1874-1934
John Noble, born into an upper middle class family who had emigrated from England, early showed signs of rebellious personality, leaving school after the eighth grade. He received some photograpic training in Cincinnati (1893-95) and by the late 1890s was working as a photographer and artist in Wichita.
He moved to Paris in 1903 where he took on the fictionalized personality of Wichita Bill, hard-driving cowboy. He attended the Acad‚mie Julian under Laurens and associated with George Luks and Richard E. Miller. In 1905 he began painting in Brittany in the summer months. He married Amelia Peiche of Strassbourg in 1909. By 1910 he was spending summers at the art colonies at Trepied and Etaples. At the outbreak of World War I the coupled moved to England.
In 1919 the Nobles relocated to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where Noble became fund raiser and head of the building committee for the Provincetown Art Association with the building complete by 1921. He served as director until 1922 after which he moved to New York City and established a studio. In provincetown he was friends with Eugene O'Neill, John Dos Passos and Charles Hawthorne.
He had one man exhibitions at Daniel Gallery (1920), Rehn Gallery (1922) and at Milch Gallery (1925). In the latter exhibition he showed a group of marines inspired by his residence along the coast of Brittany and in Provincetown. In 1925 he organized an exhibiton of American art which covered the period from the 18th century to the present at the Vanderbilt Mansion. Irving Stone's The Passionate Journey was based on the life of Noble.
In the NAD collection there is a lithographed Self-Portrait of Noble (loaned to the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, 1930). (RP to add something about his drinking).
He moved to Paris in 1903 where he took on the fictionalized personality of Wichita Bill, hard-driving cowboy. He attended the Acad‚mie Julian under Laurens and associated with George Luks and Richard E. Miller. In 1905 he began painting in Brittany in the summer months. He married Amelia Peiche of Strassbourg in 1909. By 1910 he was spending summers at the art colonies at Trepied and Etaples. At the outbreak of World War I the coupled moved to England.
In 1919 the Nobles relocated to Provincetown, Massachusetts, where Noble became fund raiser and head of the building committee for the Provincetown Art Association with the building complete by 1921. He served as director until 1922 after which he moved to New York City and established a studio. In provincetown he was friends with Eugene O'Neill, John Dos Passos and Charles Hawthorne.
He had one man exhibitions at Daniel Gallery (1920), Rehn Gallery (1922) and at Milch Gallery (1925). In the latter exhibition he showed a group of marines inspired by his residence along the coast of Brittany and in Provincetown. In 1925 he organized an exhibiton of American art which covered the period from the 18th century to the present at the Vanderbilt Mansion. Irving Stone's The Passionate Journey was based on the life of Noble.
In the NAD collection there is a lithographed Self-Portrait of Noble (loaned to the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, 1930). (RP to add something about his drinking).
