Mary Fanton Roberts: An analysis of her art criticism in 'The Craftsman' and 'The Touchstone

This thesis will examine the art writings between 1906-1921 of critic and editor Mary Fanton Roberts (1864-1956), who also wrote under the pseudonym of Giles Edgerton. The first two decades of the 20th century was a time when the question of American identity in art was being debated and new artistic theories were emerging. The purpose of the study will be to analyse her articles on the visual arts, focusing specifically on her changing views about American nationalism in two art journals that she edited: Craftsman (1905--1916), and Touchstone (1917--1921). While Mary Fanton Roberts is well-known for her writing on the decorative arts and interior decoration, an examination of these concerns is beyond the boundaries of this thesis. Rather, this study will attempt to analyse the definitions and meaning of art Fanton developed as an editor and critic for these two publications. More specifically, I will analyse how her ideas about national identity in art evolved throughout the two journals, and how new opinions developed as the decades progressed. Furthermore, her arguments will be discussed in relation to the theoretical position adopted by Robert Henri as he was a highly influential figure in her personal and professional life.