The year that William Merritt Chase and Thomas Eakins died, 1916, was an eclectic year for painting, as the Masters of the nineteenth century handed over to the tigers of the twentieth century. Here is a selection of some of my favourite paintings of that year, which perhaps give a better feel for what was happening than any words. I’ll start with artists working from the East Coast of America.

USA, East Coast – Frank Duveneck (1848–1919)

USA, East Coast – William Merritt Chase (1849–1916)

USA, East Coast – Colin Campbell Cooper (1856–1937)

USA, East Coast – Frederick Childe Hassam (1859-1935)

USA, East Coast – George Bellows (1882–1925)

USA, East Coast – Charles Demuth (1883–1935)

USA, South – Julian Onderdonk (1882–1922)

USA, West Coast – Anna Althea Hills (1882-1930)

France – Georges Rochegrosse (1859–1938)

Belgium & France – Théo van Rysselberghe (1862–1926)

Belgium – Émile Claus (1849-1924)

Britain – John William Waterhouse (1849–1917)

Britain – Evelyn De Morgan (1855–1919)

Poland – Jacek Malczewski (1854–1929)

Other Deaths

Sadly, several other artists died that year. Among those covered in articles on this blog are the following.

Marie Bracquemond, born on 1 December 1840, died on 17 January 1916 in Sèvres, Paris.

Léon François Comerre, born on 10 October 1850, died on 20 February 1916 in Paris.

Odilon Redon, born on 20 April 1840, died on 6 July 1916 in Paris.

Ignacio Pinazo Camarlench, born on 11 January 1849, died on 18 October 1916 in Godella.

Tina Blau, later known as Tina Blau-Lang, born on 15 November 1845, died on 31 October 1916 in Vienna.

Births

I am sure that several other famous painters were born in 1916, but one who I commend to your attention is the wonderful Sylvia Sleigh (1916-2010) who was born on 8 May 1916, in Llandudno, North Wales.