prosperous family. As might have been expected, he entered a practical and respected profession, becoming an insurance executive for the stalwart J.E. Lutz Co.

Briscoe's early creative impulses seemed limited to whimsical cartooning and, in the 1930s, an earnest effort to manufacture wooden toys and miniatures with the help of his wife, Deas. It was not until age 58, when Deas surprised him with a gift of oil paints and brushes, that Briscoe began to paint.

For the last 20 years of his life, Briscoe was prolific, producing an estimated 75 meticulously detailed scenes of Knoxville, inspired by both nostalgic memories and by history as passed down to him by his elders. For him painting was a personal labor of love, happily out of step with artistic trends of the modernist era. Though he somtimes used his paintings to illustrate his talks about old Knoxville, the only exhibition of his work he ever witnessed in his lifetime was in 1972, when UT's McClung Museum presented a show of his work.

Referring to Briscoe's untrained style as "American

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primitive", Professor Kermit Ewing, a artist known for his experiments in abstract expressionism, remarked of Briscoe, "His fresh color, natural sense of design and thoroughness result in a personal expression of high artistic merit."

A major retrospective exhibition of Bricoe's work was staged by the East Tennessee Historical Society in 2009. A selection of his work is on permanent display at the McClung Historical Collection, part of the Knox County Public Library, housed at the East Tennessee History Center at 601 S. Gay Street.

Special thanks to Cathy Briscoe and East Tennessee Historical Society.

Downtown Art Wraps are coordinated by the Knoxville History Project, an
educational nonprofit with a mission to research and promote the history and culture of
Knoxville.

Discover other Art Wraps and learn more at knoxvillehistoryproject.org.

Erected by Knoxville History Project.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Knoxville History Project - Downtown Art Wraps series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1828.

Location. 35° 57.608′ N, 83° 55.247′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee, in Knox

Photographed By Tom Bosse, April 15, 2023

2. Russell Briscoe Marker

County. It is in Downtown. Marker is at the intersection of Henley Street and Cumberland Avenue, on the left when traveling north on Henley Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Knoxville TN 37902, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lizzie Crozier French and GFWC Ossoli Circle (here, next to this marker); Mecklenburg Place (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Earl O'Dell Henry (about 500 feet away); Carl Sublett (about 600 feet away); Albert Milani (about 700 feet away); Lawson McGhee Library (about 800 feet away); Charles Krutch (approx. 0.2 miles away); James Park House (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 53 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 2, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.