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Glackens folder
M.F. Roberts papers

M&R May 23, 1938

THE NEW YORK TIMES,

WILLIAM GLACKENS, NOTED PAINTER, 68

Dies Suddenly on a Week-End Visit in Westport - Was First President of Independents

BEGAN AS AN ILLUSTRATOR

Influenced by French Masters, He Retained Individuality - Winner of Many Prizes

William J. Glackens, the artist, died suddenly yesterday of a heart attack in Westport, Conn., at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Prendergast, with whom he and Mrs. Glackens were spending the weekend. Stricken at noon, he died within a few moments. He was 68 years old on March 13.

Within the last two years there have been evidences of an increased regard for the work of Mr. Glackens among art connoisseurs, for in this period pictures by him have been purchased by the Corcoran Gallery of Washington, the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, the Addison Gallery of Andover, Mass.; the University of Nebraska, and the Metropolitan Museum which a few months ago acquired one of his characteristic New York scenes.

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Glackens was graduated form its Central High School, where he was a fellow student with John Sloan, also, in later years, a devoted adherent of Robert Henri. From 1891 until he went to Paris in 1895, he worked as an illustrator for Philadelphia newspapers, including The Record, Ledger and Press, and, at the same time, studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Spent a Year Abroad

He remained abroad only a year and on his return moved to New York. Here he did comic drawings for The World, then sketches for The Herald, and, later, illustrations for leading magazines, especially McClure's, which sent him to Cuba with the army in the war with Spain. Still later he drew for Scribner's and The Saturday Evening Post, and illustrated several books, among others the English translations of the French novels of Charles and Paul de Kock. Incidentally, he must not be confused, as an illustrator, with his brother, Lou Glackens, whose pictures of "Brer Rabbit" and the "Tar Baby" have delighted generations of readers of the "Uncle Remus" stories.

In 1903 Mr. Glackens married Edith Dimock of Hartford, Conn. 

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Associated Press
WILLIAM J. GLACKENS

Three years later he made another visit to Europe and while abroad did some important etchings and paintings.

As a painter, Mr. Glackens first exhibited in this country at the New Arts Club and the Macbeth Gallery. He then was classed with "The Eight," a group composed of Robert Henri, John Sloan, Maurice Prendergast, Everett Shinn, Arthur H. Davies, George Luks and Ernest Lawson, all of whom, with the exception of Lawson, were painting in so-called "darkest Henri," subordinating brushwork to thought and color to plasticity.

An American Impressionist

This dark period in the development of Mr. Glackens's art was followed by a light period strongly influenced by Manet and Renoir, but not to the exclusion of the American spirit and an individual treatment of each subject. The artist has been described as a "true American, painting in the French tradition," and as "the greatest impressionist this country has produced." 

Among the prizes won by Mr. Glackens were: gold medal for drawing, Buffalo Exposition, 1901; silver medal for painting, bronze medal for illustration, St. Louis Exposition, 1904; bronze medal, San Francisco, 1915; Temple gold medal, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 1924; second prize of $1,000, Carnegie Institute, 1929, for "Bathers, Ile Adam"; Jennie Sesna medal, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, 1936; for "best landscape," awarded to "Beach, Saint-Jean-de-Lux"; and in January of this year, at the same academy's exhibit, the J. Henry Scheidt memorial prize for "Bal Martinique."

Mr. Glacken was the first president of the Society of Independent Artists, and a member of the National Academy of Design, Society of American Artists, New Society of Artists and the National Institute of Arts and Letters. His residence in the city was 10 West Ninth Street.

In addition to his widow, he is survived by a son, Ira D., and a daughter, Lenna D. Glackens.