The artist was born on July 1 in Lowell, Massachusetts, into a working class family.
1858 - 1925
A landscape painter, illustrator, a brilliant representative of American Impressionism. He is known as a member of the Ten community, the members of which separated from the Society of American Artists in 1897. Willard Metcalf, like most American Impressionists, acquired knowledge and invaluable artistic experience in Europe. He studied at the Julian Academy and lived for some time in the town of Giverny, where many progressive artists from different countries lived and worked. Willard Metcalf is known as a talented teacher. He was a teacher at the Women’s Art School (Cooper Union, New York) and at the Art Students League in New York. In 1893, the artist became a member of the American Watercolor Society.
Key ideas:
– Many interesting and even unusual facts are connected with the name of artist Willard Metcalf. First of all, this is his fascination with the indigenous people of America – the Zuni Indians. In 1881, the artist worked at the magazine «Harper’s and Century», painting illustrations to the articles on the life of this tribe. His fascination with the traditions and rituals of the Indians encouraged Metcalf to join the expedition of scientist F. Cushing, and even postponed his studies abroad for a year. Metcalf became one of the first artists to document the Indians of New Mexico and Arizona, introducing them to a huge audience of readers. It is said that the Indians even awarded him the honorary title of a member of the council of elders of the tribe.
– The artist traveled a lot. The geography of his travels encompassed much more than a visit to European countries, and the study of the works of old masters in museums. Metcalf visited separate places of Africa and Middle East, where he painted the nature and everyday life of the indigenous people; this because one of the features of his art.
– Willard Metcalf’s paintings are distinguished by a special freshness and ease of perception. His landscapes look unusually harmonious and complete; the genre scenes are filled with vitality and optimism.
– The vast majority of the artist’s paintings have a lot of light, which is typical of Impressionism, but the images of nature and human figures are material and rationalistic. Therefore, some critics consider the work of Metcalf a border between Impressionism and Realism.
1858
1874
1882
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1898
1899
1907
1910
1925
The artist was born on July 1 in Lowell, Massachusetts, into a working class family.
Created his first paintings. In the same year, he started attending evening classes at the Massachusetts School of the Arts, then the studio of D. Loring in Boston and the School of Fine Arts.
Arranged an auction of his paintings, in order to save money for a trip to Europe.
Went to Paris, where he continued to master his profession at the Julian Academy.
Returned to the United States and organized a solo exhibition at the club “St. Botolph” in Boston. Metcalf opened his studio in New York, working as a portrait painter, illustrator and teacher for several years.
Became one of the members of the famous art community “The Ten”, which protested against the limitations of the National Academy of Design.
Joined artists Robert Reed and Edward Simmons to create a fresco in the courthouse in New York.
His painting “May Night” (art gallery in Corcoran) won a gold medal.
Traveled around Europe. He spent winters in Cornish, New Hampshire. There he created most of his snowy landscapes.
A large exhibition of works by Willard Metcalf took place at the Corcoran Gallery. On the 9th of March, the artist died of heart attack in New York.