Asheville Art Museum

2 South Pack SquareCELEBRATING 60 YEARS

A Centennial Celebration of The Eight

Life’s Rich Pageant

Organized by the Asheville Art Museum.Special thanks to Stephen and Mina Weiner.

Sponsored by the Midgard Foundation and in part by Thom Robinson and Ray Griffin.

Arthur Bowen Davies

William Glackens

Robert Henri

Ernest Lawson

George Luks

Maurice Prendergast

Everett Shinn

John Sloan

by Stephen and Mina Weiner

The last few decades of the 19th century, called the“Gilded Age” by Mark Twain, witnessed enormous growthof business and industry in this country and theaccumulation of great individual fortunes. A new class ofwealthy Americans looked to Europe for culture andfashion, and built urban palaces inspired by Europeanarchitecture. They traveled abroad and brought backfurniture and art to fill their homes. The paintings theypurchased were primarily classical works in the establishedtraditions of portraiture, still-life and landscape. AlthoughImpressionists and others were developing new approachesto art, they were considered too avant-garde to be acceptedby the academies and galleries which formed theAmerican art establishment of the period. This attitudetoward what was appropriate in art continued to be invogue during the first decade of the 20th century.

In this country, most art collectors who bought orcommissioned works by American artists wanted piecesreflecting the acceptable European styles. In New York Citythey preferred artists shown in exhibitions held bytraditional academies like the National Academy of Design.The entrance requirements for those institutions generallyignored developing modern movements in painting, whichincreasingly sought to reflect the realities of life for most ofthe people in contemporary New York City.

Unlike the opportunities afforded by today’s multi-layered art market with its auction houses, galleries andartists’ agents catering to a variety of audiences, turn-of-the-century New York artists had limited outlets for theirwork. If they were not recognized by the establishedinstitutions, major galleries would not accept them andthere were few independent galleries which displayedcourage in their choice of artists to represent.

In the spring of 1907 the National Academy ofDesign rejected paintings by artists George Luks, ErnestLawson and Arthur B. Davies for a major exhibition.Robert Henri, a member of the Academy, and of itshanging committee, withdrew his paintings in protest andannounced that “outsiders ought to . . . hold small or largegroup exhibitions so that the people may know what theartists who have something important to say are doing.”1

The wholesale rejections for the spring Academyexhibition inspired rebellion among those in Henri’s circleand beyond. Eight of these painters — Arthur B. Davies,William Glackens, Robert Henri, Ernest Lawson, George

A Centennial Celebration of The Eight

Life’s Rich Pageant

FROM TOP: Robert Henri,Patience, 1915.Collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner.George B. Luks, Winter Night, New York, 1930. Gift of the AAM Auxiliary inmemory of Christine Babb. Asheville Art Museum Collection. Everett Shinn,Street Corner in Paris, 1905. Collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner.

COVER FROM TOP: William Glackens, Fruit in White Compote, n.d. MauricePrendergast,Surf, ca. 1900.Both from the collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner.

Luks, Maurice Prendergast, Everett Shinn and John Sloan— decided to hold their own self-selected, non-juriedexhibition and were offered the Macbeth Gallery inManhattan from February 3rd through 15th, 1908.

The exhibition,which traveled to nine other cities inthe United States, included realistic cityscapes, some ofwhich showed the seedier sides of urban life, dream-likecanvases by Davies, impressionist views by Lawson andmosaic-patterned scenes by Prendergast. The heterogeneousgroup’s tolerance for stylistic variation was the opposite ofprevalent academic rigidity. Their interest in immediacy andrealism was contrary to the establishment’s genteel vision.

In another radical departure, paintings were notgrouped by color, subject or size but by artist, whichemphasized each man’s individuality. Their press releasestated,“We have come together because we’re so unlike. . .We don’t propose to be the only American painters by anymeans, but do say that our body includes men who think,who are not academic . . . and who believe above all thatart of any kind is an expression of individual ideas of life.”2

Some of the reviewers were not kind: “You areappalled by the clashing dissonances, by the jangling andbooming of eight differently tuned orchestras.”3 “Vulgaritysmites one in the face at this exhibition.”4 Othersrecognized the historic breakthrough established by theMacbeth show. These artists “are trying to create a new artfor a country that needs one.”5 “They are realists in as muchas they paint what they see, let it be ugly, sordid or

ABOVE: John Sloan, Memory, 1906. Collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner.

RIGHT FROM TOP: Arthur B. Davies, Symmetry, ca. 1920. Ernest Lawson, Winter Scene,Central Park, n.d. Both from the collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner.

commonplace . . .They invest the commonest attitudes andgestures of life with the dignity of an earnest act . . . Let usnot judge each individual and not whether he fits in withothers . . .To miss modern art is to miss all the thrill andexcitement that our present holds.”6

Although these artists never again held an exhibitionas a group, they became known as “The Eight.” Theirworks have withstood the critical test of time and they areconsidered artists of real merit. By today’s standards, theirpaintings, drawings and prints appear quite benign.However, their stand for artistic independence remainsrelevant and worthy of recognition. Exhibiting together in1908, they challenged the power of the academies andgenerated interest in contemporary American art. TheMacbeth show “transformed the art exhibition intopolitical statement and media event and shifted foreverthe relationship between the American artist and theAmerican public.”7

1 New York Sun, May 15, 1907.2 Ibid.3 Philadelphia Press, February, 1908.4 New York Sun, February 9, 1908.5 The Craftsman, March, 1908.6 New York Sun, February 9, 1908.7 Painters of a New Century:The Eight and American Art.

Exhibition catalogue Milwaukee Art Museum, 1991.

The Asheville Art Museum is accredited by the AmericanAssociation of Museums and receives general operatingsupport from businesses, foundations and individuals, as wellas from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded bythe State of North Carolina, and the National Endowment forthe Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.Additional support is provided by the City of Asheville andBuncombe County.

ARTHUR B. DAVIES (1862-1928)

Symmetry, ca. 1920, oil, crayon and chalk on canvas, 18 x 30 inches.

Untitled Cityscape, ca. 1930, watercolor onpaper, 8.5 x 9.8 inches. Museum Purchase.Asheville Art Museum Collection.

Nuit, 1920, pencil on paper, 4.8 x 9 inches.Gift of Byron R. Cheadle.Asheville ArtMuseum Collection.

Hickory Bull Cox, 1894, pastel on paper,6.5 x 10 inches. Gift of Lorna BlaineHalper.Asheville Art Museum Collection.

WILLIAM GLACKENS (1870-1938)

Seated Woman with Hat, ca. 1905, crayon on paper, 14 x 11 inches.

Went About Town with His Cigar PointingToward His Hat-brim, 1906, ink with Chinesewhite on paper, 12.5 x 8.375 inches.

Study for Nude With Apple, 1910, pastel on paper, 10 x 14 inches.

Fruit in White Compote, n.d., oil on canvas,12 x 16 inches.

EXHIBITION CHECKLISTAll works are in the collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner unless noted otherwise.

ROBERT HENRI (1865-1929)

Patience, 1915, oil on canvas, 15 x 20 inches.

Amsterdam Canal Scene, 1907, oil on canvas,20 x 24 inches.

Two Men in a Café, 1905 On reverse Luxembourg Gardens, Paris,ca. 1890, oil on board, 6 x 4 inches.

Seated Nude on Red Blanket, 1912, oil onpaper, 19 x 13 inches. Museum Purchase.Asheville Art Museum Collection.

ERNEST LAWSON (1873-1939)

Summer Harlem River, n.d., oil on panel,15 x 19.5 inches.

The Duck Pond — Norfolk, Connecticut,ca. 1930, oil on canvas laid on board,16 x 40 inches.

Winter Scene, Central Park, n.d., oil onboard, 8.5 x 11 inches.

GEORGE B. LUKS (1867-1933)

Judy, 1928, oil on canvas, 20 x 16 inches.

Hester Street, 1905, ink, charcoal,white chalk and pencil on paper,9.5 x 13.5 inches.

Winter Night, New York, 1930, gouache on paper, 11 x 18 inches. Gift of the AAMAuxiliary in memory of Christine Babb.Asheville Art Museum Collection.

MAURICE PRENDERGAST(1859-1924)

Washington Square, No. 4, ca. 1910, pencil on paper, 11 x 15 inches.

Surf, ca. 1900, watercolor and pencil on paper, 10.625 x 15 inches.

Museum HoursTues - Thurs + Sat 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Fri 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. | Sun 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

A Centennial Celebration of The Eight

Life’s Rich Pageant

Asheville Art Museum

2 South Pack SquareCELEBRATING 60 YEARS

EVERETT SHINN (1876-1953)

Delmonico’s Fifth Avenue, 1904, charcoal and blue and white chalk on paper,8.5 x 13.5 inches.

Street Corner in Paris, 1905, pastel, ink and wash on paper, 9.5 x 12 inches.

JOHN SLOAN (1871-1951)

Memory, 1906, etching, 7.5 x 9 inches.

Turning out the Light, 1905, etching,5 x 7 inches.

Growing up in Greenwich Village, 1916,etching, 6.5 x 3.5 inches.

Up the Line, Miss? (1930 etching from 1907 drawing), etching, 5.5 x 7 inches.

The Woman’s Page, 1905, etching,4.5 x 6.5 inches.

Fifth Avenue Critics, 1905, etching,4.875 x 6.875 inches.

Night Windows, 1910, etching,5.125 x 6.5 inches.

The Picture Buyer, 1911, etching, 5.5 x 6.875inches. Museum Purchase with fundsprovided by 2007 Collectors’ Circlemembers Frances Myers, Dick and NancyAlbyn.Asheville Art Museum Collection.

George Luks, Judy, 1928. Collectionof Stephen and Mina Weiner.

P.O. Box 1717Asheville, NC 28802-1717

828.253.3227

mailbox@ashevilleart.orgwww.ashevilleart.org

FROM TOP: Maurice Prendergast, Washington Square, No. 4,ca. 1910. Collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner. JohnSloan, The Picture Buyer, 1911. Museum purchase withfunds provided by 2007 Collectors’ Circle membersFrances Myers, Dick and Nancy Albyn. Asheville ArtMuseum Collection.

For more than three decades, we have shared aninterest in early 20th century American art. From thebeginning of our marriage, we purchased prints, including anumber of John Sloan’s charming evocations of New YorkCity. However, for many years, our collecting had noparticular focus. Twenty five years ago Mina returned toschool and matriculated in a masters program at New YorkUniversity and in its post-graduate certificate program inMuseum Studies. During that time she wrote two papersthat directly awakened her interest in “The Eight.” For aNew York social history seminar, she researched thefriendship of Robert Henri and John Sloan and theirinteraction with their adopted home, New York City.Subsequently, for a museum studies course on exhibitions,Mina organized — on paper — a retrospective interpretingthe significance of the February 1908 Macbeth Galleryexhibition of “The Eight.” Steve, who edited and proofreadher papers, became intrigued by the group as well, and it washe who initiated the idea that we should try to purchase onerepresentative work by each artist in the group. Of course, asis often the case with collecting, once we got started wecould not stop!

We were drawn to these artists because their singleexhibition together was considered anti-establishment andinnovative for its time and is credited with generating publicinterest in an American art. We enjoy the diversepersonalities, subject matter and styles of the artists in the

group. Robert Henri, their recognized leader and “aninspired teacher with an extraordinary gift for verbalcommunication, with the personality and prophetic fire thattransformed pupils into idolators,”8 is someone that we bothwould like to have met.

As residents of a New York City suburb, we are mostfortunate to have easy access to several museum collections.We started educating ourselves about this period and theartists who participated in the Macbeth exhibition by visitinggalleries and museums, attending lectures and acquiringbooks about “The Eight.” The Metropolitan Museum’sAmerican Wing, the Whitney’s permanent collection and theBrooklyn Museum’s American galleries have particularly fineselections of their works. New York City is home to manygalleries that concentrate on early 20th century Americans,and hosts numerous shows that highlight American art. Inaddition, the major auction houses hold semi-annualexhibitions and sales of American art.

It has also become part of our routine when travelingto other cities to focus on museums and galleries that carry“The Eight.”We have enjoyed visits to institutions like theNew Britain Museum of American Art, CT, the MemorialArt Gallery of the University of Rochester, NY,Art Instituteof Chicago, Philadelphia Museum of Art, PennsylvaniaAcademy of Fine Arts (where a number of these artistsstudied) and the Barnes Collection in Merion, PA, anamazing accumulation of art by one individual whose primeadviser was William Glackens.

We agreed that both of us had to react mostenthusiastically to a painting before it was considered forpurchase, and that we would favor New York City subjects.Our first acquisition, which fit both criteria, was the undatedlandscape by Ernest Lawson, Winter Scene, Central Park.

Subsequently, we were most fortunate to meet the lateSidney Bergen, proprietor of the ACA Galleries. When helearned of our interest, he introduced us piece by piece to awonderful private collection that was being sold. Over timewe were able to purchase five works from him that had beenpart of the Herbert A. Goldstone Collection and featured ina 1965 exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. These works,which became the core of our collection, include Judy byGeorge Luks, Two Men in a Café by Robert Henri, Surf andWashington Square, No. 4 by Maurice Prendergast andSymmetry by Arthur B. Davies.

We soon learned which other galleries carried “theboys” as we began to call them. From the Graham Gallerythat once handled the Everett Shinn estate, we purchasedSteve’s favorite work, Delmonico’s Fifth Avenue.The Kraushaar

A Passion of Stephen and Mina Weiner

Collecting “The Eight”

The eight artists in this exhibition shared a bond —their rebellion against the establishment of their time.Whether painting gritty street tableaus, snow filledlandscapes or lighter compositions, each sought to expresslife directly, searching for artistic potential in commonplacesubjects and scenes. In Henri’s words “The Eight” were“men who think.”Their exhibition in 1908 was predicatedon the optimistic view that the public would be open tonew challenges presented by the work.The success of theexhibition and especially the lively dialogue and discoursethat surrounded it defines a crucial moment in the historyof American art.The lesson, that there is much to be gainedby being open to new work,by being willing to really lookat, talk and think about art, clearly resonates today 100years later. It is this premise that guides the work of theAsheville Art Museum and that is embodied in theattitudes of our visitors.

I have known Stephen and Mina Weiner for manyyears. Recognizing their expertise in their chosenprofessions, respectively law and history, it comes as nosurprise that choosing to acquire art, they would becomeconsummate collectors. Remaining focused, for over 30years, on the art of “The Eight” they have built a collectionthat continues to provide fresh insights and inspiration.Writing the catalogue essay and lending works for thisexhibition are both munificent gestures and we are allindebted to Stephen and Mina for their generosity.

This project would not have been possible withoutthe sponsorship of the Midgard Foundation whoselongstanding dedication to making outstanding visualart available to all audiences is crucial. Ray Griffin andThom Robinson provided additional support.

Appreciation, as always, must go to the Board ofTrustees and Museum volunteers.On the staff thanks go toCole Hendrix, Assistant Curator who deftly coordinatedall aspects of the project. Lynne Poirier Wilson and CaitlinRawlins assisted with research and organization. FrankThomson, Curator, aided by organizing the companionexhibition Ashcans, Trains and Factories: Students andFollowers of The Eight from the Museum’s collectionswhich broadens our understanding of the impact of“The Eight.” Dean Butckovitz, Thom Schram, SaraLedonne and the crew, Nancy Sokolove and the entireMuseum staff made it possible to bring this inspiringwork to our community.

— Pamela L. Myers, Executive Director

SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 - JANUARY 4, 2009Gallery that represents the estate of William Glackens, amongothers, was our source for Fruit in White Compote.We becameacquainted with Michael Owen of the Owen Gallery whohas mounted numerous shows featuring “The Eight.”Among the works acquired from his gallery are Amsterdam,Holland by Robert Henri, Street Corner in Paris by EverittShinn, Hester Street by George Luks and Study for Nude withApple by William Glackens. Mina’s favorite painting, RobertHenri’s Patience, was purchased at a Christie’s auction. It wasa memorable event because at the last minute Steve couldnot attend the sale. Both of us had been attracted to thepainting at the pre-auction exhibition and had agreed onwhat we might pay. Mina was alone when she nervouslypicked up the paddle several times, and was quite shakenwhen she realized that the auctioneer was looking right ather and saying,“Sold!”

From time to time we have loaned works from ourcollection to museum exhibitions so that we can share ourenthusiasm for these artists. This exhibition in Asheville,commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Macbeth show,exemplifies our interest and pleasure in reuniting in ourhome the varied talents of Davies, Glackens, Henri, Lawson,Luks, Prendergast, Shinn and Sloan, the group dubbed by arthistorian Bennard B. Perlman as “The Immortal Eight.”

— Stephen and Mina Weiner

8 Introduction by Forbes Watson in The Art Spirit (Notes,Articles, Fragments of Letters and Talks to Students) by Robert Henri. NY: Harper and Row, 1958.

A Centennial Celebration of The Eight

Life’s Rich Pageant

ABOVE: Everett Shinn, Delmonico’s Fifth Avenue, n.d. Collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner.

LEFT: Robert Henri, Two Men in a Café, 1905. Collection of Stephen and Mina Weiner.