Early Life and Education
Rockwell Kent, an American painter, printmaker, illustrator, writer, sailor, and adventurer, was born on June 21, 1882, in Tarrytown, New York. Of English descent, Kent spent much of his early life in and around New York City, attending the Horace Mann School. His artistic foundation was laid through studies with influential painters and theorists of his day, including composition and design with
Arthur Wesley Dow at the Art Students League in 1900.
Artistic Evolution and Inspiration
Kent's early paintings of
Mount Monadnock and New Hampshire, first shown at the Society of American Artists in New York in 1904, marked the beginning of his lasting reputation as an early American modernist. His series of Monhegan Island, Maine, paintings (1905-1910) received wide critical acclaim in 1907 at Clausen Galleries in New York, now seen in museums like the
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Seattle Art Museum, and
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Transcendentalist and Mystic Inspirations
Influenced by the austerity and stark beauty of wilderness, Kent's work reflects a Symbolist spirit. His series from locales like Alaska (1918-19), Vermont (1919-1925), Tierra del Fuego (1922-23), Ireland (1926), and Greenland (1929; 1931-32; 1934-35) evoke the mysteries of the natural world, as seen in his adventure memoir Wilderness (1920).
Notable Works and Exhibitions
- Monhegan Island, Maine, 1905-1910
- Wilderness, 1920
- Exhibition of Independent Artists, 1910
- An Independent Exhibition of the Paintings and Drawings of Twelve Men, 1911 (referred to as "The Twelve" or "Kent's Tent")
Legacy and Online Presence
Today,
Rockwell Kent's work can be found in various online platforms, including
https://WahooArt.com/@/RockwellKent, offering a comprehensive collection of his art. For more on Kent's life and works, visit
Wikipedia's Rockwell Kent page.
Key Points:
- Born in Tarrytown, New York, in 1882
- Studied with Arthur Wesley Dow and William Merritt Chase
- Known for his elemental, infinite expression in art
- Published several adventure memoirs, including Wilderness
- Exhibited at numerous museums, including the
Metropolitan Museum of Art and
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco