William Glackens

Happy Birthday William Glackens!! American, born in 1870, a member of the Eight or the Ashcan School. American art in the late 1800’s was dominated by a dignified group of painters working in, loosely, an impressionistic style. A group led by Robert Henri, known as the Eight, challenged the guidelines of the dominant school, articulating a belief that painters should represent “life rather than style”. Glackens was an influential member of the group, named the “Ashcan School” by their challengers. He began as a newspaper illustrator, advancing to painting large simple forms in vibrant color. His technique still reflects Impressionistic tendencies rather than the Social Realism of some of the others in the group.