VVFA Modern | Artists | Alson Skinner Clark (American, 1876 - 1949)

Alson Skinner Clark was an avid traveler and international artist, painting his Impressionist landscapes in such diverse locales as Paris, Giverny, Brittany, Normandy, the Loire Valley, Quebec, Italy, Spain, Prague, Dalmatia (Croatia), Mexico, and, in 1913, Panama and the Caribbean, before settling in California. The construction of the Panama Canal was nearly complete in 1913, and Clark wanted to capture the historic venture in his art. He completed numerous canvases of the city’s streets and plazas, such as in the current painting, as well as scenes of the construction site, trains and laborers. Many of the Panama paintings were hung in a solo exhibition of Clark’s work at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, held in San Francisco in 1915. The privilege of a full room at the exhibition was granted to only a few exceptional artists—Duveneck, Whistler, Chase, Hassam, and Sargent—placing Clark in elite company.

Collections:
Victoria and Albert Museum, London Art Institute of Chicago, IL Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA San Diego Fine Art Society, CA State Library, Sacramento, CA Pomona College Museum of Art, CA Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, MA New York Public Library, NY Fleischer Museum, Scottsdale, AZ Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK