Biografie von Eugene Edward SPEICHER (1883-1962)

Birth place: Buffalo, NY

Death place: Woodstock, NY

Addresses: NYC/Woodstock, NY

Profession: Painter

Studied: Albright Art Gal. Sch.; ASL; abroad; Chase, DuMond, Henri at New York Sch. Art; Robert Henri again at the Henri Sch.

Exhibited: NAD, 1910-1948 (medals, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1947); Brooklyn AA, 1912; PAFA Ann., 1912-13, 1918-21, 1929-56 (gold, 1920 & 1938; prize, 1945); SC, 1913 (prize); Pan-Pacific Expo, 1915 (medal); S. Indp. A., 1920, 1926, 1936; WMAA, 1925-49; VMFA, 1938 (prize); CI, 1922 (medal); AIC, 1926 (gold); Corcoran Gal biennials, 1912-57 (18 times, incl. silver medal, 1928; gold medal, 1935); Int. Expo, Paris, 1937 (medal).

Member: ANA, 1912; NA, 1925; Port. Painters; NAC; Boston AC; NIAL; Contemporary; ASPS&G; Woodstock AA

Work: Woodstock AA; Albright Art Gal., CMA; CGA; Detroit IA; MMA; MoMA; WMAA; PMG; FMA; CI; TMA; Art Lg., Galveston, TX; Decatur (IL) Mus.; Minneapolis Mus.; Brooklyn Mus.; Worcester AM; MFA, Des Moines, IA; BMFA; W.R. Nelson MA, Kansas City; Los Angeles Mus. Hist., Science & Art; Munson-Williams-Proctor Inst.; Newark MA; Delgado MA, and in private collections.

Comments: Speicher supported himself with portrait commissions early in his career, but changed over to non-commissioned portraits in the mid 1910s. He also painted small informal landscapes, still lifes and nudes. In 1936, Esquire called him "America's most important living painter."

Sources: WW59; WW47; Woodstock's Art Heritage, 132-133; Woodstock AA; Falk, Exh. Record Series.