Sloan, John

Sloan, John (b Lock Haven, Pa., 2 Aug. 1871; d Hanover, NH, 7 Sept. 1951). American painter and graphic artist. During the 1890s he worked as a newspaper illustrator in Philadelphia, and he started painting seriously in 1896, influenced by Robert Henri. In 1904 he settled permanently in New York, where he and Henri were among the members of The Eight. Sloan was the most political member of the group and, as well as taking his most characteristic subjects from everyday lower-class New York life, he did illustrations for socialist periodicals, including The Masses, of which he was art editor from 1912 to 1916. However, he was not interested in using his art for what he called ‘socialist propaganda’ and he resigned from the magazine after a dispute over policy. His paintings of the pre-First World War period are generally solid, broadly brushed, and low keyed in colour, typically featuring street scenes or domestic interiors; however, he could also be sharply satirical and occasionally he expressed himself in a totally different vein, as in Wake of the Ferry (1907, Phillips Coll., Washington), a hauntingly melancholic marine picture. After the Armory Show he broadened the scope of his work to include landscapes and nudes and his style became harder and brighter. He also made etchings throughout his career. Sloan was a popular teacher at the Art Students League and other schools. In 1939 he published an autobiographical-critical book, Gist of Art.