Questions and Answers (Q&A) Forgotten Chicago Forum
Have a question about a specific element in Chicago's history? Ask Away!
early 1900's art scene
Posted by:
kategray
()
Date: January 04, 2012 10:17AM
I'm writing a short story - trying to figure out where a dilettante (that is to say, independently wealthy) artist would have chosen to live during the 1905-1910 period in Chicago.
If anyone has an answer for that, I'd be eternally grateful! Any other info about the art scene and/or high society at that time would be bonus, even if you can only direct me to a book or two. The person I have doing my artwork for this lives right outside the city, so he's eagerly awaiting my research in order for him to start sketching....
If anyone has an answer for that, I'd be eternally grateful! Any other info about the art scene and/or high society at that time would be bonus, even if you can only direct me to a book or two. The person I have doing my artwork for this lives right outside the city, so he's eagerly awaiting my research in order for him to start sketching....
Re: early 1900's art scene
Posted by:
HOLTANEK
()
Date: January 04, 2012 10:56AM
here was an "artists colony" on 57th st. east of Washington Park. The storefronts where artists congregated were left over from the 1893 Columbia Exposition (Worlds Fair) and were the "center" of the author/artist community. Writers such as James Farrell wrote of this area alot in his "Washington Park/Oneill pentalogy novels. I'm sure theres links to this colony online.
Re: early 1900's art scene
Posted by:
Elaine W
()
Date: January 04, 2012 04:26PM
You might want to look at biographical information on actual artists of that period. Two names that come to mind are the sculptor Lorado Taft (1860-1936), who lived in Hyde Park, and the architect Howard van Doren Shaw (1869-1926), who I think lived in Hyde Park briefly as a young married man and then moved to the north shore suburbs.
I'm not sure if the 57th street "artists colony" was in existence as early as 1900. Most of what I know about it is in the period 1930's-early 1960's. My parents were familiar with the area in the 1930's-1940's, but urban renewal effectively ended it by the late 1950's. The Columbian Exposition shops that used to be at Stony Island & 57th street were demolished around 1962.
I'm not sure if the 57th street "artists colony" was in existence as early as 1900. Most of what I know about it is in the period 1930's-early 1960's. My parents were familiar with the area in the 1930's-1940's, but urban renewal effectively ended it by the late 1950's. The Columbian Exposition shops that used to be at Stony Island & 57th street were demolished around 1962.
Re: early 1900's art scene
Posted by:
HOLTANEK
()
Date: January 04, 2012 05:14PM
Yeah, I wasnt sure if the 57th St. colony was around as early as 1900, I was mistaken. However, Hyde Park is just due south of this area and is known for artists as mentioned.
Re: early 1900's art scene
Posted by:
Dunning1
()
Date: January 05, 2012 12:36PM
I would certainly consider "Towertown," what the area around the Water Tower was called during that time frame. In addition to the Lambert Tree Studios by the old Medinah Temple, you also had the Dil Pickle Club, and a lot of the artsy, bohemian crowd lived in that area between the Water Tower and the Newberry Library.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
Online Users
Guests:
10
Record Number of Users:
4
on February 25, 2011
Record Number of Guests:
85
on January 25, 2011
