Arthur Wesley Dow (1857-1922) was an American painter, printmaker, theorist, and teacher whose influence on the American Arts and Crafts movement was profound. His journey to Paris in 1884, where he studied at the Académie Julien, was a turning point. It was there that he was captivated by the aesthetics of Japanese art, particularly the use of line, color and composition, which he brought back to America, helping to inspire a new wave of American art.
Arthur Wesley Dow later taught at the Pratt Institute and the Arts Students League in New York City. His most famous student was Georgia O'Keefe, who credited Dow's composition teachings with helping her artistic development.
At Saturn Press, we have designed the card August Moon after a serene masterpiece by Dow. This celebrated woodblock print captures the tranquility of a moon setting on a quiet evening. The work, with its focus on line, balance, and simplified forms in muted colors, is a great example of Dow's special blend of American landscape and Japanese form.
In 1922, Arthur Wesley Dow died in his hometown of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Dow often painted the salt marshes and rivers of Ipswich. During his lifetime, he also established an art center in Ipswich with his sister Mary Dow. The art center aimed to continue promoting his philosophy of art.
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