Gifford Beal (1879-1956)
Garden Party, 1914
Gifford Beal, who began his artistic journey at the young age of twelve under the guidance of William Merritt Chase, developed a strong affinity for the Impressionists’ use of color and light. Embracing spontaneity in his approach to painting, Beal explored a variety of subjects, drawing inspiration from his travels abroad and summer holidays along the Hudson River, as well as Gloucester and Rockport, Massachusetts. Landscape with figures—often depicting the upper-class enjoying everyday life, such as Garden Party—was a favorite motif in Beal’s pictures and he was said to have the “power to render crowds in motion.” In 1916, Beal was elected President of the Art Students League of New York, and went on to become the longest serving President in its history to date.
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