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Painters of a New Century: The Eight and American Art

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The Eight are eight artists who changed the art world. They include Arthur Davies, William Glackens, Robert Henri, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Maurice Prendergast, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan.

Prior to 1908, it was difficult for artists to become known without a membership in the National Academy of Design. When Arthur B. Davies' and Ernest Lawson's application for membership were rejected, these eight artists broke free from tradition and created an independent exhibition at Macbeth Galleries in an attempt to advance American modern art.

Obviously, they succeeded by setting the stage for future unjuried independent exhibitions.

This book discusses the difficulties this group of artists faced in addition to the excitement they created and the support they received. It's a fascinating look into an event that truly changed the face of the art world.

The Eight arrived on the heels of the Fauves. Five of these members were associated with the Ashcan School-- a term used (sometimes quite disparagingly) to denote urban realism in art. These members were Glackens, Henri, Luks, Sloan, and Davies.

The Eight, however, did not exhibit because their art shared a unified asthetic; instead, their art was considered disparate in style. While the five mentioned previously painted gritty poorer neighborhoods, derelicts and prostitutes, Henri focused mostly on portraiture while Davies', Lawson's, and Predergast's work included mostly landscapes.

In addition to differing subject matter, their styles also differed immensely. Sloan, Glackens (reminiscent of Renoir) and Luks used a loose broad brushstroke while Prendergast's work clearly showed post-impressionist influence with brighter colors. Lawson, on the other hand, used darker, earthier colors. Henri's work is very similar in style to John Singer Sargent's.

The author writes, "In effect, visitors were confronted by with separate and independent constituent exhibitions".

The Eight's exhibit toured nationally and closed in 1909. Later, they exhibited with Matisse, Duchamp, Picasso, Hopper and Bellows among others. The Eight, especially Robert Henri (with Alfred Steiglitz) are credited with leading American art into a new era-- Realism and Modernism.