John Edward Thompson
Encyclopedia
John Edward Thompson was an American
painter
and university professor
who is credited with introducing modern art
to Denver, Colorado
in 1918, much to the chagrin of local critics. Due to his pioneering career, Thompson was referred to as the "Dean of Colorado Painters".While he never enjoyed much national renown, his work is still among the most desirable to collectors of Colorado art.
, Thompson had begun his formal art studies with noted illustrator Lucius Hitchcock. After studying for two years at the Art Students League of New York
, he enrolled in Paris
' Academie Julien. Influenced by the tutelage of such renowned figures as Jean-Paul Laurens
, he established a European reputation while still in his twenties. Spending a year in Laren
, a famous painting village in Holland, Thompson also met Jozef Israëls
and Albert Neuhys. Returning to Paris, he found himself invited to the salon of Gertrude Stein
and soon was living in the home of George Sand
. In a picturesque French village of Gargilesse-Dampierre
, Thompson found himself surrounded by natural light painting landscapes in the style of Paul Cézanne
.
Driven back to the United States by World War I, Thompson found himself drawn to depictions of the American West. A railroad agent recommended Pine, Colorado for its fine quality of mountain light, which was enough to send Thompson packing. He soon landed in Denver, drawing friends and artists such as Joseph Bakos
and Walter Mruk to his own small art colony. Though some soon departed to form the Santa Fe community known as "Los Cinco Pintores," Thompson's leadership introduced modernist European styles to a region long-resistant to nontraditional art forms.
As a member of the Denver Atelier, an exclusive network of leaders in the arts and architecture community, Thompson also used the studio as a social gathering spot. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr, Jacques Benedict, Burnham Hoyt, and other Denver notables interested in the American Beaux-Arts tradition joined him. Their monthly meetings would often feature nude models, enabling members to practice their sketchwork in a supportive environment while enjoying the pleasures of homemade juniper-berry wine.
Thompson's genius led to exhibitions in some of the most prestigious art galleries in the country, including the Art Institute of Chicago, New York World's Fair, Philadelphia Sesqui-Centennial Exhibition, San Francisco's Grand Palace of the Legion of Honor, and the Corcoran Museum in Washington D.C. Donald Baer, the director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, noted “I have never in my life met anyone… who knew so profoundly, so thoroughly and yet so simply and directly what constituted great painting… I have never met anyone either, that could convey what he knew with such clarity.”
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and university professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
who is credited with introducing modern art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
in 1918, much to the chagrin of local critics. Due to his pioneering career, Thompson was referred to as the "Dean of Colorado Painters".While he never enjoyed much national renown, his work is still among the most desirable to collectors of Colorado art.
Overview
Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Thompson had begun his formal art studies with noted illustrator Lucius Hitchcock. After studying for two years at the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
, he enrolled in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
' Academie Julien. Influenced by the tutelage of such renowned figures as Jean-Paul Laurens
Jean-Paul Laurens
Jean-Paul Laurens , was a French painter and sculptor, and one of the last major exponents of the French Academic style.Born in Fourquevaux, he was a pupil of Léon Cogniet and Alexandre Bida...
, he established a European reputation while still in his twenties. Spending a year in Laren
Laren
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called 't Gooi, it is the oldest town in that area. It is one of the richest towns in the Netherlands, along with its neighbour Blaricum...
, a famous painting village in Holland, Thompson also met Jozef Israëls
Jozef Israëls
Jozef Israëls was a Dutch painter, and "the most respected Dutch artist of the second half of the nineteenth century".-Youth:...
and Albert Neuhys. Returning to Paris, he found himself invited to the salon of Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein was an American writer, poet and art collector who spent most of her life in France.-Early life:...
and soon was living in the home of George Sand
George Sand
Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, later Baroness Dudevant , best known by her pseudonym George Sand , was a French novelist and memoirist.-Life:...
. In a picturesque French village of Gargilesse-Dampierre
Gargilesse-Dampierre
Gargilesse-Dampierre is a commune in the Indre department in central France.It is classified as one of "The most beautiful villages of France" and is situated near the confluence of the Gargilesse stream and the river Creuse. The 19th century writer George Sand lived in the village.-References:*...
, Thompson found himself surrounded by natural light painting landscapes in the style of Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
.
Driven back to the United States by World War I, Thompson found himself drawn to depictions of the American West. A railroad agent recommended Pine, Colorado for its fine quality of mountain light, which was enough to send Thompson packing. He soon landed in Denver, drawing friends and artists such as Joseph Bakos
Joseph Bakos
Joseph Bakos was an American painter of Polish origin, mainly of western landscapes.Was one of Los Cinco Pintores who worked in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bakos studied art with John E. Thompson at the Albright Art Institute in Buffalo, New York. He later followed Thompson to Colorado and taught at the...
and Walter Mruk to his own small art colony. Though some soon departed to form the Santa Fe community known as "Los Cinco Pintores," Thompson's leadership introduced modernist European styles to a region long-resistant to nontraditional art forms.
As a member of the Denver Atelier, an exclusive network of leaders in the arts and architecture community, Thompson also used the studio as a social gathering spot. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr, Jacques Benedict, Burnham Hoyt, and other Denver notables interested in the American Beaux-Arts tradition joined him. Their monthly meetings would often feature nude models, enabling members to practice their sketchwork in a supportive environment while enjoying the pleasures of homemade juniper-berry wine.
Thompson's genius led to exhibitions in some of the most prestigious art galleries in the country, including the Art Institute of Chicago, New York World's Fair, Philadelphia Sesqui-Centennial Exhibition, San Francisco's Grand Palace of the Legion of Honor, and the Corcoran Museum in Washington D.C. Donald Baer, the director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, noted “I have never in my life met anyone… who knew so profoundly, so thoroughly and yet so simply and directly what constituted great painting… I have never met anyone either, that could convey what he knew with such clarity.”