John Marin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Marin
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John Marin by Alfred Stieglitz in 1922.
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| Born | December 23, 1870 Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Died | October 1, 1953 (aged 82) Addison, Maine, U.S.
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| Education | Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts |
| Known for | Modern art |
John Marin (born December 23, 1870 – died October 2, 1953) was an important early American modernist artist. He is famous for his unique abstract landscapes and beautiful watercolor paintings.
Contents
Biography
John Marin was born in Rutherford, New Jersey. His mother passed away shortly after he was born. Because of this, his two aunts raised him in Weehawken, New Jersey. He briefly studied at the Stevens Institute of Technology and tried to become an architect, but it didn't work out.
Becoming an Artist
From 1899 to 1901, Marin studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. There, he learned from teachers like Thomas Pollock Anshutz and William Merritt Chase. He also studied at the Art Students League of New York.
In 1905, like many American artists, Marin traveled to Europe. He first went to Paris, France. He showed his artwork in the famous Salon art show. This was also where he first saw modern art. He spent six years traveling through Europe, painting in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, England, and Italy. In Europe, he became very skilled at using watercolors. He created paintings that looked almost abstract, using colors that were sometimes see-through and sometimes very strong. His art always had a feeling of freedom, which became his special style.
Working with Alfred Stieglitz
In 1909, Marin had his first solo art show at Alfred Stieglitz's 291 gallery in New York City. Alfred Stieglitz was a famous photographer and art dealer. Marin was introduced to Stieglitz by another photographer, Edward Steichen. Marin's connection with Stieglitz lasted for almost 40 years. Stieglitz supported Marin's art and helped him financially, which was very important for Marin's career. From 1909 until Stieglitz's death in 1946, Stieglitz showed Marin's artwork almost every year in his galleries. Marin also took part in the very important 1913 Armory Show, which introduced modern art to America.
Painting Maine's Coast
In 1914, Marin spent his first summer in Maine. He quickly fell in love with the rocky coast there, and it became one of his favorite things to paint. For the rest of his life, Marin painted the many moods of the sea and sky in Maine. He once wrote in 1933, "In painting water make the hand move the way the water moves." This shows how much he connected with nature in his art.
Later Life and Recognition
In 1936, the Museum of Modern Art held a special show of Marin's work. Later in his life, Marin became a very respected American painter. He was seen as an important older artist in American art. In 1950, both the University of Maine and Yale University gave him honorary degrees for his achievements in fine arts.
Marin lived in Cliffside Park, New Jersey in his final years. He also had a summer home in Addison, Maine, where he passed away in 1953.
Works
John Marin was one of the first American artists to create abstract paintings. Many people believe he influenced the Abstract Expressionists, who were a group of artists known for their energetic and emotional abstract art. Marin's way of handling paint, almost like watercolors even when using oils, and his use of empty spaces on the canvas, caught the attention of younger painters. His early experience with architecture might have also influenced the way he used shapes and structures in his paintings and watercolors.
The largest collection of Marin's paintings, watercolors, drawings, and photographs is at the Colby College Museum of Art. This collection was given to the college by John Marin Jr. and Norma B. Marin. You can also find Marin's paintings in many other important museums and collections. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Gallery of Art and the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., and the Fogg Art Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
In 1962, the White House bought his 1952 painting The Circus No. 1. It is now displayed in the Green Room there.
See also
In Spanish: John Marin para niños
