Oliver W. Larkin facts for kids

Oliver Waterman Larkin (born August 17, 1896 – died December 17, 1970) was an American art historian and teacher. He is famous for winning the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for History for his important book, Art and Life in America. This award is one of the highest honors for writers in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Oliver Larkin was born in Medford, Massachusetts. His father, Charles Ernest Larkin, collected and sold old items, which might have sparked Oliver's interest in art early on. Oliver had two brothers and one sister.

He grew up in Medford and later in Georgetown, Massachusetts. In 1914, he graduated with high honors from the Perley Free School. He then went to Harvard University, where he studied French and Latin. He earned his first degree, a B.A., in 1918. He was a very good student, winning several scholarships and being chosen for the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

Military Service and Family

During World War I, Oliver Larkin served in the United States Army from 1918 to 1919. He was a private in the Medical Corps. After the war, he continued his studies at Harvard and received his M.A. in 1919. He even returned to Harvard two years later to help teach fine arts.

Besides his studies, he also directed plays and designed the stage sets for Lincoln House in Boston. In 1925, he married Ruth Lily McIntire. They had one son, Peter Larkin, who later became a well-known designer for plays and movies.

Teaching Art History

Oliver Larkin started teaching art history at Smith College in 1924. His father's interest in antiques and his own art teachers at Harvard encouraged him to become an educator. By 1926, he was an associate professor, and by 1931, he became a full professor. He also taught for a short time at Iowa State University in 1925 and 1926.

Later, he was given the special title of Jessie Wells Post Professor of Art. In the 1950s, he gave lectures to European students in Salzburg, Austria, sharing his knowledge of American studies. He retired from Smith College in 1964, becoming a professor emeritus, which means he kept his title after retiring.

Oliver W. Larkin passed away in Northampton, Massachusetts, on December 17, 1970, after being sick for a while.

Writing About American Art

Oliver Larkin wrote many articles and book reviews for various magazines, including Theatre Arts, Magazine of Art, and Saturday Review of Literature. However, he is most famous for his book, Art and Life in America.

He started working on this big project in 1944. He actually rewrote the entire book at least three times over five years to make it just right! The book explores how American art developed from the 1600s onward. It doesn't just list art pieces; it also looks at how cultural and social changes influenced art. He also paid special attention to the idea of democracy in America and how it showed up in art.

Art and Life in America was published in 1949 and was praised by many critics. In 1950, it won the Pulitzer Prize for History. This was a very special moment because it was the first time a book about the history of visual arts had won this important award.

The book was updated and made even bigger in 1960. It included color pictures and covered art from the 1950s. Oliver Larkin also wrote two more books about specific artists. One was about Samuel F. B. Morse, focusing on his early life as a painter. The other book, written after he retired, was about the artist Honoré Daumier, connecting his work to the art movements of his time.