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for William Henry Hyde
1858 - 1943
William Henry Hyde studied for three seasons, 1873 to 1876, in the National Academy of Design's antique class; during the same years, he was a student at Columbia University. Despite this demonstration of his commitment to art, his father, a watch importer and amateur artist, discouraged him. On graduation from Columbia in 1877, Hyde became a stockbroker and an importer of cotton goods. He continued to draw, however, receiving criticism from his friend Albert Pinkham Ryder, whom he had met at the National Academy. In January 1888, Hyde resolved to go to Paris to study painting. He remained for five years, working at the Académie Julian under Gustav Boulanger and Jules-Joseph Lefebvre. He also received private instruction from Alexander Harrison in Paris.
Returning to New York in 1892, Hyde opened a portrait studio. Several years later, he married Mary B. Potter, daughter of the Episcopal bishop of New York. Although he was elected to the Society of American Artists in 1893, the same year he first exhibited in an Academy annual exhibition, Hyde found it expedient to take on considerable illustration work at Harper's and Scribner's magazines in order to support himself. Although he continued to exhibit regularly at the National Academy until 1935, showing a nearly even mix of portraits and subject pictures, little is known of his late career. He is said to have painted scenic spots throughout Minnesota in the late nineteenth century, but his principal residence remained New York, even after ill health forced him into semiretirement in the 1920s. Filling out a biographical questionnaire requested of all Academy members in 1930, Hyde made terse responses that convey a rather pessimistic evaluation of his career. For "List of honors," he noted "Not many"; and for "List of important works," he wrote "No important works."
JD
Returning to New York in 1892, Hyde opened a portrait studio. Several years later, he married Mary B. Potter, daughter of the Episcopal bishop of New York. Although he was elected to the Society of American Artists in 1893, the same year he first exhibited in an Academy annual exhibition, Hyde found it expedient to take on considerable illustration work at Harper's and Scribner's magazines in order to support himself. Although he continued to exhibit regularly at the National Academy until 1935, showing a nearly even mix of portraits and subject pictures, little is known of his late career. He is said to have painted scenic spots throughout Minnesota in the late nineteenth century, but his principal residence remained New York, even after ill health forced him into semiretirement in the 1920s. Filling out a biographical questionnaire requested of all Academy members in 1930, Hyde made terse responses that convey a rather pessimistic evaluation of his career. For "List of honors," he noted "Not many"; and for "List of important works," he wrote "No important works."
JD
