William J. Glackens

Associated with the realist Ashcan school of the beginning of the twentieth century, Glackens is best known for his lively portrayal of middle-class urban life. His bright palette and feathery brushwork reveal his admiration for French Impressionism, especially Pierre-Auguste Renoir's paintings. This sketchbook includes many preparatory studies for finished paintings. In keeping with the academic approach Glackens favored in his late work, the sketches were not made from life but in the studio, where the artist had re-created a soda fountain and his son posed as the waiter.