Allen Tucker
American, 1866 - 1939
1866: Born in Brooklyn, New York; 1888: Graduated as an architect from the School of Mines of Columbia University with a Bachelor of Philosophy Degree; 1890: Studied at the Art Students League under John Henry Twachtman; 1893: Elected as a member of the Art Students League; 1895-1904: Worked as a partner in an architectural firm; 1904: Resigned from the firm and turned to painting full time; 1908: Exhibition with Henri, Luks, Sloan and others at the Whitney Studio Gallery; 1913: Was responsible for the catalog of the Armory Show and six of his works were included in that important exhibition; 1917: Represented in the Inaugural Exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists; 1918: First comprehensive one-man exhibit at the Whitney Studio Club; 1919: Publication of his first volume of poems “There and Here”; 1921-1926: Taught at the Art Students League; 1923: Had a one-man show at Durand-Ruel Galleries; 1924: Had a one-man show at the Syracuse Museum of Art, the Art Students League and Montross Gallery; 1925: Had a one-man show at the Whitney Studio Club; 1926, 1928-1930: Had one-man shows at Rehn Galleries; 1930: Series of lectures published under the title “Design and the Idea”; 1931: Had a one man show at the Century Association; the Whitney Museum published a monograph on the artist in its American Artists Series; 1939: Died in New York City.
Allen Tucker, architect, painter, impressionist, symbolist and writer. His widely exhibited paintings are reminiscent, in their brushwork and use of light, of the work of Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1900). Tucker was born July 28th, 1866, in Brooklyn, New York and died January 26th in New York City. In 1888, he would begin his architectural studies at the School of Mines, Columbia University. Tucker would then study painting at the Art Students' League under John H. Twachtman (1853-1902) from 1921 to 1922. Upon completing his studies, Tucker joined the architectural firm of McIvaine and Tucker, (his fathers business). Unhappy working as an architect, he left the firm in 1904 to pursue a career as an artist.
Although Allen Tucker's vision became increasingly symbolist in the latter years of his career the outward aspect of his art remained direct. He painted in an impressionist fashion applying his paint with energetic, crisp brush strokes revealing subjects with startling clarity. It hardly mattered what he painted, a mountain in the Rockies, a view through a window in Manhattan, a dusky interior or a figure presented head-on.
John Henry Twachtman's basic impressionist teachings at the League and the influence from Pont Aven, from Emile Bernard (1868-1941), Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), and Van Gogh would help Tucker developed his own original style. He developed a striking rhythm in his works and they appear to create their own movement from within the execution of his strokes of shimmering light and contrasting shadows. The influence of Robert Henri (1865-1929) and Maurice Prendergast (1859-1934) can be seen in his brushwork and his compositions. Whether he was influenced or not, there seems to be a connection between Tucker and Prendergast.
He was known as an individualist who did not "fit well into acceptable art history." He was a better fit with the likes of Ernest Lawson (1873-1934), of Maurice Prendergast (1859-1934), of the Torontan Albert Henry Robinson (1881-1935), of Homer Boss (1882-1934), of Abraham Walkowitz (1880-1934). As a group of near impressionist artists, Allen Tucker, with his mystical and pantheist view of nature, stood out as the Symbolist.
Tucker helped organize the landmark Armory Show of 1913 and was one of the founders of the Society of Independent Artists, 1917. He was an advisor to Mrs. Juliana Force, who directed the Whitney Studio and the Whitney Studio Club. Tucker was an Honorary Member of the Art Students' League, and taught at the League from 1921 to 1928. He also wrote, Here and There which was a book of verse (1919), Design and Idea (1930) and John Henry Twachtman (1931).
Museums:
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
High Museum, Atlanta, GA.
Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta, GA
Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Mass.
Smith College Museum of Art, North Hampton, Mass
Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine
The University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, NY
The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY
Everson Art Museum, Syracuse, NY
Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Memphis Brooks Museum, Memphis, TN
Maier Museum of Art, Lynchburg, VA
Robert Hull Fleming Museum, Burlington VT.
Listed:
E. Benezit
Who was Who in American Art
Biography courtesy of Roughton Galleries, www.antiquesandfineart.com/roughton
Although Allen Tucker's vision became increasingly symbolist in the latter years of his career the outward aspect of his art remained direct. He painted in an impressionist fashion applying his paint with energetic, crisp brush strokes revealing subjects with startling clarity. It hardly mattered what he painted, a mountain in the Rockies, a view through a window in Manhattan, a dusky interior or a figure presented head-on.
John Henry Twachtman's basic impressionist teachings at the League and the influence from Pont Aven, from Emile Bernard (1868-1941), Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), and Van Gogh would help Tucker developed his own original style. He developed a striking rhythm in his works and they appear to create their own movement from within the execution of his strokes of shimmering light and contrasting shadows. The influence of Robert Henri (1865-1929) and Maurice Prendergast (1859-1934) can be seen in his brushwork and his compositions. Whether he was influenced or not, there seems to be a connection between Tucker and Prendergast.
He was known as an individualist who did not "fit well into acceptable art history." He was a better fit with the likes of Ernest Lawson (1873-1934), of Maurice Prendergast (1859-1934), of the Torontan Albert Henry Robinson (1881-1935), of Homer Boss (1882-1934), of Abraham Walkowitz (1880-1934). As a group of near impressionist artists, Allen Tucker, with his mystical and pantheist view of nature, stood out as the Symbolist.
Tucker helped organize the landmark Armory Show of 1913 and was one of the founders of the Society of Independent Artists, 1917. He was an advisor to Mrs. Juliana Force, who directed the Whitney Studio and the Whitney Studio Club. Tucker was an Honorary Member of the Art Students' League, and taught at the League from 1921 to 1928. He also wrote, Here and There which was a book of verse (1919), Design and Idea (1930) and John Henry Twachtman (1931).
Museums:
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
High Museum, Atlanta, GA.
Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta, GA
Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Mass.
Smith College Museum of Art, North Hampton, Mass
Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine
The University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, NY
The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY
Everson Art Museum, Syracuse, NY
Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Memphis Brooks Museum, Memphis, TN
Maier Museum of Art, Lynchburg, VA
Robert Hull Fleming Museum, Burlington VT.
Listed:
E. Benezit
Who was Who in American Art
Biography courtesy of Roughton Galleries, www.antiquesandfineart.com/roughton
