GENERAL DESCRIPTION
A painter of the Taos school, Victor Higgins was born in Shelbyville, Indiana, in 1884. He studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, the Académie de la Chaumiere in Paris, and in Munich under Hans von Hyedk. Many of his early attitudes toward art were influenced by his contact with the progressive ideas of Robert Henri and his followers in New York. Believing in the necessity for an art form indigenous to America, Higgins found his inspiration in the subjects found in and around Taos, New Mexico. He explored the people of the Taos Pueblo and their environment. Gradually, for Higgins, the human figure assumed a role secondary to that of landscape. In addition to oil painting, he did many successful landscape abstractions in watercolor. Determined to avoid romantic illustration, Higgins attempted to reduce his compositions to essentials, to create monumental forms in a broad sweeping style.
Excerpt From
Gail Davitt, Biographical essay, DMA education files, 1986-1987.
NOTES
Added artist life dates.
Added artist geography.
b. 28 June 1884, Shelbyville, Indiana
trained Chicago- (1899-1909) School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Academy of Fine Arts Chicago.
trained- NYC (1908, 1913)- met Robert Henri, in New York City to see the Armory Show
trained Paris- (1910-1914)- Study abroad paid for by Carter H. Harrison (Chicago), study at the Academie de la Grande Chaumière under René Ménard and Lucien Simon; befriend Walter Ufer
trained- Munich (1913-1914)- Study abroad paid for by Carter H. Harrison (Chicago), Studied with Hans von Hyedk
worked- Chicago- 1913-1920- taught at the Academy of Fine Arts; divided time between Chicago and Taos
worked in- Taos, New Mexico- 1914-27, 1928-37, 1940-49- traveled frequently 1913-1920, reside in Taos as of 1920; member of Taos Society of Artists in 1917; taught at Taos Field School starting 1930; befriended Andrew Dasburg (in Taos as of 1917) and John Marin (met in 1929)
worked in- Riverdale, NY- 1927
worked in- San Antonio- 1937-1940- married to Marion Koogler McNay and had studio in her Sunset Hills home (now Marion Koogler McNay Museum of Art)
died- Taos- Aug 23, 1949
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General Description
A painter of the Taos school, Victor Higgins was born in Shelbyville, Indiana, in 1884. He studied at the Art Institute in Chicago, the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, the Académie de la Chaumiere in Paris, and in Munich under Hans von Hyedk. Many of his early attitudes toward art were influenced by his contact with the progressive ideas of Robert Henri and his followers in New York. Believing in the necessity for an art form indigenous to America, Higgins found his inspiration in the subjects found in and around Taos, New Mexico. He explored the people of the Taos Pueblo and their environment. Gradually, for Higgins, the human figure assumed a role secondary to that of landscape. In addition to oil painting, he did many successful landscape abstractions in watercolor. Determined to avoid romantic illustration, Higgins attempted to reduce his compositions to essentials, to create monumental forms in a broad sweeping style.
Excerpt From
Gail Davitt, Biographical essay, DMA education files, 1986-1987.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
Added artist life dates.
Added artist geography.
b. 28 June 1884, Shelbyville, Indiana
trained Chicago- (1899-1909) School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Academy of Fine Arts Chicago.
trained- NYC (1908, 1913)- met Robert Henri, in New York City to see the Armory Show
trained Paris- (1910-1914)- Study abroad paid for by Carter H. Harrison (Chicago), study at the Academie de la Grande Chaumière under René Ménard and Lucien Simon; befriend Walter Ufer
trained- Munich (1913-1914)- Study abroad paid for by Carter H. Harrison (Chicago), Studied with Hans von Hyedk
worked- Chicago- 1913-1920- taught at the Academy of Fine Arts; divided time between Chicago and Taos
worked in- Taos, New Mexico- 1914-27, 1928-37, 1940-49- traveled frequently 1913-1920, reside in Taos as of 1920; member of Taos Society of Artists in 1917; taught at Taos Field School starting 1930; befriended Andrew Dasburg (in Taos as of 1917) and John Marin (met in 1929)
worked in- Riverdale, NY- 1927
worked in- San Antonio- 1937-1940- married to Marion Koogler McNay and had studio in her Sunset Hills home (now Marion Koogler McNay Museum of Art)
died- Taos- Aug 23, 1949
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