Revolutionaries of realism

the long version

In the saga of American art's coming-of-age, Robert Henri (1865-1929) and John Sloan (1871-1951) stand tall among those in the vanguard of the campaign. These two major American artists were kindred spirits who maintained a special friendship throughout their lives, from the moment they met in 1892 until Henri's death thirty-seven years later. This volume offers the first publication of the full correspondence between the two painters. These intimate letters capture the opinions, working habits, and various traumas of Henri and Sloan, thus casting a new light on their lives and art. Many of the letters are illustrated with previously unpublished drawings - Henri's quickly sketched caricatures and Sloan's more carefully detailed compositions. Readers of these letters will also find passages that provide fresh perspectives on well-known paintings and published statements. These letters also mention other prominent artists of the Henri-Sloan circle, including William Glackens, George Luks, Everett Shinn, Ernest Lawson, Alexander Milne Calder, and Isadora Duncan.