Arthur Bowen Davies

Arthur B. Davies 1862–1928

Born Utica, New York

After moving to New York City in 1887, Arthur Davies became a leading art-world figure. In addition to his work as an artist, he was also an advisor and mentor to others. While serving as president of the Association of American Painters and Sculptors, Davies also spearheaded the organization of the 1913 Armory Show, considered a turning point in the exhibition of modern American art. Many of his selections introduced European modernism—including works by Marcel Duchamp and Pablo Picasso—to audiences in Chicago, Boston, and New York.

A great admirer of Davies’s work, Gertrude Käsebier photographed him in 1904, the same year that he exhibited seven paintings at the National Arts Club alongside work by other progressive artists who would soon become part of the group known as “The Eight.” Davies inscribed the photograph to his fellow “Eight” artist George Luks.