International studio (58.1916)

The Etchings, Lithographs and Drawings of John Sloan


MEMORY, 1905—AN ETCHING BY JOHN SLOAN
MR. AND MRS. ROBERT HENRI ON THE LEFT, THE ARTIST AND MRS. SLOAN ON THE RIGHT

The etchings, lithographs
AND DRAWINGS OF
JOHN SLOAN
BY A. E. GALLATIN
But few American etchers have been interested
in the portrayal of people and in the study of
their characters, as was the case with Rembrandt
and Whistler and is the case with Zorn. Rather
have they, like Meryon, Cameron and Bone,
found their inspiration in picturing cities or
rural landscapes. Eugene Higgins has etched
a few plates which show his interest in human-
ity, as have Ernest Haskell and one or two
others; Jerome Meyers and Childe Hassam
have recently taken up etching and they, too,
are interested in the study of people, although
it is true the latter more often than not is
chiefly concerned with the figure as merely pat-
tern in his design. John Sloan, however, is con-
cerned with nothing else: his interest in humanity
is his passion in life.

A brief note on Sloan’s early artistic activities
will suffice: We will pass on to a consideration
of his mature work in the graphic arts—omitting,
because it does not fall within the scope of this ar-
ticle, to write of his paintings (landscapes and
New York street scenes), which now command
most of his attention.
Sloan was born at Lockhaven, Pennsyl-
vania, in 1871, and received his training at the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Since 1905
he has made New York his home, and much of
his inspiration has been derived from the district
around Washington Square and on Sixth Avenue.
Just previous to this emigration to New York
he was much interested in the poster movement,
which was then at its height, and from his pen
came several posters of note, in which the
Beardsley influence is discernible. Three of the
best known were for Moods, Cinder Path Tales
and The Echo. That early in his career he
was interested in etching, numerous plates bear
witness.

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