Will Hicok Low
Will Hicok Low (March 31, 1853 – November 27, 1932) or Will Hicock Low was an American artist,
Biography
He was born at
He married Berthe Julienne in France in 1878.
Subsequently, he turned his attention to decoration, and executed panels and medallions for the
He was an instructor in the schools of Cooper Union, New York, during 1882 to 1885, and in the school of the National Academy of Design from 1889 to 1892. Low, who is known to a wider circle as the friend of R. L. Stevenson, published some reminiscences, A Chronicle of Friendships, 1873-1900 (1908).[1]
In 1909 he illustrated the book "In Arcady" by Hamilton Wright Mabie. The style was influenced by the Art Nouveau movement.
After the death of Berthe, in 1909 he married the former
He painted a series of murals in the New York State Education Department rotunda in Albany, New York. Using figures and symbols from Roman and Greek mythology paired with New York buildings and landscapes, the artist charts major milestones in human progress—in terms of art, science, technology, modernization, liberty, democracy, and quality of life. The earliest panels, such as Architecture, Astronomy & Geography, and Medicine & Chemistry, combine theory and practical skills. Another eight, including Theseus, the Pathfinder, feature modern inventions to show how far humankind had progressed by the early 20th century. The final paintings reflect a patriotic theme, with subjects such as The Standard, The United States Military Academy, and the Shaft of Union. Taken together, these paintings—originally gracing the entrances of the State Library Main Reading Room, the Law Library, and the Periodicals Library—complement the Rotunda's architectural nobility and its aura of intellectual enlightenment.[2]
Another mural by him is located in the
Notes
- ^ a b c d public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Low, Will Hicok". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 72. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ "The Rotunda Paintings of the New York State Education Building".