Arthur Bowen Davies

Key facts

Lived

1862–1928, American

Movements

• Modernism
• Realism
• Symbolism

1. 1862Born
2. 1900Painted “Theatrical Scene”
3. 1928Died

• What is Arthur Bowen Davies known for?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies is known as the principal organiser of the 1913 Armory Show. This exhibition introduced European modernism to America.
• What is Arthur Bowen Davies's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to name Arthur Bowen Davies's single, most famous work. He was a prolific artist who produced paintings, drawings, prints, and illustrations in various styles over a long career. Davies's artistic approach changed significantly over time, making it difficult to summarise his work with one piece. Davies is associated with early American modernism and played a role in organising the 1913 Armory Show in New York, which introduced European avant-garde art to an American audience. He is known for his dreamy, allegorical paintings, often featuring figures in classical or mythical settings. These works display an interest in colour and form, aligning with symbolist and early modernist aesthetics. Davies's style evolved later in his career toward greater abstraction.
• What should I know about Arthur Bowen Davies's prints?+

  When considering Arthur Bowen Davies's prints, it is useful to understand some basic principles of printmaking and the art market. An original print is conceived as a print by the artist and executed solely as a print. Each one is made individually, either by the artist or according to their directions. Prints are often produced in limited editions, with each print numbered (for example, 12/25, meaning it is the 12th print of 25). The artist decides the number of prints in the edition. This numbering provides an accounting for the number of prints in the edition. Artists may also create artist's proofs, marked "AP". Most artists sign and number their prints in pencil. The print market is unregulated, but there are conventions. Claims about editions add value; therefore, descriptions should be truthful. The edition number is usually written on the bottom left margin of the print, the title in the centre, and the signature on the right.
• What style or movement did Arthur Bowen Davies belong to?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies is associated with early American modernism. Modernism, as a broad movement, involved a critical examination of the premises of art itself. Modernist artists sought to capture the sensibilities of their age. Davies's work aligns with the early stages of modernism in the United States during the early 20th century. He was part of a generation that moved away from traditional academic styles. Some of his work tends toward abstraction, simplifying natural forms into colour and lines. However, Davies's career also intersected with other tendencies. During the Depression, realism took two forms: the American Scene School (or Regionalism) and Social Realism. The American Scene painters took life on the plains as their subject, elevating its inhabitants to heroic stature.
• What techniques or materials did Arthur Bowen Davies use?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies was an American artist (1862-1928) who worked in a variety of media and styles. He is known for his paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures. Davies began his career as a magazine illustrator and draughtsman. Early works are characterised by muted tones and a Barbizon School influence. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and later in New York, at the Art Students League. Around 1900, Davies began to develop his mature style, one that combined elements of Symbolism and Romanticism. He often depicted figures in idyllic, dreamlike settings. He experimented with colour, form, and composition, producing works that are both lyrical and mysterious. Davies was associated with a group of artists known as The Eight, who challenged the conservative art establishment in the United States. He helped organise the 1913 Armory Show, which introduced modern European art to an American audience. Davies was a versatile printmaker, creating lithographs, etchings, and aquatints. He also produced a number of bronze sculptures. His work can be found in many museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
• What was Arthur Bowen Davies known for?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies (1862-1928) was an American modernist painter and printmaker. After a period as a commercial artist, Davies travelled to Paris in 1907, where he encountered Fauvism. He is known for painting complete abstractions from around 1910, at roughly the same time as Kandinsky. He exhibited at the 1913 Armory Show in New York, a large exhibition that introduced European modernism to an American audience. Davies was one of the organisers, along with Walt Kuhn. The show included over 1,600 artworks by both European and American artists. Davies sought to capture the essence of nature in his paintings, especially its energy. He aimed to create what he called "rhythmic paintings" expressing nature's spirit via shape and colour. He spent much of his life in rural areas of New York and Connecticut.
• When did Arthur Bowen Davies live and work?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies (1862-1928) was an American artist active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He worked as a painter, printmaker, and poet. Davies's early career involved commercial work. He was employed as a magazine illustrator. Davies studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and later in New York. He then travelled to Europe, where he encountered Symbolist and Art Nouveau aesthetics. These styles informed his later work. Davies is associated with the American modernism movement. He helped organise the 1913 Armory Show in New York City. This exhibition introduced European avant-garde art to an American audience. It had a significant effect on the development of modern art in the United States. Davies's paintings often feature dreamlike figures in classical or Arcadian settings. He experimented with different media, including oil paint, watercolour, and etching. His subject matter included nudes, dancers, and mythological scenes.
• Where can I see Arthur Bowen Davies's work?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies's work can be seen in several prominent museums. In the United States, these include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, both in New York City; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond; the Wolfsonian at Florida International University in Miami Beach; the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh; the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the National Gallery of Art, all in Washington DC. In Canada, his work is held at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. In the UK, you can find his pieces at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London; the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery; the Manchester Art Gallery; the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh; and the Ulster Museum in Belfast. Other European locations include the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and Musée des Beaux-Arts in France, and the Brangwyn Museum in Belgium.
• Where was Arthur Bowen Davies from?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies was born in Utica, New York, in 1862. His family moved to Chicago in 1878, where he studied at the Chicago Academy of Design. He later moved to New York City to continue his artistic training at the Art Students League. Davies began his career as a magazine illustrator. He then devoted himself to painting and printmaking, developing a unique, individual style. Davies is associated with the American modernism movement that moved away from academic traditions. He was one of the organisers of the 1913 Armory Show, which introduced European modernist art to American audiences. Davies's work often featured mythological figures in idyllic settings, characterised by soft lines and muted colours. He experimented with various media, including oil, watercolour, and etching, producing a diverse body of work that reflects his evolving artistic vision.
• Who did Arthur Bowen Davies influence?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies (1862-1928) was an American modernist painter and printmaker, associated with both the Ashcan School and the more avant-garde Armory Show. His influence is complex, as his style shifted over time and encompassed different artistic movements. Early in his career, Davies's pastoral and allegorical paintings, populated with graceful figures in idyllic settings, appealed to a broad audience. These works had a certain impact on American Impressionism, particularly regarding subject matter. Later, Davies played a significant role in introducing European modernism to the United States. As president of the Association of American Painters and Sculptors, he helped organise the 1913 Armory Show in New York. This exhibition had a transformative effect on American art, exposing audiences to Cubism, Futurism, and other then-current styles. While Davies's own work did not become strictly Cubist or Futurist, the Armory Show, and his role in it, affected the trajectory of many American artists who embraced modernism. His promotion of modern art had an impact, even if his personal style remained distinct.
• Who influenced Arthur Bowen Davies?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies was exposed to a number of influences during his career. In 1912, Davies corresponded with Walt Kuhn about the possibility of purchasing a painting by Cézanne from a dealer in Paris; he also wondered if Count Costa had acquired it. Costa, who died in Florence in 1911, was an early admirer of French Impressionism, and owned paintings by Degas and Cézanne. Walter Pach recalled Davies in his writings. Mark Rothko, a younger artist, regarded Milton Avery as an important influence. Rothko stated that he and other artists who were 'younger, questioning, and looking for an anchor' were made welcome in Avery's studio. Rothko described Avery as a 'great poet-inventor' from whom he and others 'learned much'.
• Who was Arthur Bowen Davies?+

  Arthur Bowen Davies was the principal organiser of the 1913 Armory Show, which introduced European modernism to America. He was also a member of The Eight, a protest group against the National Academy of Design formed in 1908.