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Allen Tucker

Allen Tucker, architect, painter, impressionist, symbolist and writer. His widely exhibited paintings are reminiscent, in their brushwork and use of light, of the work of Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1900). Tucker was born July 28th, 1866, in Brooklyn, New York and died January 26th in New York City. In 1888, he would begin his architectural studies at the School of Mines, Columbia University. Tucker would then study painting at the Art Students' League under John H. Twachtman (1853-1902) from 1921 to 1922. Upon completing his studies, Tucker joined the architectural firm of McIvaine and Tucker, (his fathers business). Unhappy working as an architect, he left the firm in 1904 to pursue a career as an artist.

Although Allen Tucker's vision became increasingly symbolist in the latter years of his career the outward aspect of his art remained direct. He painted in an impressionist fashion applying his paint with energetic, crisp brush strokes revealing subjects with startling clarity. It hardly mattered what he painted, a mountain in the Rockies, a view through a window in Manhattan, a dusky interior or a figure presented head-on.

John Henry Twachtman's basic impressionist teachings at the League and the influence from Pont Aven, from Emile Bernard (1868-1941), Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), and Van Gogh would help Tucker developed his own original style. He developed a striking rhythm in his works and they appear to create their own movement from within the execution of his strokes of shimmering light and contrasting shadows. The influence of Robert Henri (1865-1929) and Maurice Prendergast (1859-1934) can be seen in his brushwork and his compositions. Whether he was influenced or not, there seems to be a connection between Tucker and Prendergast.

He was known as an individualist who did not "fit well into acceptable art history." He was a better fit with the likes of Ernest Lawson (1873-1934), of Maurice Prendergast (1859-1934), of the Torontan Albert Henry Robinson (1881-1935), of Homer Boss (1882-1934), of Abraham Walkowitz (1880-1934). As a group of near impressionist artists, Allen Tucker, with his mystical and pantheist view of nature, stood out as the Symbolist.

Tucker helped organize the landmark Armory Show of 1913 and was one of the founders of the Society of Independent Artists, 1917. He was an advisor to Mrs. Juliana Force, who directed the Whitney Studio and the Whitney Studio Club. Tucker was an Honorary Member of the Art Students' League, and taught at the League from 1921 to 1928. He also wrote, Here and There which was a book of verse (1919), Design and Idea (1930) and John Henry Twachtman (1931).

Museums:
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
High Museum, Atlanta, GA.
Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta, GA
Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Mass.
Smith College Museum of Art, North Hampton, Mass
Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine
The University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, NY
The Parrish Art Museum, Southampton, NY
Everson Art Museum, Syracuse, NY
Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Memphis Brooks Museum, Memphis, TN
Maier Museum of Art, Lynchburg, VA
Robert Hull Fleming Museum, Burlington VT.

Listed:
E. Benezit
Who was Who in American Art

Biography courtesy of Roughton Galleries, www.antiquesandfineart.com/roughton

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